Road bike recommendations

Christ that bike is gopping.

Would not buy

This actually is a better deal for £2k

I prefer S series over R though.

Why is it better? specification look almost identical.

R3 is more expensive than S2 hence better deal; i think

I thought you said they're both £1999.

2 grand for a 105 equipped bike is excessive. especially when you look at the spec and see the number of non-groupset parts.

^ but its a cervelo :P

^^^ the R3 frameset was always a notch above the S2, supposedly, though the new S2 looks more like the old S3 than the previous S2 so they're probably being pitched around the same price point now.

I thought they're both different frame for different purpose?

They are, somehow R3 is more expensive.

Similar to specialized; venge is more expensive than tarmac.

The R3 and the S3 were the R & S pro team frames for a while, now it's the R5 and S5. The equivalent to the S2 was kind of the RS, which is now discontinued. So it looks to me like they've jazzed up the S2 a bit to replace the hole left in the range by the S3. It sort of makes sense but it's confusing because the number designations don't really match up, whereas the frameset prices for R3 & S3 and R5 & S5 were always comparable; you just chose between lighter weight or more aeros.

tl;dr: in the past, the R3 was always a more expensive frame than the S2.

If you want an aspirational brand wearing 105 for £1999. Theres not many chioces. This perhaps. Although. Most would take the Cervelo I guess.

I find myself undecided by this frameset.

nope

Fad Gadget.

I love Look - but both of those are ugly.

Just horrible in my size.

I'm just going to continue with the BMC till I brake it. Apart from an S5, or a TimeMachine. I cant think of much I'd want to replace it with.

If anyone's really interested there's a thread on WW about 2014 Cervelos. Lots of info and industry discussion. I only had a quick look, but apparently dealers are meant to be pushing the S3 this year.

I feel a true MAMIL would aspire to the mor extreme look, and aero edge of the S5.

If anyone's really interested there's a thread on WW about 2014 Cervelos. Lots of info and industry discussion. I only had a quick look, but apparently dealers are meant to be pushing the S3 this year.

From reading that thread it sounds like they nerfed the R3 in '11, making it heavier etc so it's more like an "R2" now than it used to be. Makes sense now.

£2k for 105 and budget wheels? No thanks.

Pretty sure the gap in frame quality between the likes of Cervelo and the mail order companies is as narrow as its ever been. Doubt I'm good enough to spot the difference anyway.

I ride a Rose which I'm sure feels better with the Ksyrium Elites it came with than than Cervelo will with £100 wheels.

This actually is a better deal for £2k

I prefer S series over R though.

Alternatively you could get a custom Talbot/Rusby frame and whack these parts on it for less than £2k.

Edit: or rather - whack better parts on it for less than £2k!

^^ I think the whole point of cervelo pricing is their R&D rather than quality of material isnt it? I personally ride a chinese copy of R5 but would love to own a cervelo as soon I finish my dentistry degree

Marginal gains.
law of ever decreasing returns.
etc etc.
No logical reason to want a top end frame really......just.....

£2k for 105 and budget wheels? No thanks.

Pretty sure the gap in frame quality between the likes of Cervelo and the mail order companies is as narrow as its ever been. Doubt I'm good enough to spot the difference anyway.

I ride a Rose which I'm sure feels better with the Ksyrium Elites it came with than than Cervelo will with £100 wheels.

Well they publish a lot of white papers on the aero benefits of their frames. Plus they're meant to put a lot of money into that research.

It's not something I know much about but from the bits and pieces I've read there are a lot of other elements than frames. I also once read an interesting comment somewhere about the benefit of extended headtubes.