Cervelo R3 Info

In article <[email hidden]>,

Jay Beattie said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

Since rbt is usually trying to convince people to spend a little bit
more on a bike to get into something decent, I'd say we're going to be
little help to you.

On one hand, an R3 is an absurdly dear bicycle. On the other hand, it's
priced competitively with other top-line carbon bikes. It's also a nice
strong frame, especially considering its light weight. If he has the
money and he wants the bike, go for it!

That said, my dream bike would be the Cervelo Soloist Carbon, whose
frame is a bit heavier but more aerodynamic. The aero would only be a
slight advantage, but in virtually all races it would matter more than
the weight difference.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Jay Beattie said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

If you notice in the specs, there is no rider weight limit; it must be
built well.

In article <[email hidden]>,

R Brickston rb20170REMOVE.yahoo.com@ said:

Jay Beattie said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

If you notice in the specs, there is no rider weight limit; it must be
built well.

Well, I don't think Cervelo has any weight-limit bikes, but perhaps a
better endorsement is that the R3 is both the basis for Cervelo's
cyclocross bike and the preferred ride (by sponsored team CSC) for the
Paris-Roubaix.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

R Brickston rb20170REMOVE.yahoo.com@ said:

On Thu, 31 May 2007 17:30:00 -0700, "Jay Beattie"

Quoted message said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

If you notice in the specs, there is no rider weight limit; it must be
built well.

'Must'?? Didn't Cervelo have a recall? On a carbon frame, w/o a weight
limit?

Ryan Cousineau said:

On one hand, an R3 is an absurdly dear bicycle. On the other hand, it's
priced competitively with other top-line carbon bikes. It's also a nice
strong frame, especially considering its light weight. If he has the
money and he wants the bike, go for it!

I got a R3 two months ago, but sadly not too many kilometers on it so
far. Even if it's one of the lightest frames out there it's also very
stiff. The German magazine "Tour" had a test of lightweight frames
about a year ago, where it excelled. My frame in size 51 is just 840
grams on a kitchen scale, so I guess the R3SL could go below 800 in
small sizes.

The R3 isn't particularly expensive for a high-end carbon fiber
frameset. I paid 2150 euros for mine, including the fork, headset and
seatpost. The FSA seatpost that comes with is quite heavy and because
of it's unusual diameter of 32.4 mm replacement options are few. Not
that there's anything wrong with the FSA seatpost, but selling a
260-gram seatpost with a 840-gram frame seems somewhat unusual. The
stock fork is very aero and stiff, but not particularly light as far as
high-end forks go.

The R3 generally looks like the work of an engineer. The tubes look
somewhat awkward with a fat, near-rectangular downtube, really beefy
chainstays and then extremely thin seatstays. The finishing quality
isn't up there with Colnago, Time and some others. But technically it's
a very impressive frame.

Antti

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

R Brickston rb20170REMOVE.yahoo.com@ said:

On Thu, 31 May 2007 17:30:00 -0700, "Jay Beattie"

Quoted message said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

If you notice in the specs, there is no rider weight limit; it must be
built well.

'Must'?? Didn't Cervelo have a recall? On a carbon frame, w/o a weight
limit?

There is no product that is immune to a recall. Well, maybe a coffee
table.

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:04:17 GMT, Ryan Cousineau <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

R Brickston rb20170REMOVE.yahoo.com@ said:

Jay Beattie said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

If you notice in the specs, there is no rider weight limit; it must be
built well.

Well, I don't think Cervelo has any weight-limit bikes, but perhaps a
better endorsement is that the R3 is both the basis for Cervelo's
cyclocross bike and the preferred ride (by sponsored team CSC) for the
Paris-Roubaix.

I mention it because most carbon bikes I looked at had a limit, except
Cervelo; this was two years ago, btw.

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

'Must'?? Didn't Cervelo have a recall? On a carbon frame, w/o a weight
limit?

Yes, on the predecessor of the R3:

http://www.cervelo.com/R25recall/

They have an FAQ on weight limits, but there doesn't seem to be a link
to it, you may have to search their knowledge base for their stand on
weight limits.

R Brickston rb20170REMOVE.yahoo.com@ said:

There is no product that is immune to a recall. Well, maybe a coffee
table.

I'm not aware of any coffee table ever being recalled, but there are
plenty of ways to design/build a coffee table badly, e.g. the thing
that holds down the table top could be inadequate such that having a
heavy adult plop down on the edge of one end with a long overhang that
causes the table top to flip up and hit you on the back of the head
(and of course no one would ever suggest wearing a helmet while
sitting on a coffee table).

"Victor Kan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

'Must'?? Didn't Cervelo have a recall? On a carbon frame, w/o a weight
limit?

Yes, on the predecessor of the R3:

http://www.cervelo.com/R25recall/

They have an FAQ on weight limits, but there doesn't seem to be a link
to it, you may have to search their knowledge base for their stand on
weight limits.

R Brickston rb20170REMOVE.yahoo.com@ said:

There is no product that is immune to a recall. Well, maybe a coffee
table.

I'm not aware of any coffee table ever being recalled, but there are
plenty of ways to design/build a coffee table badly, e.g. the thing
that holds down the table top could be inadequate such that having a
heavy adult plop down on the edge of one end with a long overhang that
causes the table top to flip up and hit you on the back of the head
(and of course no one would ever suggest wearing a helmet while
sitting on a coffee table).

How about recalled dinner tables:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05574.html Poor Ethan Allen.
The CPSC site is filled with unlikely recalled items. -- Jay Beattie.

In article
<[email hidden]>,

Victor Kan said:

Qui si parla Campagnolo said:

'Must'?? Didn't Cervelo have a recall? On a carbon frame, w/o a weight
limit?

Yes, on the predecessor of the R3:

http://www.cervelo.com/R25recall/

They have an FAQ on weight limits, but there doesn't seem to be a link
to it, you may have to search their knowledge base for their stand on
weight limits.

R Brickston rb20170REMOVE.yahoo.com@ said:

There is no product that is immune to a recall. Well, maybe a coffee
table.

I'm not aware of any coffee table ever being recalled, but there are
plenty of ways to design/build a coffee table badly, e.g. the thing
that holds down the table top could be inadequate such that having a
heavy adult plop down on the edge of one end with a long overhang that
causes the table top to flip up and hit you on the back of the head
(and of course no one would ever suggest wearing a helmet while
sitting on a coffee table).

All coffee tables should be recalled.
Their sole purpose is to leap out and
whang you on the shin.

--
Michael Press

Jay Beattie said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

If he is looking at carbon frames, it would be self-injustice not to
at least look at Time and Look frames. Those frenchies know how to
make carbon frames, as well as, if not better than, anyone. Look at
Boonen (at least last year) and Hushovd - they are not featherweights.

Jay Beattie said:

... I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

Jay, if your main concern is that he is spending so much money - why
shouldn't he? He's a big boy, obviously a great cyclist, and if I
were him, I'd buy the best bike I could afford and not think twice.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Jay Beattie said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

If he is looking at carbon frames, it would be self-injustice not to
at least look at Time and Look frames. Those frenchies know how to
make carbon frames, as well as, if not better than, anyone. Look at
Boonen (at least last year) and Hushovd - they are not featherweights.

I'm sure Time and Look both build wonderful frames, but it must be
pointed out that Boonen and Hushovd have the option of changing frames
whenever necessary, and definitely no less often than annually.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Jay Beattie said:

My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road rider
who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

If he is looking at carbon frames, it would be self-injustice not to
at least look at Time and Look frames. Those frenchies know how to
make carbon frames, as well as, if not better than, anyone. Look at
Boonen (at least last year) and Hushovd - they are not featherweights.

I'm sure Time and Look both build wonderful frames, but it must be
pointed out that Boonen and Hushovd have the option of changing frames
whenever necessary, and definitely no less often than annually.

fatigue lives for carbon composites are usually /much/ superior to
metals. on that basis, they're not changing them for fear of failure as
may be the case with an ultra-light frames of other materials.

On Jun 1, 9:16 am, Antti Salonen <[email hidden]>
wrote:
[...]

Quoted message said:

The FSA seatpost that comes with is quite heavy and because
of it's unusual diameter of 32.4 mm replacement options are few. Not
that there's anything wrong with the FSA seatpost, but selling a
260-gram seatpost with a 840-gram frame seems somewhat unusual. The
stock fork is very aero and stiff, but not particularly light as far as
high-end forks go.

Agreed, even if the frame is light, if it comes with heavy fork and
seat post what's the point? I just saw some "fuselage" comparison
weights listed here:
http://www2.trekbikes.com/madone/technology/integration/ (scroll
down).

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Jun 1, 9:16 am, Antti Salonen <[email hidden]>
wrote:
[...]

Quoted message said:

The FSA seatpost that comes with is quite heavy and because
of it's unusual diameter of 32.4 mm replacement options are few. Not
that there's anything wrong with the FSA seatpost, but selling a
260-gram seatpost with a 840-gram frame seems somewhat unusual. The
stock fork is very aero and stiff, but not particularly light as far as
high-end forks go.

