P4 review

Triathlon Forum
1

Wrote this review a couple months ago, and finally got around to posting it :slight_smile:

My new P4…

After years and years of using the old Alu Soloist as my TT rig, I finally broke down and sprung for that P4 in the LBS window. Is it a coincidence that I keep typing P$ when I mean to type P4? Perhaps a subconscious slip, or just holding that shift key slightly too long.

Pricey yes, but this thing is feels fast and I was ~kinda~ able to verify its speed.

The Good:
My local 10km rolling practice loop allowed for the best comparison I could manage. I am lacking a powermeter in my current setup, but I have rode this loop perhaps 50 times and time it precisely each time. I tested with the same kit, shoes, helmet and 404 clinchers as my Soloist. Results: best Soloist laps typically are ~ 14min 30 seconds at 90%+ effort; the P4 could consistently lop 15 or so seconds off each lap (for a new course record, for me). Needless to say, I was very happy with this. Interestingly, I also set a new best time on the shallow ascent of Spanish Banks hill. It was only by a couple seconds, but I was pleasantly surprised to have any improvements hill climbing on my TT bike. The frame is very stiff and transmits some road vibration, though is still softer feeling than the alu Soloist.

Like the skinny rotor cranks, very cool.

The front brake hangs out in space, but apparently its the rear aspect of a foil that is most important in determining aerodynamics. In this respect the bike is great, all tubes trailing edges are smooth.

The Bad:
Rear brake
Though faired beautifully in the bottom bracket - minimal stopping power, at best. Remove crankset to adjust, change pads. Wheel swaps could be quite troublesome! The price we pay for speed?

The bottle
Crazy hard to put back in when you are working it. After several attempts to put back, the sharp edges of the cage had wore grooves into the thin plastic bottle because it wasn’t *perfectly *aligned. After each unsuccessful attempt to put away, the grooves get deeper and making the bottle more likely to misalign and thus harder and harder to put away. I think this issue could be easily fixed if only they made the bottom edges of the bottle soft, so it would self align better when you try to shove it back (blindly) at 50kph. The bottle is wicked aero, and for me, was a convincing feature of the bike. For safety and reliability I have now had to change it out to an Arundel Chrono, this kind of irks me. I’ll pray for a redesign…??

The Neutral:
Cockpit:
Would like a sick aerobar/extension setup from the start. The big ski jumps stick way up, especially with Red shifters on the ends. Plan to swap out and find the ‘perfect setup’. Pro missle evo perhaps is what I’m leaning towards right now.

Also regarding aerobars, I often whack my knees on the 3T Aura bull horns whenever punching it on a hill. Stem length is perfect, wouldn’t want it longer. This might happen with all aero bullhorns I suppose… Prior to this my only experience is with the Soloist drop bar and clip on T2s.

Price
Somewhat bad, though I got a end of season deal from local shop speed theory. However, I think prices will continue to drop on remaining stocks as I believe Cervelo’s next world beater will be released sometime next year.

Overall: 4.5/5… so far. More updates to come with further testing and front end changes + wheel upgrade?

2

Wrote this review a couple months ago, and finally got around to posting it :slight_smile:

My new P4…

After years and years of using the old Alu Soloist as my TT rig, I finally broke down and sprung for that P4 in the LBS window. Is it a coincidence that I keep typing P$ when I mean to type P4? Perhaps a subconscious slip, or just holding that shift key slightly too long.

Pricey yes, but this thing is feels fast and I was ~kinda~ able to verify its speed.

The Good:
My local 10km rolling practice loop allowed for the best comparison I could manage. I am lacking a powermeter in my current setup, but I have rode this loop perhaps 50 times and time it precisely each time. I tested with the same kit, shoes, helmet and 404 clinchers as my Soloist. Results: best Soloist laps typically are ~ 14min 30 seconds at 90%+ effort; the P4 could consistently lop 15 or so seconds off each lap (for a new course record, for me). Needless to say, I was very happy with this. Interestingly, I also set a new best time on the shallow ascent of Spanish Banks hill. It was only by a couple seconds, but I was pleasantly surprised to have any improvements hill climbing on my TT bike. The frame is very stiff and transmits some road vibration, though is still softer feeling than the alu Soloist.

Like the skinny rotor cranks, very cool.

The front brake hangs out in space, but apparently its the rear aspect of a foil that is most important in determining aerodynamics. In this respect the bike is great, all tubes trailing edges are smooth.

The Bad:
Rear brake
Though faired beautifully in the bottom bracket - minimal stopping power, at best. Remove crankset to adjust, change pads. Wheel swaps could be quite troublesome! The price we pay for speed?

