Cervelo introduced their latest top end Project California edition, the 667g RCA, earlier this year. Now, the R5 gets updated with much of the same tech but at half the $10,000 price.
The big changes include the switch from the boxy tube shapes to their Squoval shaping, which melds oval and square shapes to blend stiffness with aerodynamics. They’re boasting a 7.4 watt advantage. It also yields a 9.5% stiffer bottom bracket junction and 15% stiffer head tube section.
At $5,000 for the frameset, it’s not cheap, but at least it’s future proof. Routing will work with any mechanical, electronic or hydraulic (brakes – rim, not disc) systems. They’ve even bumped tire clearance for spacious 25c accommodations.
From a quick glance, they’re not all that different looking. Click to enlarge (a bit) and you’ll notice a little more edge to the downtube-to-headtube and top tube-to-seatstay transitions. That, and apparently the saddle likes to be pointed down more now.
Three complete bikes are offered ranging from $7,000 (Red 22) up to $9,000 (DA Di2), and the frameset, which includes the fork, headset and seatpost, is $5,000. So, um, yeah – $2,000 for a full SRAM Red 22 group and wheels, cockpit and the rest? No brainer.
We’ll have more details on the new bike from Eurobike.
