Recap of Cervelo Shape of Speed Event

by Jack Mott

Cervelo's "Shape of Speed" event, which came to Austin Tri-Cyclist on March 7, included a presentation about the history and technology at work at Cervelo, a quick question-and-answer period, and free beer and pizza.

In attendance from Cervelo were Phil Houston, marketing, and Phil Spearman, product manager, who are known as P2 and P3 back at the office due to an overabundance of Phils (co-founder Phil White is P1). Phil Spearman did most of the talking, taking us through the history and technology of Cervelo.

History

• 1995 - World Champion Gianni Bugno approached Gerard and Phil, founders of Cervelo, to design a time trial bike for him. The Baracchi is born.
• 1996 - Cervelo bikes first appear in the Olympics.
• 1998 - First professional Ironman rides a Cervelo (Paula Newby-Fraser).  
• 2002 - Tyler Hamilton asks for a TT bike, which was disguised as a Look and then ridden by Laurent Jalabert in the Tour de France.
• 2003 - World Tour cycling team CSC picks Cervelo as their bike sponsor.
• 2006 - First of three wins at Paris-Roubaix.
  
• 2008 - Victory in the Tour de France with Carlos Sastre, and Kona with Chrissie Wellington.
• 2009 - Cervelo Test Team is formed, to focus more on product testing.
• 2010 - Project California produces ultralight R5Ca.
• 2010 - Cervelo wins world cycling road championships (Thor Hushovd) and TT championship (Emma Pooley).
• 2012 - Ryder Hesjdal wins the Giro de Italia on a Cervelo.
• 2013 - Victory in Kona for the P5 ridden by Frederik Van Lierde.
• 2014 - VelocioSRAM and Bigla women's teams sponsored by Cervelo.
• 2015 - Team MTN Qhubeka sponsored by Cervelo.

Technology

Cervelo didn't send an engineer to this Shape of Speed event, but Phil Houston did a respectable job of communicating some interesting technical tidbits. One was an amusing argument that even a generic carbon frame is more original and handmade than the typical round-tube lugged steel frame. He mentioned that every carbon frame design is a completely original shape rather than stock tubing from one of a few suppliers, and that in the end human hands are laying that carbon fiber into molds and creating the frames.

When asked how Cervelo seems to do very well in wind tunnel tests, especially at low yaw angles, he said that much of the testing Cervelo has done indicates that yaw angles averaging around 7 degrees are typical much of the time (but not always!), indicating that they tend to focus more on low yaw angles than some other companies.

A recent revolution in the process of bike design for Cervelo has been the acquisition of CFD and FEA software tools. These allow Cervelo to try frame designs and test both their aerodynamics and structural properties virtually. Rather than spending days and tons of money in a wind tunnel to try a handful of shapes, they can try thousands of iterations virtually before taking a few promising ones to the wind tunnel for refinement.

Another focus with the latest round of bikes is more "systems integration." This is the recognition that there is more to a bike's aerodynamics than the frame alone, especially once the frame is well designed aerodynamically. An interesting breakdown of the relative contribution to aero drag of various parts on an S5 was shown:

• 30% handlebar
• 16% front wheel
• 16% frame
• 9% bottle
• 9% fork
• 9% powertrain
• 3% front brake
• 2% rear brake
• 1% seat post

This kind of data has led to Cervelo introducing their own handlebar with aerodynamic tops, and to offer some of their bikes with aerodynamic wheels standard.

Cervelo Shape of Speed at ATC Free Science, Free Beer

Next Saturday two Cervelo insiders will be trekking down from the frozen tundra of their Toronto headquarters to ATC Barton Springs. You'll get a chance to learn about the science of bike design, engineering, and aerodynamics directly from a Cervelo engineer. You can also take advantage of the opportunity to ask all those hard, probing questions that have been keeping you up at night, like "How much faster is the P5 than the P3 really?" and "Did it drive you crazy when Garmin rode only the R5 all the time?"  The flyer even promises a glimpse at what Cervelo may be up to next. A P6? An aero mountain bike? Human-powered jets?  Find out in person over free beer and pizza at ATC!