Agreed, even if the frame is light, if it comes with heavy fork and
seat post what's the point? I just saw some "fuselage" comparison
weights listed here:
http://www2.trekbikes.com/madone/technology/integration/ (scroll
down).

Speaking of integrated components, I'd like to see wired ports for cadence,
SRM, and Powertap pickups with an exit port somewhere near the top/head tube
joint.

In article <[email hidden]>,

jim beam said:

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

On May 31, 8:30 pm, "Jay Beattie" <[email hidden]> wrote:
> My brother wants to buy an expensive carbon frame and has fallen in love
> with the Cervelo R3. Anyone have an opinion about the quality or ride
> characteristics of this frame. He also wants to go Dura Ace because
> Performance has some sale going on. He is an old guy (56) in the 200lb
> range, 6'3" and very fit (state mountain bike champ) and a strong road
> rider
> who may start racing with the oldies. He already rides regulary with a
> bunch of road racers and does centuries, etc. It will not be a dust
> collector garage bike. Anyway, thoughts? I have some thoughts, but they
> are
> generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay
> Beattie.

If he is looking at carbon frames, it would be self-injustice not to
at least look at Time and Look frames. Those frenchies know how to
make carbon frames, as well as, if not better than, anyone. Look at
Boonen (at least last year) and Hushovd - they are not featherweights.

I'm sure Time and Look both build wonderful frames, but it must be
pointed out that Boonen and Hushovd have the option of changing frames
whenever necessary, and definitely no less often than annually.

fatigue lives for carbon composites are usually /much/ superior to
metals. on that basis, they're not changing them for fear of failure as
may be the case with an ultra-light frames of other materials.

Fair enough, fair enough. My point wasn't that the Time and Look frames
were in any way problematic for normal riders (or even for Boonen and
Hushovd), but rather that one could not take much of an endorsement from
the fact that any pro uses a particular frame.

That goes for CSC as well, who are in fact Cervélo-sponsored.

Now, if you see a team cheating on its sponsors, I think that does stand
out as interesting info...

--
Ryan Cousineau [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

Camilo said:

Jay Beattie said:

... I have some thoughts, but they are
generally "why the hell do you want to spend so much money?" -- Jay Beattie.

Jay, if your main concern is that he is spending so much money - why
shouldn't he? He's a big boy, obviously a great cyclist, and if I
were him, I'd buy the best bike I could afford and not think twice.

He is a big boy with late life kids that are college bound! Anyway,
and although we obviously come from the same family, I got more of the
Scottish than him -- and I got all the spending out of my system 25-30
years ago when the best bike you could buy (custom built steel) was
$1000 complete. I just can't see spending so much on a Dura Ace group,
either. Having raced on a lot of different equipment over many years,
the only difference I saw between Ultegra and Dura Ace was in the
price (and quirky stadards/incompatability of Dura Ace -- except my
'75 group, which was even compatible with NR).

Now I just buy bikes that are commensurate with my waning abilities
and needs. I stay away from bling. The side benefit is that I get
hours of enjoyment riding by poseurs in trade team outfits on really,
really expensive equipment. With that said, I did buy a fairly
expensive set of Keo pedals because I snapped the spindle on my last
pair of Looks. But I got those really cheap from ProBikeKit, which I
highly recommend. It's in England, and the shipping time is quicker
than a lot of the domestic MOS.-- Jay Beattie.

Carl Sundquist said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Jun 1, 9:16 am, Antti Salonen <[email hidden]>
wrote:
[...]

Quoted message said:

The FSA seatpost that comes with is quite heavy and because
of it's unusual diameter of 32.4 mm replacement options are few. Not
that there's anything wrong with the FSA seatpost, but selling a
260-gram seatpost with a 840-gram frame seems somewhat unusual. The
stock fork is very aero and stiff, but not particularly light as far as
high-end forks go.

Quoted message said:

Agreed, even if the frame is light, if it comes with heavy fork and
seat post what's the point? I just saw some "fuselage" comparison
weights listed here:
www2.trekbikes.com(scrollOpen ↗
down).

Speaking of integrated components, I'd like to see wired ports for cadence,
SRM, and Powertap pickups with an exit port somewhere near the top/head tube
joint.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

YESSS! But what standard would be adopted? Stereo jacks? I remember
custom steel frames that ran CatEye Solar wires inside, and had brazed-
on eyelets to mount the fork sensor. Those are obsolete now...