Cervélo P5: Simply.Faster

Posted by By Gary Roethenbaugh at 19 January, at 07 : 39 AM Print

With a steady release of teasers about its new features in recent weeks, Cervélo has now officially launched ‘the most advanced and the most aerodynamic triathlon and time trial bike, the P5.’ Designed to be the fastest bike for both triathlon and road time trials, the P5 will be available to the public in March as a frameset for US$4,500 or US$6,500 and as a complete bike for US$6,000 or US$10,000 (depending on specification.)

“Even with the advanced engineering resources and cutting edge tools that we have at our disposal, engineering the P5 took a massive effort on the part of our team and our partners on the project to make a bike that is not only fast, but simple and easy to live with,” said Phil White, co-founder and CEO of Cervélo.

“There’s no question that we’ve succeeded. The P5 is 6 to 11 watts faster than so-called superbikes while at the same time being simple to set up and maintain. The fact that it is simply faster will make a measurable difference in a triathlon or time trial of any length.”

The Cervélo release goes on to set out the four features define the P5:

Frameset:
Fast and Fit. The P5 is billed as ‘the most aerodynamic, best-fitting, and best match of stiffness and comfort.’ The P5 frameset is Cervélo’s most aerodynamic ever, with skin surfaces tuned for each AeroZone. to optimize airflow conditions at each point along the frame. The result is a claimed time saving of ~30 seconds in a 40K time trial. The P5 also features a BBright bottom bracket for ultimate power transfer, and ComfortPly technology to reduce vibration and improve ride quality.

Aerobar:
‘The world’s fastest and best-fitting aerobar.’ The integrated Aduro aerobar has been designed by Cervélo and manufactured by 3T. It features 100% hidden cables that eliminate aero drag and engineered cable paths that minimize bends and maximize shifting performance. With its innovative design, the Aduro can be positioned lower than most existing bars and allows for over 11-centimetres of easy upward adjustment.

Brake:
Aero by Cervélo; hydraulics by Magura. The P5 brake system is aerodynamically superior to and lighter than any standard caliper or disc brake. The zero-maintenance hydraulic system also provides ‘outstanding modulation and superior stopping power’. It includes integrated aero brake levers and an aerodynamic caliper design. And the calipers adjust to fit all wheels, including the newest wide rims. As Cervélo points out, the P5 is the only tri bike in the world featuring a hydraulic brake as OEM equipment in 2012.

Storage & Hydration:
Designed for speed and versatility, a full range of sleek and intuitive storage solutions are custom designed for the P5. From an integral bottle cage mount between the aerobar pads, to a Shimano Di2 battery located inside the frame’s ‘HiddenPocket’, to multiple locations for nutrition, the P5 ‘mates optimal aero locations with ease of access’.