What:
Cervelo Shape of Speed
Free science, engineering, beer, and pizza from Cervelo and ATC
When:
Saturday, March 7, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Where:
ATC Barton Springs

Three TT Bikes Under 3K

When upgrading your ride, whether you’re buying new components or purchasing a completely new frame, a good way to start is to decide how much you want to spend. Especially in Austin, it’s not unusual for an athlete’s bike to be worth more than his or her car. (Who needs working AC for the workday commute when you can have integrated aerobars and hydraulic brakes on race day?) But buying a new bike certainly doesn’t have to break the bank; striking a balance between what you want and what you can afford, you can build up a ride that leaves no room for excuses.    

Recently, a common price point for buyers in the market for a new TT bike seems to be $3,000, so we’ve put together some info on three popular options at ATC that fit the bill: the Cervelo P2, Boardman Elite Air TT 9.0, and BMC TM02.    

Cervelo P2:

Don’t let the numbering confuse you—the new version of the P2, which was released at the beginning of 2014, shares the exact same frame as the more expensive P3, with a slightly modified and easier-to-manufacture fork as the only difference. All components are standard and located in the standard places. There are no hidden brakes or integrated aerobars to make maintenance or travel a hassle. Read our detailed February 2014 post on the P2 here. 

Shimano 105, 10 speed build - $2,800.  

Boardman Elite Air TT 9.0:

The Boardman has a different look and color scheme than many other TT bikes—it’s less angular, perhaps a little more aesthetically “classic.” The improved 2014 frame, said to be even faster than the one Pete Jacobs rode to his Ironman World Championship win in 2012, is identical to the 9.2 and 9.4,  with the only differences being paint and spec. It features hidden brakes both front and rear. Meredith Kessler rode it to three wins in three races this season, including the 70.3 U.S. Pro Championships. Read more about Boardman’s line of bikes and arrival in Texas in our April 2013 post here. 

Shimano 105, 10 speed build - $2,995. 

BMC TM02:

The edgy TM02 is a close relative of Taylor Phinney's TM01, the bike he rode during his U.S. National TT Championship win. It features the same basic frame design as the TM01, including a trick hidden rear brake, but with standard front brake and aerobar arrangement for easy adjustment and maintenance. The BMC is wind tunnel- and race-proven, with a striking look and color scheme.

Shimano 105, 10 speed build - $2,999. 

The Cervelo S5 The Fastest Road Bike – In The World

Since 2001, when Cervelo introduced their first aerodynamic road bike, the aluminum "Solo," their aero road bike designs have been considered the industry standard. The fastest frame in the world in its day, the Solo was the first road bike with airfoil shapes specifically tuned for the speeds and wind angles cyclists experience. In 2005, Cervelo released the Soloist Carbon, which was showered with awards and rave reviews for its aerodynamic prowess, as well as its handling, stiffness, and ride quality. That design has remained relatively unchanged, with only minor tweaks and improvements through the S3, which was introduced in 2008. Despite the arrival of competitors in the aero road bike market, Cervelo held that the S3 remained top dog in the wind tunnel...until now.

This is not merely another iteration of the S3, but a completely new frame, with new features never seen before on a road bike. The S3 has been dethroned.

Overview

The S5 combines many of the best features of the P4 TT bike and the R-series lightweight bikes, giving rise to a road frame with all new geometry. The result, according to Cervelo, is a bike that has 12% better stiffness, better aerodynamics, and the comfort of the S3, and also weighs 80 grams less. At 25mph the S5 will save a rider 9 watts compared to the S3. And compared to many round-tube, non-aero frames, the S5 can save up to a whopping 32 watts at 25mph. Even in a pack, where aerodynamic drag is reduced by 25 to 30 percent, a rider would still be saving between 6 and 20 watts. Anyone who owns a power meter should be familiar with how much of an advantage that can be. But the S5 isn't just slippery, it is also stiff and light and displaying amazing handling acumen under the guidance of Thor Hushovd in the 2011 Tour de France. Stiff and light enough for 180lbs of Thor to climb the Pyrenees, nimble enough to chase climbers down on rainy descents.



