Updated on May 12, 2022
Cervélo Cycles is a well-known Canadian racing and track bicycle company. Cervélo aids their designs using CAD, computational fluid dynamics, and wind tunnel testing at a variety of locations, including the San Diego Air and Space Technology Center in California.
where cervelo bikes are made
Canada is the location. Cervelo was founded in Canada and is still based in Toronto and Santa Cruz, California, although being owned by a Dutch firm.
Carbon Fiber was used as a material.
Cervelo bikes are created and engineered in Canada and manufactured in Asia. Cervelo does have an R&D facility in the United States that makes limited runs of the company’s top-of-the-line bikes, the Cervelo R5ca and P5x, in collaboration with HED in Minnesota.
Cervelo bikes come with the company’s stock/production frame geometry. Cervelo’s availability of their high-demand product can be limited at times, but with new ownership, this has become less of an issue in recent years.
Cervelo’s specialty is building race-ready bikes for road and triathlon.
Cervelo bikes are built from the ground up to minimise weight, maximise lateral stiffness, and be very aerodynamic. Cervelo has put as much emphasis on frame aerodynamics as any other bike company.
Cervelo Cycles’ Advantages: Engineering-driven. No other significant bike business employs a bigger percentage of engineers.
Originators. Cervelo is the only manufacturer that has invested in and understands aerodynamic tube shape and bike design.
Cervelo produces race-ready bicycles.
One of the most adaptable and wide-ranging tri/TT frame geometry alternatives available.
Focus. Cervelo specialises in road and triathlon bikes. Accomplish you want a bike created and manufactured by a company that tries to do everything or one designed and built specifically for the type of riding you do?
The 73-degree seat tube angle concept connects all road frame sizes and provides small-frame alternatives that fit differently than any other production bike. Cervelo’s frame architecture has a very smooth and linear stack and reach evolution across all sizes.
Looks. We’ll concede that looks and emotion are important, and Cervelo produces fast and attractive bikes.
Cervelo Cycles Considerations: Some Cervelo models may be more race-oriented than some customers desire. Select a model that is appropriate for your usage and requirements.
Cervelo’s bike fit has improved dramatically in recent years. Having said that, there isn’t a single bike company that caters to everyone. Cervelo bikes are well-suited to some riding positions but not to others. Before you buy a Cervelo, get in shape and make sure it fits you well.
A Cervelo might not be the bike for you if you wish to utilise a 35mm or wider tyre. Tires up to 34mm in width can be used on C-Series motorcycles (different from listed width, depending on the rim it is mounted).
There is no opportunity for customization. Cervelo manufactures bicycle frames and bicycles.
Overview/History of Cervelo Cycles: Cervelo = “Brain Bike”
Cervelo Cycles began in 1995 as a very competitive company. A prominent pro cyclist hired Cervelo designers Gerard Vroomen and Phil White to create a faster TT bike. The Cervelo Barrachi was the result, and to say it was a drastic departure from the ordinary bike would be an understatement. The Barrachi (perhaps called after the Trofeo Barrachi, a two-person TT race from the early 1990s?) was a full carbon frame with a beam saddle, a novel deep aero section front, and an integrated bar/fork/stem design – it was indisputably fast and difficult to manufacture. This form would be what the P3 is to pro cycling if it weren’t for the UCI’s tight guidelines on what a bike should look like. Why? Aerodynamically, the design is likely faster, more vibration-absorbing, and stronger than anything created since. Having said that, we live in a world where the UCI regulates cycling, and Phil and Gerard were well aware of this. Phil and Gerard launched their exhibition in 1996 with the intention of offering a true TT frame for the masses that complied with all current UCI standards as well as those set for the year 2000. The Cervelo Eyre and P2 completed the Cervelo TT lineup in 1996, with the Eyre Road serving as the road bike. Looking back over fifteen years on those bikes, it’s clear that Cervelo recognised the importance of paying attention to the specifics of your aero shape and aspect/chord ratio if you want a really aero frame.
Cervelo Cycles had a slow start, but their first few P2 models paid off quickly, as the bikes went on to win a few national championships in Canada and Germany, prompting people to wonder what these “Kurvelo” bikes were all about. The company was growing, and within a few years, it had established a solid reputation for creating the most slick UCI approved TT frames money could buy. People loved the fact that they didn’t cost a lot of money to purchase, and Cervelo began to appear in a few forward-thinking bike shops.
