Cervelo

C3 Disc Ultegra Di2 R8070 Road Bike

A little gravel grinding and backroads climbing never slowed you down before, and with Cervelo's C3 Disc Ultegra Di2 R8070 Complete Bike you'll be more adventure-ready than ever. The C3 is built for endurance rides, with a longer wheelbase, and lower bottom bracket to boost stability, and wide stays that offer room for vibration-damping 32-millimeter tires. Though some endurance and adventure-minded machines can be, well, sluggish on the ride, Cervelo is sure to omit the cumbersome elements we find in other off-road capable bikes by crafting the C3 with race-driven elements taken from the R-series, like lightweight carbon construction, and Squoval tube construction that keeps things rigid and aerodynamic. To top it all off, this model is decked out with Shimano's Ultegra Di2 groupset, offering programmable shifting that's reliable, even when your ride takes you well beyond the last cell tower.

The C3 may lend some visual queues to Cervelo's Race-series bikes. You'll spot the same Squoval down-tube technology that offer the rigidity of square tubes for torsional stiffness, much like its siblings, and it even packs in the oversized BBRight bottom bracket shell that adds an extra 11mm of material to the non-driveside adding even more rigidity to the frame with its beefy anchor point. But from there, things start to stray to a different zone with a slightly longer head tube to provide a slightly more upright fit, and significantly lower bottom bracket. The low bottom bracket pairs up with long chainstays to stretch out the wheel base and elevate stability, keeping you in control when you're departing the tarmac for new adventures.

Cervelo's designers try to find a balance when it comes to riding position. While sitting upright is undoubtedly comfortable, we don't want to feel like we're on the way to go grocery shopping on a beach cruiser when we're hammering into mile 85 of a Gran Fondo — but inversely we prefer to avoid a cramped up aero fit through the long miles. Cervelo strikes an ideal balance in between the two extremes with a 7mm lift above the head tube in the R3, and a steep seat tube that still keeps you forward in the cockpit. This translates to a bit more comfort, without completely tossing aerodynamics out the window, so you can go far, fast.

If your bike research has left you glancing at Cervelo's C3 and C5 and scratching your head to figure out the difference, we'll tell you that you won't find any in the geometry department. That means, despite the break in price, the C3 will offer you the exact same quick-and-comfortable engineering as its pricier partner. However the two frames drift apart in the carbon-fiber department. The C3 opts for a more economical layup, that, while stiff, doesn't provide quite the same feathery outcome as the C5's top level carbon, making the C3 an ideal option for those who don't mind a couple of grams, especially when it comes with a more pocket-friendly price tag.

To finish of this particular C3, Cervelo equips it with Shimano's Ultegra Di2 groupset. Shimano's Ultegra Di2 groupset borrows heavily from Dura-Ace , with low profile shadow design, and a closer inbound position that protects your derailleurs. The result is a group with performance that's near top tier, but without the price tag of Dura-Ace. Lastly, a set of DT Swiss wheels underneath give you quick-rolling power, with speedy engagement to get the most out of ever pedal stroke.