Cervelo P-Series

The P-Series is the ultimate combination of P5 Aero and Brakes, Boardman Handling and P3C Aesthetics.  Ideally, I'd have gone for the P3 which had an integrated front brake hose.  But not for an additional £1500 or so.  I was also never going to swallow the cost, mass or aesthetics of the contemporary P3X and P5X.  Interestingly a visit to the current Cervelo website demonstrates they've moved back to "normal" looking TT and Tri bikes with latest versions of the P-Series and P5.

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I purchased a complete, bottom of the range (Shimano 105) bike from the now sadly defunct "The Tri Store" in Eastbourne, took everything off it and rebuilt it with only the frame and fork remaining.

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The main thing I wanted to do was run the TriRig Alpha One Tri Bar which really appealed from a design and engineering standpoint with very easy adjustability, especially when combined with wireless SRAM AXS shifters.  I upgraded to the Scoop armrests and initially had the Gamma 115 extensions, which have recently been replaced.  The Scoop cups really lock you in to place but I found the original extensions, even when tilted up to their maximum 15-degrees were not quite high enough allow my shoulders to relax, and torso to drop.  Adding some D2Z angled cup shims and Aerocaoch extensions with a higher rise and ergo hand shape have really improved my comfort and security which means they are faster (and as the picture above attests, they are also a great way to bring your chips and curry sauce home from the chippy after a Time Trial)

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The second priority was getting the latest HED Tubeless Disc Brake Wheels.  Like Cervelo, I've been riding on HED’s since 2005 starting with a pair of “3C” carbon tri-spokes.  Since then, I've gone through several sets of Ardennes and Jet's, which are a carbon fairing bonded on the aluminium Ardennes rim.  I moved to the Jets from a set of ENVE 6.7SES's because I wanted to run tubeless, but at the time ENVE had no offering and told me it was not an area they thought relevant (this was in 2014).  Jet’s didn’t seem too exciting aesthetically, but from a functional perspective, the 21mm internal-width aluminium rim allowed tubeless tyres, proper braking performance and by adding a non-structural carbon fairing, they were lighter than full carbon wheels as well!  And much cheaper.

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It took quite a while for HED to properly design, test and sign off a full carbon tubeless rim and the Vanquish series is the result, coming in at 40, 60 and 80mm depths in “standard” and lighter “RC Pro” variants. 

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I started with a pair of 60mm deep RC6 Pro's and when I decided to focus more on TT's rather than triathlons, I moved to an 80mm deep RC8 Pro on the front and a custom built (by me) Ardennes rear wheel with a Raltec carbon fairing which I've had for nearly a decade.  The (moderately) interesting thing here is that I had to lace all the non-driveside Sapim CX-Ray spokes on the inside of the spoke flange to allow clearance between the fairing and the disc brake rotor when fully assembled.  Like Jet wheels, it’s an apparently “low tech” solution.  But when it weighs under 1200g and costs under £300, I’m OK with that.  Especially when wind-tunnel tests with similar fairings have proven to be nearly as fast as the most exotic full-carbon-disc-brake-aero-disc wheels out there.  And I don’t need to fear pot-holes quite as much either.

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The RC8 is somewhat heavy and with 25mm wide Vittoria Corsa Speed tyres, is a bit of a faff to set up tubeless (I find I need at least 3, if not 4 wraps of tubeless tape where 2 would normally suffice), but it’s worth the effort as these wheels are fast, and very stable, especially for their depth. I don’t have any fear even riding them on relatively windy days.  By the way there is a myth that disc rear wheels are unstable on windy days.  Sure they catch a side wind more than an open wheel, but they can also help to counteract a deep front wheel that has been blown off course.  Its worth reading up on this if you are interested in a disc rear, but a little scared.  The only reason I’d not use a disc rear wheel is to save a bit of mass on hilly races.  More from a perception than actual performance perspective.

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It’s debatable whether disc brakes are now finally more aero than rim brakes, but frankly I’m not too bothered.  Back in 2019 when this bike was launched, the feeling was that a rim-brake-bike-system was still preferred from a pure aero perspective but that may now have changed, even if its just changed in the marketing section.

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But, if you’ve ever ridden a TT bike with an extreme aero position and cork brake pads on a carbon rim in the rain, you’ll know exactly how much more confident disc brakes make you. And confidence equals speed.  So, whereas I’m ambivalent about whether my road bike has disc bakes or not, it was a pre-requisite for my TT bike.  Knowing I can rock up to a 90-degree bend flat out, safely brake into it and manage my speed down further once I’m in the corner if required maintains so much more speed and requires less accelerative effort out of it as well.  The SRAM Aero S900 brakes on this bike are just brilliant.

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The gears are SRAM AXS, with a Force 12-speed rear derailleur as Red is just too expensive.  The "Clicks" shifters operate perfectly and allow a much more comfortable and aero hand position that doesn't need to change when you need to change gears.  I will add a front mech and "Blips" near the brake levers for some hilly Duathlons and Triathlons I hope to do in 2024.

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Like Cervelo and HED, I've been riding Rotor Q-Rings and cranks for a long time, since about 2007 or 2008.  I started with them on my XC MTB and I found a real traction benefit during steep traction-limited climbs due to the way the ring shape "smooths" your torque input to the rear wheel.  From what I've read and experienced first hand, Q-rings seem to add the most benefit during sustained pedaling.  I don't have them on my road bike because they seem to be less responsive to acceleration, which means they are less fun.  But when I'm racing, I do think they add more efficiency.

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The cranks are Rotor Aldu in a 165mm crank length.  I used to ride 172.5mm until I purchased the P5 in 2015 which was ahead of the game in offering shorter cranks on TT bikes to facilitate a lower torso angle and more open hip angle, the former giving you speed on the bike and the latter on the run.  Initially I was going to swap straight to 172.5mm but the guys at The Tri Store said to try it and I've been using them ever since.  I now have 165mm cranks on my TT, MTB, Road and Winter Bikes.  The only bike still with 170mm's is the Cotic Simple Singlespeed where the extra leverage might help during those frequent "Singlespeed-Stall" moment on steep hills or in deep mud.

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This bike is not being replaced anytime soon.  I’ve got a TriRig nose-cone that I’m going to try again but basically, the bike is good enough.  The only thing I’ll do is continue to tweak and optimize my position, which will gain me much more than blowing several thousand on the latest kit.

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It’s interesting to note that my 10-mile TT PB was 22:03 back in 2008 when I was at my fittest and had an FTP of around 300W.  I was riding my Cervelo P3C with HED 3C Wheels, a Rudy Project Aero Helmet with visor and an Orca tri suit with no sleeves(!).  In 2021, with an FTP of around 260W, riding this bike with the disc rear wheel but a standard 25mm deep HED Ardennes front wheel, a much better HJC Adwatt helmet and NoPinz tri suit, I was able to beat my PB on a very similar course with a 21:47.  I’m not trying to show off about my times; I know they are not spectacular.  But what is spectacular is that I’ve gained more than 40W-worth of free speed through better clothing, helmet and, most significantly, position. 

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My main aim as I get older is to go as fast or faster, but with less power and pain! 

 

Rider and Bike As-One.