Cervelo SLC-SL, S2 or S3?

Triathlon Forum
1

I apologize for being “that guy” who asks a dumb question about which bike is better.

I have the opportunity to pick up a lightly used S2 for a good price, or a brand new SLC-SL for a pretty good deal but likely $1500 more than the S2. I only bring up the S3 because I am curious how much better handling or faster it might be than either an S2 or SLC-SL.

I am a triathlete who uses the road bike to train with at all times prior to about 1 month before a HIM and 2 months prior to an IM. I would like to “try” a road race or crit at some point. I’m near the FOP in sprint tri’s and did a 2:42 at the 94km HIM in Muskoka last year.

Thanks for your time.

Ken

2

The s2 and slc-sl are similar. The s3 is the lovechild of the slc-sl and r3-sl from my understanding.

3

Ken,

You could have come to the Cervelo eRide Demo at Enduro Sport yesterday in Toronto and ridden all three bikes and made up your own mind! :slight_smile:

4

I thought about going to the eRide but getting to Laird and Eglinton from High Park can be a pain the ass. I know the geometry of the bikes should be fine as I already have a Soloist Team (which I’ll be trading in), and my Tri bike is a P3C so I really enjoy the Cervelo cool aid.

Ken

5

Since you are asking for opinions (and coming from a guy who has ridden a Soloist carbon for 25,000 miles in crits, road races and the occasional tri): get the “lightly used” S2 (if you are comfortable with it) and save the money for a wheelset, powertap, cross bike, whatever. NO reason to get a new SLC. The S3 is a better bike, sure, but definitely NOT worth the extra coin.

6

The lightly used S2 was my first choice, I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t a “can’t miss” feature or attribute of an SLC-SL or S3 that I might have missed.

Thanks!

Ken

7

Since you are asking for opinions (and coming from a guy who has ridden a Soloist carbon for 25,000 miles in crits, road races and the occasional tri): get the “lightly used” S2 (if you are comfortable with it) and save the money for a wheelset, powertap, cross bike, whatever. NO reason to get a new SLC. The S3 is a better bike, sure, but definitely NOT worth the extra coin.

x2. I own an -SL and have ridden an S2 and there’s no way there’s a $1500 difference. The S3 is nicer…but not that much nicer. Use the extra for retirem…a track bike!