Cervelo has come to believe that the pure road cycling world is evolving, and while there will always be a true race bike that is super light, fast, and quick-handling, the modern road bike requires capability for larger tires, more stability- but moderately fast handling, and power transfer efficiency expected of a race bike. Yet it can still have the premium SRAM Red eTap AXS wireless drivetrain, Zipp wheels, and a lightweight kit. This modern road bike shrugs at notorious urban roads, cobbles, chip seal, and floats over the smoothest pavement. Enter the Caledonia-5, an exemplar of Cervelo's understanding that fast handling isn’t always better, and the how the company is evolving toward bike designs with handling and overall development informed by specific needs. The inspiration was the multi-surface Paris-Roubaix, the Spring Classic that is harder on bikes than any other race on the calendar, with zero margin for error. After drawing from some specific history with the team-only, Roubaix-winning R3 Mud, and the R3 the teams used in 2019, the engineers increased the rear center, lowered the BB, and increased the trail while adding tire volume space and better rough surface deflection. Relatively speaking the handling is still fast enough to be corner and descent-friendly but with added rougher surface stability. The result is a speedy bike that is versatile and well mannered.

The creation of the Caledonia-5 began with this recognition of modern road cycling and a sense of where it is going. This is a pure endurance race bike, unlike the previous C-Series endurance options, which were great bikes with more relaxed geometry, and greater comfort. Caledonia is race-bred, with much more surface versatility than a Grand Tour ready design. With capacity for 34mm tires (31mm with fenders), the more stable handling, disc-only frameset has different overall geometry numbers but Stack and Reach the same as an R-Series. The frame design and cockpit set-up allow for most cyclists a reasonable fit, and unlike with the R5/R3 geometry differences, both Caledonia frame-level options share the same geometry. Much was learned from the years R-Series development and combined with the knowledge gained from the Aspero design process, the engineers found a great balance of speed, comfort, clearance and handling while maintaining the aesthetic cleanliness Cervelo's riders demand. That cleanliness is far from just aesthetic- you know it’s going to be fast because there’s nothing interrupting the flow of air over the front end.

Aero considerations are just as much a part of the Caledonia as any Cervelo, as is the combination of tubes, carbon lay-up, and integrated features. The company's proven library of tube shapes is at the core of every bike design and these well tested and proven tube shapes all have different known attributes. Cervelo believes one can’t cheat physics. Triangulation and the force required to deflect is at the heart of the "double-diamond" frame design. The engineers know how their tube shapes behave, and it’s a matter of placing them in a layout that achieves the desired compliance based on that deflection. The simplest solution is almost always the best. Lower modulus carbon in key areas complements the high modulus materials to mitigate the brittleness of hi-mod fiber- the bike isn’t delicate. Just as with the change in handling speed over less than pure surfaces, the design team is aware that if cyclists are more comfortable, they’ll be more confident, and they’ll ride or race faster and further. In the Caledonia-5 you'll see the tapered aero headtube, use of Squoval and aero tube shapes, D-shaped carbon post, and a new fork and steerer.

The full length C-shaped integrated steerer comes evolves from the S3, with a unique split ring allowing internal brake hose and Di2 from the AB09 Carbon bar, into a more traditional stem (which fits onto the C-shaped steerer) for a fully internal cable routing system. The more standard stem design allows you to change the stack height using a split spacer system, for above and below the stem. If you have an summer/race fit, you can go lower, but for indoor training or winter riding position, you can bring the stem up- without much fuss. The system is easier to manage than the S3 version, with the added fit flexibility. Of course the entire fork is all new for the Caledonia, with features you'd expect: Flat Mount disc, 12/100mm thru-axle, as well as integrated fender mounts. You find these on the rear and well, along with 12/142mm rear dropout. The lever action Cervelo Indexed Thru-Axles are easy to use; for quick and secure wheel changes.

SRAM's Red AXS groupset features the 12-speed eTap wireless shifting, so internal wiring isn't necessary, but the frame and fork are fully internal for any other 1x/2x group, as well as the hydraulic hoses for the disc brakes. Group specs and kit items are listed below, but most cyclists know that Red AXS is refined, lightweight, and a pleasure to operate. On this bike it is well matched with carbon Cervelo cockpit components and the allroad-oriented Zip 303 S wheelset. Return to Top