The bottle
Crazy hard to put back in when you are working it. After several attempts to put back, the sharp edges of the cage had wore grooves into the thin plastic bottle because it wasn’t *perfectly *aligned. After each unsuccessful attempt to put away, the grooves get deeper and making the bottle more likely to misalign and thus harder and harder to put away. I think this issue could be easily fixed if only they made the bottom edges of the bottle soft, so it would self align better when you try to shove it back (blindly) at 50kph. The bottle is wicked aero, and for me, was a convincing feature of the bike. For safety and reliability I have now had to change it out to an Arundel Chrono, this kind of irks me. I’ll pray for a redesign…??

The Neutral:
Cockpit:
Would like a sick aerobar/extension setup from the start. The big ski jumps stick way up, especially with Red shifters on the ends. Plan to swap out and find the ‘perfect setup’. Pro missle evo perhaps is what I’m leaning towards right now.

Also regarding aerobars, I often whack my knees on the 3T Aura bull horns whenever punching it on a hill. Stem length is perfect, wouldn’t want it longer. This might happen with all aero bullhorns I suppose… Prior to this my only experience is with the Soloist drop bar and clip on T2s.

Price
Somewhat bad, though I got a end of season deal from local shop speed theory. However, I think prices will continue to drop on remaining stocks as I believe Cervelo’s next world beater will be released sometime next year.

Overall: 4.5/5… so far. More updates to come with further testing and front end changes + wheel upgrade?

Do you have a 2011? I have zeros issues with the brake power. It feels no different to me than any of the other bikes I have owned. It is a breeze to change training wheels to my disc. The adjustment settings are super easy to use.

I actually love the bottle, not for drinking though. Cut the bottom open and you can fit a lot of stuff in there. Why anyone would use this for drinking is beyond me. Put a bottle between your bars and that is all you need.

This is the best bike I have ever owned by a long shot.

3

The fact that you bash your knees against the base bar is more to do with your climbing position. You are leaning too far forward when out of the saddle (or your stem is too short - which shouldn’t be the case if you were properly fit). I bet when the roads are wet and you stand to climb your back wheel spins out a little bit every now and then.

You should lean back a little, it allows for your weight to be centered over the rear wheel allowing for better power transfer from the wheel to the ground.

4

I just bought a 2011 P4 two weeks ago. It is an amazing machine. I have been riding bikes for a long time and I have never ridden something as fast as the P4. I had a Blue T-14 and Felt B-14 and thought they were great bikes. I was not expecting to see a major difference between my P4 and the Felt, as I saw no real difference between my B-14 and the Blue T-14 on all my field tests. I was so wrong on the P4. I have been riding side by side against the same person for 2 years. He changed nothing on his bike for the past year. We were always very equal in watts when riding side by side when I was on both my Blue and Felt (we have over 2000 miles riding together). With my P4 I am now clearly faster at the same power. In my last two tests, we rode a very flat course, he held ~200 watts. In the past his 200 watts was usually my 200-210, on the P4, I was between 150 and 190. It was amazing; if I did not see it I would have not believed it. This savings is not due to just the bike as my position is slightly more aggressive on the P4. I was professionally fitted on both the Felt and the P4. I used no spacers on a 51cm P4 verse a 1/4 inch of spacers on a 52cm Felt B-14. So is it position or the bike, I suppose in the end I cannot say for sure which matters more (as they both matter), but really I don’t care.

The P4 is work of art, it rides like a dream, is so smooth, is ridiculously fast, and very comfortable and most importantly makes me want to train harder.

5

Interesting counselor. Nice to have a watt meter to quantify these things a bit better!

I’ve got in on display in the living room, still convincing wife its equal parts bike and art.

6

Do you have an inline adjuster on the brake cable. You should put one in if you don’t that makes changing wheels cake.

7

Which in line brake adjuster do you use on your P4 and where do you put it?

8

I just run it right next to the stem. I think it came with the 09 p4 I had, but I would just go to a bike store and pick up one up its not a really complex thing. So I can’t imagine there is much difference between them.

9

I like my zipp Vuka aero’s, but I really want some type of fairing/cover to go over the cables as they go into the frame. Maybe a slick cover to attach from the top cap and stem bolts and go over the cables to conceal them.

10

I dont think thats going to make much if any difference especially if you have a horizontal bottle because that will be very dirty air right there anyways.

11

Not so concerned with aerodynamics, more like a shield so gu and liquids don’t get in the ICS holes. Also keeps the cables out of my way.