The rest of the story is probably familiar to you: a few successful triathletes started riding Cervelo frames, and then a couple big-name pro cyclists starting utilising Cervelo frames for TT with their competing sponsors’ bike logos placed on the frames… In 2003, Cervelo sponsored Team CSC, and for the first time, a firm known for its TT/tri cycles (Cervelo) successfully transitioned to become one of the most well-known road bikes in the pro peloton.
Is this all the reason you should consider a Cervelo and why we enjoy them? Absolutely not. Cervelo was chosen by us in 2001 because of their focus on aerodynamic quality, adherence to technical standards, and forward thinking. These are the same reasons we continue to carry Cervelo and are the oldest original Cervelo dealer in New England.
Cervelo Cycles has three unique road bike lines – “S,” “R,” and “C,” as well as a “P” line of TT/Tri bikes and a “T” series of track bikes.
Road Bikes in the “R” Series Cervelo Cycles’ description:
Cervelo’s “R” series road bikes are built on a performance-oriented chassis that gives a smooth and balanced ride. We define “balanced” as not concentrating solely on one or two variables at the detriment of others. Cervelo’s “R” series bikes have the smoothest ride, the stiffest platform, and the lightest frames in the company’s lineup. The R series bikes are an excellent platform for most enthusiasts and recreational riders because they excel at everything they do. They have a snappy drivetrain response, a compliant and smooth ride, excellent main triangle torsional stiffness, a versatile geometry that fits a variety of riders well, low frame weight, and better aerodynamics than standard round tubing. The Cervelo R3 and R5 underwent some great geometry tweaks in 2011 that helped the bikes fit a wider range of riders well (more stack and a bit less reach).
The workhorse Cervelo R3 is now available with either calliper or disc brakes, depending on your preference and use.
Road Bikes in the “S” Series Cervelo Cycles’ description:
It would have been difficult to imagine when the Cervelo Soloist, the first “S” series road bike, was released that it would launch a revolution. While aero shaped road frames are now quite widespread, they were virtually non-existent in 2002 — “all bar” the Cervelo Soloist, the first production aero shaped road bike. We sold more Cervelo Soloist tri bikes than road bikes in the first year. The Cervelo P2aero K’s tubing and reversible seatpost, combined with the geometry, resulted in a great tri platform that fit a lot of riders who didn’t fit well on Cervelo’s “P” bikes. However, as time has passed, interest in aero road frames has grown, and Cervelo has been at the forefront of this trend. The aluminium Cervelo Soloist spawned the Cervelo Soloist Carbon, and Cervelo soon had a variety of aero road frames to choose from. Cervelo developed a category with the Soloist that the rest of the industry has been chasing ever since, similar to how the P2/Eyre created the aero styled TT/Tri bike category. Aero road bikes are unquestionably here to stay, and we anticipate continued interest and growth in the category for many years to come.
Cervelo “S” bikes are now distinguished by a tube form similar to that of TT frames, as well as robust stays for a stiff and responsive drivetrain. Due to the additional material required to achieve an aero tube shape, the “S” bikes have a somewhat more stiff feel and the frames weigh slightly more (albeit they are still very light) than the Cervelo “R” bikes. The Cervelo S5, S3, and S2 are also incredibly aerodynamic, as you’ll notice the first time you hit a nice long flat and start putting the power down — these are fast, slick frames with quick and responsive drivetrains. There’s a reason Fit Werx’s own Dean Phillips won the 2012 Massachusetts State Road Championship on a Cervelo S5. Cervelo released the S3 Disc for the 2017 season, which combines the speed of the S series frame with the stopping power of disc brakes on the road. The S5 received disc brakes and a completely integrated front-end for 2019, and both the S3 and S5 can now use bigger tyres, indicating that the S series is still evolving.
The Cervelo S3 and S2 geometry are similar to the updated Cervelo R3 and R5, but they feature a multi-position seatpost that allows for steeper seat angles to be readily obtained. In comparison to Cervelo’s other road models, the S5 features a somewhat longer reach and lower stack.
