Cervélo R5

What else is there to say about this champion? R5 is an apex predator when it comes to Grand Tour success, racking up benchmark victories at a blistering rate. A featherweight ride that handles like a dream and feels solid enough to race confidently on the flats, it’s got chops to put you on top regardless of the rides you task it with.

How’s It Ride?

The standout surprise feature on R5 is always just how well it rides–surprise, surprise. For a Grand Tour bike, it’s comfortable despite its stiffness and has handling that will make it feel like an effortless ride in a multitude of situations. Yes, it climbs like it’s got a motor, but being able to carve a descent is what ensures it's a winner.

How Ours Is Equipped

The top-flight build on the R5 is with SRAM’s Red AXS, but we wanted to keep our feet (*savings) on the ground a bit and chose the very good mid-tier Ultegra Di2 gruppo with a climbing-focused crankset. The gearing has good range that will keep nice speed on the climbs and still let you push through the valley floor.