There is a great full page photo in the intro and short review of the new Cervelo RS in this months issue of Outside Magazine. They are looking at performance road bikes that are “comfortable”. I have not ridden an RS, but that’s seesm to be what it was desgined for.
I know how picky the Outside gear review guys are, so this is a significant achievement for a company like Cervelo. You have to really impress these guys to get in the mag.
I’d wouldn’t say they are any more picky then any other mag. Magazine gear reviews are always so remarkably positive as to suck away their credibility. I have a subscription and i don’t remember the last critical gear review I read. They are always sort of manuals of “how to be a triathlete/rock climber/wind surfer” followed by a list of top end gear you “need” to buy.
The difference with Outside is that the rest of the mag, particularly their travel writing, is certified kick ass.
Quite a number of years ago I wrote a pedal review for *Outside *magazine under the direction of then-associate editor Andrew Tillen, formerly of *Triathlete. *I can tell you first hand their editorial requirements were stringent and they demanded accuracy and accountability in their gear reviews. It wasn’t just re-stated manufacturer claims.
I have also written gear reviews, not for Outside, but for other sporting magazines and have seen them axed of any critical tone whatsoever.
Maybe Outside only chooses to review gear that it knows will do well. In any case it’s always good to know what doesn’t work in addition to what does.
I’d wouldn’t say they are any more picky then any other mag.
Maybe, may be not. Let’s put it this way, they have their favourite brands, and it’s hard to break into that circle if you are a newcomer. As Tom said they are very detailed and meticulous, when they do look at product - that is a very good thing and I respect and trust what they have to say. On the whole, Outside has been for a very long time my favourite read and it continues to be so today!
As someone who is interested in that specific bike as my Christmas gift to myself at the end of the year, I will be buying that edition.
I have a Soloist Team in a 61cm, but at 6’ 4’ I just cannot get enough leverage when climbing on it. I cannot find a stem to get the bar high enough while shortening the reach.
Has anyone here ridden an RS?
Pete
The RS might be the bike for you. The RS bikes have taller head-tubes than other similer sized road bikes in the Cervelo line. For example, your 61 Soloist has a 20cm head tube. The 61 RS has a 22cm head tube. Perhaps that’s the extra height that you will need.
See more on the RS, including geometry here: