Cervelo Rca Aero and Light Is Right!

Cervelo Rca - The lightest frame in the world goes aero

Cervelo has long been known for the aerodynamic prowess of their TT bikes and S-Series road frames. Despite this, the R-Series frames, their lighter and stiffer offerings, have been the most popular among both pros and amateurs.  Though subjective qualities like comfort and lateral rigidity play a role in the wide appeal of the R-Series, a large part of the equation is that lightness is simply irresistible to the cycling enthusiast. Unlike aerodynamic claims, which are somewhat abstract and unverifiable to the average customer, a light bike can be directly experienced. You can hold it in your hand – or balanced lightly on one finger, if it's an Rca – and feel the difference.

Our 54cm frame came in at 630g

Cervelo operates a high-tech engineering lab called Project California, an underground R&D Batcave where they hand-build limited edition frames in order to explore and expand the boundaries of bike technology. In 2010, this facility produced the R5ca, a limited release version of their already super-light R5 frame, made crazy light with special carbon fiber layup and assembly tricks.  Last month, crazy just got crazier. The latest limited edition frame from this top-secret nerd factory dropped the weight of the R-Series even further, to just 660 grams (on average), while also adding aerodynamic tube shapes and internal cable routing.

Now cyclists burning the midnight oil over the choice between aerodynamics and stiffness and weight can rest easy, able to have it all in one bike.  The new aerodynamic features save 100 grams of drag (more than 7 free watts at 25 mph) compared to other high-end, non-aero road frames, making it about 1/3 as aero as an S5. The Rca, lighter than anything else on the market, also maintains all the stiffness of  previous R frames. But for now, to own one you'll have to pay the big premium that comes with Project California frames, at around $10,000 for the frameset.  Those of us with more modest bank accounts can look forward to the new aerodynamic "Squoval 3" tube shapes trickling down to the regular R-Series production frames in the very near future.

Rca Features

• BBright - Stiffness & Weight +Click For Details
  • The BBright bottom bracket takes advantage of otherwise unused space on the non-drive side by using an asymmetric shape to increase stiffness and reduce the weight of the frame. Additionally, it allows cranksets to improve stiffness and/or weight as components have no external cups that they have to clear, allowing for straighter components with less curvature. In the end, the BB+crankset system as a whole can be designed stiffer and/or lighter. BBRight cranksets are available from many manufacturers such as Rotor, FSA, and SRAM, and others can be made to work with adapters.
    
• Squoval 3 - Aero, Light, Stiff +Click For Details
  • Following in the footsteps of bikes like the Scott Foil and the new Madone, the Rca adopts "truncated" airfoil shapes in many of its tubes. At first glance they may seem like the same ovalized rectangles of previous R-Series frames, but if you look closely you can see the airfoil treatment that has been introduced. The new Squoval-3 shape manages to reduce drag by about 100 grams at 30mph compared to leading non-aero frames. That equates to about 1 second saved per kilometer at normal cycling speeds, 40 seconds over 40k, or more than 7 free watts at 25mph. Despite these new aerodynamic improvements, stiffness remains unchanged, and weight drops lower than ever before. You really do get to have your cake and eat it too!
    
• Integrated Magnet - Aerodynamics & Aesthetics +Click For Details
  • When building up a beautiful, lightweight, aerodynamic bike, nothing makes one cringe more than having to zip tie or glue an accessory to it. That is exactly what you have to do in order to install popular crank-based power meters or cadence sensors on most bikes. The Cervelo Rca comes prepared, with an integrated magnet built into the bottom bracket area, saving you from these aerodynamic and aesthetic sins.
  • 
• Nanotech Fork - Weight, Stiffness, Safety +Click For Details
  
  • The Rca fork weighs in at just 300 grams before the steerer tube has been cut, meaning it will be well under 300 grams once it is fitted to your bike. This alone would be impressive, the result of clever engineering such as hollow, all-carbon dropouts instead of metal inserts. An additional feature on the Rca is entirely unique in the industry, however – a nanotech steerer tube coating. A point of much debate in cycling circles is the safety of carbon steerer tubes, which have to handle the stresses of riding as well as the clamping forces of stems, often overly tightened by owners. Carbon fiber is not as easily engineered to handle excessive clamping forces, but metal steerer tubes are not easily and safely merged into carbon forks, either. To solve this problem, Cervelo has used a new material licensed from 3M called "PowerMetal Nanovate." This 50 micron thick layer of nickel increases the "toughness" of the steerer tube, allowing Cervelo to make it light and safe.

Available now at ATC! We currently have a 54cm frame in stock and ready for purchase, and can have other sizes ordered at your convenience.  If you just want to see what a sub 12 pound bike feels like, and trust us it feels weird, come to our Barton Springs location and just ask!

11.5 pounds!

