CERVELO S5

The latest S5 delivers aero gains, reduced weight and enhanced comfort

- Words: Andy Carr Photos: Richard Blucher / Future

£12,000

The new Cervélo S5 was launched at this year's Tour de France but was overshadowed by Factor's new prototype aero bike. Unlike the radical-looking Factor, the revised S5 came dressed in more mainstream aero attire, with only some subtle updates from the previous version. It was, we dare say, boring by comparison.

CONSTRUCTION

However, there are differences - 6.3 watts of them, to be precise. This makes it faster than the old S5, according to the press material. It's also 124g lighter. Once up close and personal with the revised S5, you start to appreciate the changes.

The fork now features a bow-like intake scoop in place of the older closed design, encouraging air to flow in and over the tyre rather than around the crown as before. The HB19 cockpit, although similar in appearance to the previous version, has been updated for further watt savings while also being lower in weight. Even the seatpost has been subtly updated. It's narrower now, with a modification at the top of the leading edge of the post, presumably to better channel air over and around the hardware.

The seat tube closely tracks the circumference of the wheel before darting upwards and forward, and the rear end is now fascinatingly asymmetrical, hiding more of the tyre. A lower BB drop of 72mm allows the expanded but familiar, edged aero sections of the bottom bracket cluster to dip lower into the wind, yet somehow perform better.

So it's fast on paper, but what about the specs?