Words by Teo Seet Heng
Photos by Cervelo and Gruber Images
Four years in the making, Cervelo finally unveils its latest flagship aerodynamic race bike – the S5 Disc. Evidently, the brand’s design and engineering team spared no details in their pursuit of peak performance, and this latest iteration of a favourite puts it back at the forefront in the world of ‘superbikes’.
With a new ride comes grand ambitions too as Cervelo announced alliance with Team Sunweb the same day the Cervelo S5 Disc was launched.
“We want to challenge at the highest level for the World’s most prestigious titles in pro cycling and Sunweb is the perfect partner to achieve that with” explains Cervelo Sports Marketing Director Richard Keeskamp.
“The launch of the new S5 heralds a new era for both the team and our company. Stunning advances in aero and engineering technology not yet seen before on the UCI WorldTour will soon be available to Sunweb athletes and we can’t wait to see how they turn them to their advantage” adds Keeskamp.
“The partnership will give us also excellent opportunities to develop other future products in close cooperation with the team benefiting from their feedback and experience.”
V for Victory
The bicycle industry is no stranger to eccentric designs on aero road bikes, so even though the S5’s V-stem is unconventional, it doesn’t look too out of place. In fact, the execution of the concept has been seamless, even to the point of lovely.
From the side, the patent-pending CS28 V-stem does not interrupt the silhouette of a bike optimised for speed. The top-down view, however, reveals the V-shaped gap between the top tube and handlebar. This, according to Cervelo, is a feature that allows faster airflow when compared to the standard stem and handle bar setup. Aerodynamic gains aside, the V-stem also allows for easier internal cable routing for those who are more mechanically-inclined.
While it might seem like most of the improvements were focused at the front end of the new S5 Disc, Cervelo also managed to pack in impressive innovations in the less visible department – stiffness. Using a combination of materials, shape and carbon layup, the engineers at Cervelo have delivered a 13 per cent stiffer head tube that improves handling, as well as at the bottom bracket where it is 25 per cent stiffer over its predecessor, ensuring that no physical effort goes to waste when sprinting out of the saddle.
Combined all this with the stopping power of disc brakes, extended seat tube cut out, and a new seat post design – and we have a lean, mean, racing machine with a claimed 42g savings on drag over its predecessor. That works out to 5.5 watts equivalent in power. An impressive feat, considering that the previous S5 had made its mark in the superbike hall of fame when it was the bike of choice by former world champion Mark Cavendish.
The new Cervelo S5 Disc also boasts a redesigned geometry. In short, the bike is now longer and shorter for precise handling and greater stability. The stack has been reduced to provide more aggressive position for speed demons, with options to custom fit it for mere mortals with up to 32.5mm stem spacers, six stem lengths, four handlebar widths, and five degrees of rotation.
Also in the comfort department is the bike’s ability to accept 28mm tyres, and its proprietary carbon layup as well as shape of the rear stays that will soak up road vibrations for a smoother ride.
An Alliance with Team Sunweb
No doubt, Cervelo seeks to reign supreme in the coming season with the new S5 disc, especially since they have also confirmed that they will be partnering Team Sunweb for 2019 on the day of the bike launch.
Based in the Netherlands, Team Sunweb comprises of a Men’s and Women’s team, as well as a development program. With high-profile riders such as Tom Dumoulin who placed second in both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France this year, it is only fair to expect seeing a lot of the new S5 Disc on screens soon.
The Cervelo and Sunweb alliance is expected to make its debut at the Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia in January 2019.
This means owners of the new Cervelo S5 will now have the opportunity to reap the aero advantage of this amazing machine before Dumo, Michael Matthews, and Leah Kirchmann do.
If you live for the exhilaration of going fast, you might want to check out the new Cervelo S5 Disc at Bikes n Bites, the brand’s exclusive distributor in Singapore.
Bikes n Bites is located at 100G Pasir Panjang Road, #01-11 Interlocal Centre, Singapore 118523.
For more information, visit their website here.
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