• Cervelo's Rca white paper for technical details
• Cervelo Rca Media Page, with photos, videos, and details

Litespeed Aero Road Bike Review: The Archon C Series

Many will remember Litespeed as the name in titanium bikes. Twenty-year-old titanium Litespeeds can still be seen out on the roads, their fanatic owners swearing by their durability and feel. It's a surprising and gutsy move then, for this brand to introduce a carbon fiber, aero road bike. This is a new material for Litespeed, as well as a new philosophy for the brand.

Litespeed is offering three versions of the Archon C series: the C3, C1, and C1R. The C3 will be the most affordable and easiest to maintain, with an adjustable seat post and external cable routing. The C1 series uses more expensive, lighter carbon fiber, and offers internal cable routing. The C1R is available only as a frame set, and features an integrated seat mast, even lighter carbon fiber, and a stiffer front end. Interestingly, the C1R goes back to external cable routing, as Litespeed believes bike racers will prefer the ease of maintenance and lighter weight.

Overview

All of the bikes in the Archon C lineup share the same shape and aero features. Every tube is airfoil-shaped to cheat the wind, including the all-important head tube, which is nicely scalloped. This is an area often overlooked by other bike makers. Another feature, first introduced by Litespeed and only seen elsewhere on the Cervelo S5, is the downtube water bottle shroud. This reduces the penalty of carrying water bottles, an important benefit since bike races are rarely short enough to go without. There are a number of other details that set the bike apart, such as a slightly asymmetric seat stay design to optimize stiffness, comfort, and aerodynamics. All models also use the BB30 bottom bracket standard to improve weight and stiffness.

Features

• Aerologic Tubes - All Models - Aerodynamic Tube Shapes +More
  • Every frame element is aerodynamically shaped, including the scalloped head tube and airfoil seat stays.
    
• Seat Tube Cutout - All Models - Hide The Rear Wheel From The Wind +More
  • A feature not available even on top aero road bikes like the Cervelo S3, the Archon seat tube cutout is placed very close to the rear wheel to reduce drag. Other bikes pay lip service to this feature but place the rear wheel too far behind the cutout to be effective.
    
• Invisible Water Bottle - All Models - Hide The Water Bottle From The Wind +More
  • The shape of the downtube is widened at the water bottle location to direct the wind around the bottle. Litespeed was the first brand to market this design, and currently, the new Cervelo S5 is the only other road bike that offers this feature.
    
• BB30 - All Models - Lighter and Stiffer +More
  • BB30 is a bottom bracket standard started by Cannondale in 2000. The standard allows for larger bottom bracket spindles, which can be lighter and stiffer than the older standard designs.
    
• Internal Cable Routing/Di2 Routing - C1 - Less Drag For Cables and Wires +More
  • While the C3 and C1R opt for the lighter, easier to maintain solution, aero weenies may prefer the C1 models, which feature internal cable routing to get the cables out of the wind. The cable routing system can accommodate Shimano Di2 wiring as well. Cables enter the frame at the top tube behind the stem, and cable housing is run throughout the entire frame.

2011 Litespeed C Model Breakdown (UPDATED for 2012) ATC has all models in stock, come take one for a test ride!

Model	Build	Improvements Over Previous Model	More Info	Image (click to zoom)
Litespeed C3	Ultegra	Baseline	more info
Litespeed C1	Dura Ace	Lighter Carbon, Internal Cable Routing	more info
Litespeed C1	Ci2 Ultegra	Lighter/Upgraded Components	more info
Litespeed C1R	Frameset	Lighter Carbon, Stiffer, External Routing, Integrated Seat Mast	more info

Litespeed Supports Local Racers

Litespeed has been stepping up to the plate and supporting local bike racers. Check out the ATC Litespeed builds of Tristan Uhl's Archon C1R and the ATC Women's Racing Archon C3

Tristan Uhl - Pro Mountain Biker and Cat 1 Road Racer - Litespeed Archon C1R

Tristan Uhl is a Mountain Biker first, but he competes regularly in cat 1 road bike races in the off-season, so look for him in his ATC kit at local races. Tristan reports that he is enjoying the bike more than the Cannondale Supersix that he rode previously. The new Litespeed build is lighter and feels stiffer overall, he says, and the rigid rear end has been great at the local Driveway crits.

Litespeed C1R Build Specs

Frame	Litespeed Archon C1R
Size	S
Wheels	Easton SLX
Stem	FSA OS-99
Gruppo	Shimano Ultegra
Crankset	FSA Carbon BB30
Weight	15.6lbs (w/ lightweight tubulars)

ATC Women's Racing - Litespeed Archon C3

Litespeed is one of the sponsors of the new ATC Women's Racing team. Cat 3 racer Kat Hunter, currently racing the C3 for ATC Women's Racing, reports that the new frame feels smoother and faster downhill, and is just as comfortable as the steel round tube bike she rode before.

Litespeed C3 Build Specs

Frame	Litespeed Archon C3
Size	ML
Wheels	HED Jet 90 Powertap
Cockpit	3T LTD Stem and 3T Pro Handlebars
Gruppo	Shimano 105/Ultegra Mix
Crankset	FSA Gossamer BB30 52/38
Weight	16.9lbs (w/ lightweight tubulars)

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