The Cervelo R3 SL
When I first opened the box with the frameset in it, I was like: ”Wow, this is lighter than my rear wheel!!”. And that’s pretty much the case, because in size 56 the frameset is actually lighter than my Cosmic Carbone SSC SL –rear wheel. My thoughts were: ”I need to get this frame on the road quickly”. Even though the 3T Funda Team –fork isn’t the easiest to assemble. I first had to clean every part from my old bike before I could install them to the new Cervelo frame. Finally the bike was ready to step on to the scale. The Cervelo R3 SL frame with Dura-Ace 7800 groupset and pedals, Mavic Cosmic Carbone –wheelset, 3T stem, fork, seatpost and handlebars, Selle Italia SLR carbon kit –saddle, Michelin Pro3race –tyres and Tacx –bottlecages it weighted only 7050grams. Nice!
Cervelo R3 SL Flies Above The Road
The first ride was FANTASTIC! Even though I had to stop and adjust the bars and saddle from time to time, it was still a ride to remember. The bike was very agile, mostly because it is so light and the steering is very fast. It’s also very easy to ride, so no surprises are expected to pop up during the ride. I was very tempted to ride it on the cobbles, because of the R3 SLs racing background. Unfortunately there are no cobblestone-sections where I live, so I’ll just have to believe it’s fast… Having said that, I noticed that the Cervelo is much more comfortable than my previous frame, the Pinarello Prince.
The Cervelo R3 SL is not built to be a bike for sprinters, but I beg to differ; the frame is very stiff sideways, so if you don’t have the sprinting power of Gregory Baugé, you should be home safe. And because of it’s weight, it helps sprinters over the mountains and saves that little extra power needed to win your competition. I’ve always thought that a bike is best ridden off the saddle with the biggest gear, but the R3 SL made me change my mind. With your chamois tightly on the saddle and a smaller gear than you normally would ride, the bike practically flies above the road. And it feels good. It’s the best bike I’ve ever ridden… and to be honest, it looks stunning.
The overall rating of the Cervelo R3 SL [rating:5/5]
