As the title mostly implies, I want to know which to pick. It’s for my mom, who will do the occasional tri, but mostly road riding. Hilly if you think knowing that changes anything. We can get them both discounted. She doesn’t really give a darn, and di is a no go for her.
r3 because it is cheaper.
R3 because you can fit wider tires
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R3 for sure.
The new S3 fits 25mm just fine. I haven’t tried wider than that (but it looks like a 28 might fit), but I don’t think the fork of the R3 will allow anything wider (actually taller) than then 25mm.
There are a couple of pics on the Cervelo forum recently that shows how tight the clearance is with the fork of the R3 and a 25mm tire. (A couple of mm at most)
I can put a 25mm Continental GP4000s on my S3 with significantly more clearance than that picture shows.
R3 it climbs amazingly… Although I love the S3’s looks
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R3 for sure. They are very comfortable, and great all around bikes. The 2014 one is also 11% more aero than it used to be. I am biased, as I just got one and love it. It’s an amazing bike.
It’s a few years old now, but here’as a blog of mine that is still relevant at a higher level, and in a broad sense on this exact topic.
http://stevefleck.blogspot.ca/2010/06/cervelo-s2-or-r3-aero-or-not-for-road.html
Note - the blog compares the S2 to the R3.
I think Steve fleck’s review is excellent. What jumped out for me is “you should consider an aero road bike if you do a lot of solo riding”. It matches my circumstance. My riding is almost exclusively solo. It is how I fill my retirement. I went from a cyclocross bike to a Cervelo RS and then to the “older” S3. The S3 is my go-to bike. I still use the other 2 bikes but at different times of the year (cold weather slows you down) or circumstances (rain, gravel road).
I’d say more “consider an aero road bike if you want the best chance to win bike races”
otherwise, get a Caad10/Allez, or similar.
Everything else is crazy. =)
I’d say more “consider an aero road bike if you want the best chance to win bike races”
otherwise, get a Caad10/Allez, or similar.
Everything else is crazy. =)
But… Sagan, damnit. The Cannondale SuperSix EVO is a brick in the wind.
If you have an aesthetic need to optimize aerodynamic efficiency, then aero road bike it is!
But there is no pragmatic reason to do so for riding around to the coffee shops.
I’d say more “consider an aero road bike if you want the best chance to win bike races”
otherwise, get a Caad10/Allez, or similar.
Everything else is crazy. =)
But… Sagan, damnit. The Cannondale SuperSix EVO is a brick in the wind.
Interesting. S3 is off the list!
Requirement for the next road bike is space for at least 28mm tires (unless standard brake calipers can fit wider). This information is tough to find.
I thought Domane, Roubaix, and S3 were all on this list. How strange is it to go bike shopping with your favorite tires mounted to your favorite wheels?
i have 2011 s2 and 2014 r3; had 2013 r5 but upgrade to di2 and couldn’t justify the price increase of the r5 although the frame is amazing.
since i got the r3 it is my favorite bike by far. i can ride it for 100 miles without a single issue and the bike handles so well and although i haven’t tested it on climbs it is an amazing bike.
Not strange at all.
Strange is putting 28c tires on a road bike =)
I thought Domane, Roubaix, and S3 were all on this list. How strange is it to go bike shopping with your favorite tires mounted to your favorite wheels?
Not strange at all.
Strange is putting 28c tires on a road bike =)
I thought Domane, Roubaix, and S3 were all on this list. How strange is it to go bike shopping with your favorite tires mounted to your favorite wheels?
I have 28c. They are Bonteager Hardcase and GatorSkins too. The closer tires come to “Reclining Lazy Boy Chair Xtra Soft and Comfy” the more I like them. But I am more of a rider than a racer.
25C without the gatorskin will be just as comfy.
You will flat once extra per year though.
Interesting. S3 is off the list!
Requirement for the next road bike is space for at least 28mm tires (unless standard brake calipers can fit wider). This information is tough to find.
I thought Domane, Roubaix, and S3 were all on this list. How strange is it to go bike shopping with your favorite tires mounted to your favorite wheels?
Perhaps you misread my comment. The new S3 looks more likely to accommodate tires bigger than the current R3, or any past version of the R3. I’ve got lots of room to spare with then new S3 and Continental GP4000S in 25mm. I don’t have any tires for a road bike that are bigger than 25mm, otherwise I would give it go.
Here is what the R3 looks (fork) like with 25mm Schwalbe tires (from the Cervelo Forum):
Got it. I’m also a rider, not a road racer. I have been commuting on 32mm file treads and gotten a bit spoiled by the plush ride. Rode some 23mm tires at ~100psi and felt like I was getting bucked around (riding 5 miles through SF to get out of the city).
I have a 2004 Madone and Michilen Pro 3 in 25mm rub the fork (too tall). Have some 25mm Vittoria Evo tubulars that fit and ride niiiiice.
But I would really love to be able to have some tires that work well in the city and out on the open road. I could just put them on my CX bike, but it’s heavy on the way up and doesn’t like to stop on the way down. I think what I REALLY want is a 1X11 “gravel bike”. But I don’t want to deal with (or pay for) hydraulic discs when standard road calipers work just fine. The real problems is that I’m trying to find a way to own fewer bikes instead of more!
25mm schwalbes may be extra huge.
which is an important thing to remember, some 25c tires are bigger than some 28c tires some 23c tires are as big as some 25c tires and so on