New Features

• Shielding Seat Stays - Aerodynamics and comfort +Click To Toggle Details
  • The S5 features deep, airfoil seat stays which are very similar to those found on Cervelo's top TT bike, the P4. The shape is especially complex where it attaches to the seat tube, which serves to improve aerodynamics, shield the rear brake caliper, and provide extra vertical compliance for comfort on bumpy roads.
    
• Seat Tube - Shielding the rear wheel +Click To Toggle Details
  • The S5 features a seat tube that is currently unique among road bikes. No other road bike has such a large extent of rear wheel coverage, and keeps the rear wheel in such close proximity to the seat tube cutout. This shields the rear wheel from the air, reducing aerodynamic drag. As the dropouts remain vertical for easy wheel swaps, this will limit tire size options somewhat. Cervelo reports that 23mm tires will fit, as will some models of 25mm wide tires.
    
• BBright - Stiffness and weight +Click To Toggle Details
  • There is more to a road bike than aerodynamics. Road races often involve steep mountains where weight matters too. Cyclists sprint, attack, and corner at the limit, and stiffness is important for solid handling and power transfer. While the S3 has proven stiff and light enough for powerful riders like world champion Thor Hushovd, the S5 improves on the S3 by 12% in stiffness and 80 grams in weight. Part of this is achieved with the BBright system, first featured on the R-series frames. The asymmetric bottom bracket and chain stay design allow for a bottom bracket/crankset system that can be lighter and/or stiffer than a standard setup.
    
• Dropped Down Tube - Integrates with the fork and front wheel +Click To Toggle Details
  • Another feature reminiscent of the P4 is the dropped down tube. Cervelo combines an integrated fork that fits neatly into the frame and a dropped down tube that hugs closely to the front wheel. The design maintains an airfoil leading edge along this curve around the front wheel, rather than a cutout, which would add drag whenever the wheel is not pointed exactly straight ahead.
    
• Made for Water Bottles - Less penalty for carrying water +Click To Toggle Details
  • A common point of skepticism about aero frames for bike racers is whether it is worth paying for sculpted aero down tubes and seat tubes if you are going to load them up with water bottles anyway. While Cervelo has maintained that aero tubes are faster than round ones even with bottles in front of and behind them, the S5 offers two features to improve on water bottle equipped performance. The first is a feature also found on the latest Lightspeed aero road bikes – a widened trailing edge on the down tube to shield the bottles from the air. Cervelo takes this water bottle philosophy a step further by offering two mounting positions for the down tube bottles. There is a low position to be used when carrying a single bottle, which reduces the gap between the bottle and the seat tube, smoothing airflow. When using two bottles, a higher mounting point is used that positions the two bottles close to each other to optimize airflow. This is another feature unique on the market right now.
    

Specs, Pricing, Availability - Update: ATC has S5s in stock and ready to ride!

The S5 model is a bit of a departure from previous Cervelo frames in that it will be offered in 3 levels of carbon fiber. The shape and stiffness of each offering are identical, with the only change being a reduction in weight as you move up the scale. The great news is that the S5 is not just going to be an expensive superbike like the R5ca. In fact, the entry level S5 comes in cheaper than the S3. For the weight weenies and people who simply want the best, you can pay more to have your cake and eat it too. The standard and team frames will be available at Austin Tri-Cyclist starting this August with the super light VWD frames available starting in January 2012. The S5 trim levels are as follows:

