Cervelo

C5 Disc Ultegra Di2 R8070 Road Bike

Generally speaking, when we think of Cervelo bicycles, our minds go to speedy rolling road machines, and while we don't think this perception of Cervelo is off, we do think its a bit limiting. Take the Cervelo C5 Disc Ultragra Di2 R8070 Complete Bike for example — with a longer wheelbase, and more upright position, the C5 is designed to take you further than any speedy race bike in Cervelo's lineup, and with the flexibility to leave the road when your adventure isn't ready to stop. This longer steed is built for those of us going for centuries, Gran Fondos, or just endurance-minded weekend cruises, but it still features aerodynamically designed carbon structure, so while you're ready to go further, you're also built to get there faster. On this particular build the featherweight C5 frame is paired up with Shimano's Ultegra Di2 build to help you get the most out of long rides with fully programmable electronic control when you're putting your head down and hammering out the miles.

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 grocery shopping on a beach cruiser when we're hammering into mile 85 of a Gran Fondo — but inversely we prefer to avoid a compact aero fit through the long miles. Cervelo strikes an ideal in between with a 7mm lift above the head tube in the R3, and a steep seat tube that still keeps you forward in the cockpit. In the rear end things differ a bit, with arced seatstays and seat tubes that are designed to soak up some of the jarring forces from rough roads, while beefy chainstays keep the flex in seatstays from altering your positioning on the bike. This translates to a bit more comfort, without completely tossing aerodynamics out the window, so you can go far, fast.

A glance at the C5 will have you noticing some visual queues that remind you of Cervelo's R-series steeds. Squoval down-tube technology combines the rigidity of square tubes for rigidity and 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.

If you've got an eye for geometry, you may be wondering what the difference is between Cervelo's C5 and C3 endurance bikes. We don't blame you — even if you've done some diving into the numbers you'll find that the C3 and C5 feature identical geometry. Where the two frames drift apart is in their carbon layups. The C5 uses Cervelo's lighter, higher-grade carbon fiber to shed grams to an astonishingly featherweight frame, while the C3 opts for a practical carbon layup that drops the price down at the cost of grams.

Cervelo equips this particular C5 build with Shimano's coveted Ultegra Di2 groupset for precise and programmable electronic shifts that are quick and deliberate. 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. The build is finished off with elite level carbon components, and Mavic's Allroad Elite Disc for aerodynamics that hold up to any terrain you throw their way.