12

Wrote this review a couple months ago, and finally got around to posting it :slight_smile:

The Good:
My local 10km rolling practice loop allowed for the best comparison I could manage. I am lacking a powermeter in my current setup, but I have rode this loop perhaps 50 times and time it precisely each time. I tested with the same kit, shoes, helmet and 404 clinchers as my Soloist. Results: best Soloist laps typically are ~ 14min 30 seconds at 90%+ effort; the P4 could consistently lop 15 or so seconds off each lap (for a new course record, for me). Needless to say, I was very happy with this. Interestingly, I also set a new best time on the shallow ascent of Spanish Banks hill. It was only by a couple seconds, but I was pleasantly surprised to have any improvements hill climbing on my TT bike. The frame is very stiff and transmits some road vibration, though is still softer feeling than the alu Soloist.

I have a P3 and have been thinking of upgrading to a P4, Cervelo claim a 18w decrease in effort at 30mph, which i wouldnt be suprised at.

The reason i say that is that this season i made some tweaks to my P3… aero brakes (TRP centre pull front and side pull rear), taping the rear brake line down, changing bars etc… suprising affects on CDA (I did some virtual elevation testing)

I do wonder how close it would be to it now though… still really tempted by a P4… but then it doesnt quite look as aero as a speed concept or shiv…

13

the p4 is compared to the shiv and speed concept in the tunnel here:
http://www.slowtwitch.com/Tech/Cervelo_P4_in_the_Tunnel_1929.html

also it is compared to the speed concept in one of treks white papers.

it is definitely ‘as aero’.

Putting a center pull brake setup and clever brake routing is probably going to get you 3 or 4 watts of that 18 watt difference as compared to the p4

but then you could put an aero brake up front on the p4 too =)

14

Wrote this review a couple months ago, and finally got around to posting it :slight_smile:

The Good:
My local 10km rolling practice loop allowed for the best comparison I could manage. I am lacking a powermeter in my current setup, but I have rode this loop perhaps 50 times and time it precisely each time. I tested with the same kit, shoes, helmet and 404 clinchers as my Soloist. Results: best Soloist laps typically are ~ 14min 30 seconds at 90%+ effort; the P4 could consistently lop 15 or so seconds off each lap (for a new course record, for me). Needless to say, I was very happy with this. Interestingly, I also set a new best time on the shallow ascent of Spanish Banks hill. It was only by a couple seconds, but I was pleasantly surprised to have any improvements hill climbing on my TT bike. The frame is very stiff and transmits some road vibration, though is still softer feeling than the alu Soloist.

I have a P3 and have been thinking of upgrading to a P4, Cervelo claim a 18w decrease in effort at 30mph, which i wouldnt be suprised at.

The reason i say that is that this season i made some tweaks to my P3… aero brakes (TRP centre pull front and side pull rear), taping the rear brake line down, changing bars etc… suprising affects on CDA (I did some virtual elevation testing)

I do wonder how close it would be to it now though… still really tempted by a P4… but then it doesnt quite look as aero as a speed concept or shiv…

I had a P3, and when the P4 frame sets went on sale, I went for the P4. I wondered too how much difference I would see and if it would be worth it with the new Px coming.

My P3 had Easton base/aero bars, Canecreek brake levers, the old Wolf fork, no spacers, negative rise stem.

For the P4, I brought the Easton’s over as I was advised that the 3T base/aero bars the pad stack is higher than most and I could get more aero/lower with the Eastons. SRAM900TT brake levers, Simkins front brake. I also upgraded the bb bracket and pulleys. Same no spacers and negative rise stem.

I have the 2011 P4 and all the previous issues they have fixed. My rear brake works as good or better than the one I had on the P3. The SRAM brake levers have barrel adjusters built in so you can easily swap out wheels. The aero bottle works fine if I use it.

All I know is the P4 feels ripping fast. No I don’t have exact data. I rode 17 minutes faster on the same Ironman course from the P3 to the P4. . . there were additional variables (stronger power, conditions) but not enough to cover all the difference.

The white paper data shows that P4 to be at least as fast or faster than the other “super bikes” . . . with way fewer headaches with maintenance, packing, etc. Happy with my decision.

15

I to have P4 and it faster than P3C over the same time trail course. I have been using my P4 for 2 seasons with no issues. Rear brake works fine. Had to shorten the noodle that houses the brake cable inside the brake housing. I run water bottles off the back and an areo front bottle. I cut the p4 bottle an created a hinge in it and now it is a storage container for my tubie in full Ironman races, and other things the rest of the time…

16

Thanks all for comments. I think the rear brake just seemed relatively weak to me because my previous TT bike was a road bike (soloist) with dura ace calipers. That simkins looks sick - I will start looking around for one of those.

The base bar and extensions seem to be fairly personal, what works for one individual may not for others.

The P4 water bottle changed into storage compartment seems to be the way to go, especially for 70.3s or 140 s where you really need to pack some sh*t. Cervelo might do well to just build one with a hinge and be done with it.

Wheels are the next project …