Trim Level	Weight (54cm)	Frameset	Complete Bike 1	Complete Bike 2
Standard S5	1,260g	$3,000 USD	SRAM Rival - $3,800
Team	1,200g	$3,800 USD	Ultegra - $4,800	Ultegra Di2 - $6,000
VWD	990g	$5,900 USD	SRAM Red - $7,500	Dura Ace Di2 - $9000

More Info

• Cervelo's S5 White Paper
• Official Cervelo S5 Page

The Austin Tri-Cyclist Memorial Day Expo

Some people barbecue on Memorial Day. Others go for a little swim, bike, and run to celebrate the three-day weekend, barbecuing themselves in the hot Austin sun. Whether you're watching or participating in this year's CapTex Tri, stop by ATC to check out our Memorial Day sales, including 20% off wetsuits. You can also sign up for the Cervelo E-Ride and test out your new dream bike.

Join us for the Cervelo E-ride on May 28th and 29th at Austin Tri-Cyclist. Test ride the best bikes on the road. Register at Cervelo.com
	The Austin Tri-Cyclist Memorial Expo May 28th - May 30th Stop by Austin Tri-Cyclist and enjoy some savings. CERVELO E-RIDE May 28th and 29th (register quick before it fills up) 2010 Wetsuits 20% OFF Wetsuit Rentals $25 Zoot Shoes 15% OFF Easton Carbon Race Wheels 15% OFF 2010 Cervelo an Cannondale Bikes on Sale

Cannondale Carbon Package Deal - $1895 Get the smoothness of carbon and all the accessories at a price that saves. Cannondale Starter Road Package - $995 A great entry level road bike with a lot of extras. The Carbon Tri Package - $2295 A Full Carbon Tri Bike and that's with shoes, pedals, helmet, and more! The Starter Triathlon Package - $1395 Your first tri bike and the gear needed to get you on the road at a low price. Comes with shoes, pedals, helmet, and more. Upgrade to the 2009 Jamis Comet for only $100.

Austin Marathon SALE Feb 18th-20th

20% Off Zoot Compression

20% Off All Nutrition

Cervelo P2C - $2395

The Livestrong Austin Marathon is next weekend, February 20, and we're celebrating the best way we know how - BEER. No, that was a joke. (Really.) We're having a sale. Get warm and cold weather gear (you never know), nutrition products, 26.2 tees, and more. And for those of you lookin to get off your feet for a while, try life on two wheels with a Cannondale starter package or a heartbreakingly aero Cervelo P2 Carbon. Today is the day of love, people! And personally, we think an aerodynamic head tube is a little better than a stuffed bear.

Best of luck next weekend, and alright, alright, we weren't kidding about the beer. But only after we set our PR. We're always looking for fresh material, so send us your local race reports, please - running, cycling, triathlon, adventure racing, and any other athletic endeavors PG-rated and interesting. Email us at atcblogs@gmail.com

In the next few weeks, check back for articles about pro triathletes Brandon and Amy Marsh, pro mountain biker Tristan Uhl, and why you should ask a fast chick out for a ride. In the meantime, drop by the shop and check out the goods:

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• 20% off all Zoot Compression - socks, tights, shorts, calf guards
• 20% off all nutrition products - Powerbar, Gu, Hammer, Carb-boom, E-Gel, Pure Sport, and more
• We have 26.2 marathon tees for men and women (and 70.3 and 140.6 tees, too)
• 2010 Bikes on sale - check out our clearance page
• 20-40% off 2010 wetsuits and clothing

Also in stock - the 2011 Cervelo P2, Cervelo's most popular tri bike, at $2395

Cannondale Carbon Package Deal - $1795 The smoothness of carbon and all the accessories.

	Cannondale Starter Road Package - $995 A great entry-level road bike with plenty of extras.
	The Carbon Tri Package - $2295 A full carbon tri bike, plus shoes, pedals, helmet, and more!
	The Starter Triathlon Package - $1395 Your first tri bike and all the gear you need to get out on the road. Comes with shoes, pedals, helmet, and more. Upgrade to the 2009 Jamis Comet for $100.