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Calling all Cervelo S2 owners

After my previous question about frames etc still v interested in Cervelo S2. With this being more aero I'm concerned comfort maybe compromised.
I know it's not a sportive geometry or set up but want to know I could stand up after doing a century. Unable to try this on the road but a spin on the turbo seemed a nice place to be but I'm sure owners are best to give me a better idea.
So opinions on what these are like to live with as your main summer/Sunday bike. Please be brutally honest.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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9 comments

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Squiggle | 11 years ago
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Hey Spooks,

I'm not an S2 owner but an R3 owner. Just thought I'd check if you knew that Cervelo has a massive online forum with some good opinions floating around. You'll find it here... http://forums.cervelo.com/forums/5.aspx

Might be worth asking there too if you haven't already.

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iduff | 11 years ago
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I've had good fortune following bad recently. I was hit by a car while cycling, recovery from which has been largely successful, thankyouverymuch. The Other Guy's insurance company presented me with a Tiger Woods-sized check to purchase a replacement for the ancient steel bike which was trashed in the crash.

My second stroke of good fortune (after largely recovering) was being referred to an outstanding bike shop, Grace Bicycles (gracebicycles.com), who were immensely helpful in selecting my new bike. So helpful in fact, that all my bicycling business they can fulfill will go to them, purchase price notwithstanding. The service they provide is worth a big premium, even though their prices are very fair. They set me up on a Parlee Z5, on which I was instructed to develop a baseline of experience on a contemporary carbon road bike. Talk about starting at the top of the heap! That Parleee was exceptional.

I'm 54 years old, in only fairly decent shape, and benefit from all the stiffness that comes with my advanced youth.

I had been researching bikes, as I recovered, and decided I owed it to myself to look closely at aero bikes, with Cervélo at the top of my list. Grace's line did not include any aero road bikes at the time, and they are not a Cervélo dealer, so on their recommendation, I test-rode an S5 VWD at another dealer. It was not the ass-hatchet I expected, in fact it was very nearly as comfortable and stiff to my uneducated senses as the Parlee, with the added benefit of being aero.

On consultation with Roy Cervantes at Grace, I bought the S5 VWD, and immediately took it to Grace for a Retül fitting. I've also fitted Williams 58 tubular wheels. I couldn't be happier. Short rides, long rides, it's comfortable, snappy, and fast.

My S5 VWD is not an S2, but it's derived from the S2. My only observation is to try to get the S2 you are considering out on a test ride on the real roads, and not be limited to test "rides" on a trainer. Hopefully you'll be as pleasantly surprised as I was. Good luck in your quest.

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sir_velo | 11 years ago
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True enough. All of those things would help, and it really is only marginal. It certainly isn't a rough ride by any means.

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Raleigh | 11 years ago
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Is the ride really more harsh?

Just let 7-8 psi out your tyres, get some roubaix bar tape, seatpost down 1-3 mm and a nice squishy Fizik Kurve saddle.

#sorted

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sir_velo | 11 years ago
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Interesting and timely! I'm actually thinking of selling my S1 (Soloist) 54cm as I suffer on longer rides.

I think this is more due to my back issues than the bike itself. Riding on the drops wears me out, but changing to a frame with a higher head tube would hopefully improve things for me.

However, if you're flexible I think you'll be fine. There's nothing specific in the bike that will make longer distances a problem. Ride is a little more harsh than others, but fast and certainly fun.

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Spooks | 11 years ago
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I'm reasonably bendy lol so reckon I could adapt to the more aero position, cheers for the info. I did figure that it would be stiffer than a stiffy thing and pleased at comments that it handles well and is far quicker than the engines can normally propel it.
Many thanks
S

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Raleigh | 11 years ago
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Nope.

I've got and S1, which is the Aluminium version of the S2, so I'll give some feedback on that. (One day I'm hoping to buy an S2).

>You really do notice the aero effect, mostly in headwinds, but also when cornering.

>Obviously everyone is different, but I've done a bunch of metric centuries, and a couple of proper ones, and I don't feel nearly as bad on the S1 as I do on any of my other bikes, whether this is the aero effect, or something else, I'm not sure.

>Forget what anyone says about comfort problems. Tyre pressure, the right position, saddle type, bars, shorts and bar tape affect comfort 'on board' more than anything else. The 'pencil thin' seatstays seem to work, soaking up buzz and small holes in conjunction with the carbon seatpost. I'm pretty sure that Thor rode an S2 over Paris Roubaix a few years ago, he's definitely used an S3.

>Its nice to have a cervelo.

_____________

Why not get an S1. I is the cheapest aero frame that was developed in a proper wind tunnel, and used in the pro peleton right up until 2005. Obviously, if you have the money, S2 all the way!

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notfastenough | 11 years ago
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Well since no owners are chipping in, my 2p's worth is that 1. it's going to be as stiff as p0rn star, and 2. there's no point in an aero bike if you're not aero yourself. So, how flexible are you?

"The other thing the S5 begs is rider commitment in terms of flexibility and suppleness – you just have to get down over the bars on this bike and spend good ride time on the drops. Effectively you have to meet the bike’s commitment to aero design half way."

http://www.redkitecycles.co.uk/2012/05/cervelo-r3-s5-review-from-red-kit...

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Spooks | 11 years ago
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No-one anything good or bad to say regards these frames?

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