I had this very conversation back in 2014 when building up my P3 w/ the P5 bars. I could have went either way. I was told by Damon Rinard, in person, )when they did there "bike shop tour talks" around the US that year) that there was no difference in the 2 setups. The only caveat being that when on the horns you would be lower if you run the high V and minimal spacers as you will be lower on the base bar when out of the aero bars. That is the setup I went with on the P3 w/ P5 bar at the time, and then once moving to the P5, I still run that same setup.

I would think he is the best source out there. I could not get him or anyone from Cervelo to comment on how close my P3 w/ P5 bars was to the P5 though. All I could get was a "you are doing pretty well w/ that setup".

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-Brad Williams
Website | Twitter: @BW_Tri |Instagram: @BW_Tri | Strava | Co-Founder & Coach at: KIS Coaching
Partnered with: Zoot Sports | Precision Fuel &Hydration | ISM

Thanks for this data.

I got a good price on a pretty clean P5 that was ridden 1 year so couldn't pass up the oppertunity to have working brakes compared to my, fast as bleep, ultraclean P4 with Ventus. I don't believe the P5 will be any faster, but I look forward to being able to stop and hold onto somthing solid while decending.

Thanks again.

Ken

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"the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight." - Slowman

You are experiencing the exact same scenario I've been through. I cracked my beloved P4 with Ventus and got a frame warranty to the P5. It was great knowing I actually had brakes again and not just "slowers" as I called the brakes on the P4. I'd suggest you go high V with little to no spacers to get the base bars as low as possible. This makes the bike much faster when not in the aerobars which for some tri courses can be quite a bit of time. Keep that P4! It is a pretty rare bird now!

I'd go Aduro spacers + Low V as opposed to High V for a couple of reasons:

1) Reduce gap from basebar to elbow pads
2) Equally aerodynamic
3) increase potential resale value (you cut less steerer tube this way)