What Makes a Cervelo So Great???
05-13-09, 10:16 AM
#276
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Northern California
Posts: 162
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It's just too easy to make fun of people who know nothing about bicycles. Cervelo and other similar companies are successful only because so many newbies buy their overpriced bikes. They want to be the fastest guy out there, because riding for them is passing dudes and not being passed. So they buy the bike that has the fastest image. It might be a Cervelo, or it might be any of the other popular names in that market segment.
For many, it's the first and only serious road bike they have ever had. Riding it compared to a hybrid, comfort or mountain bike is a revelation for them, and then they assume it's because of the Cervelo name on the downtube (or substitute Madone, Tarmac, etc.). Then there's the natural tendency to defend to internet death one's own current purchase, no matter what rationalizations have to be employed. Put all that together and you get the basis of 80% of bicycle forums posts on the internet.
For many, it's the first and only serious road bike they have ever had. Riding it compared to a hybrid, comfort or mountain bike is a revelation for them, and then they assume it's because of the Cervelo name on the downtube (or substitute Madone, Tarmac, etc.). Then there's the natural tendency to defend to internet death one's own current purchase, no matter what rationalizations have to be employed. Put all that together and you get the basis of 80% of bicycle forums posts on the internet.
I am still waiting for you to tell us what Cervélo doesn't offer in it's price range that other companies do offer. Your rants make you look like a raving idiot. You are not offering any rational arguments to support what you are saying.
S-
05-13-09, 10:19 AM
#277
Peloton Shelter Dog
I bought a Cervelo and I'm not a newbie. Hell, I have more road miles than 99% of the weenies on this stupid board.
05-13-09, 10:25 AM
#278
Chepooka
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: South Central PA
Posts: 1,179
Bikes: 1990 Trek 1400 7spd; 2001 Litespeed Arenberg 10 speed
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1110 Post(s)
Liked 1,087 Times
in
670 Posts
^^^
I was under the impression that you bought yours without bothering to test ride. It's something I don't get, but I'm glad your pleased with it.
I was under the impression that you bought yours without bothering to test ride. It's something I don't get, but I'm glad your pleased with it.
05-13-09, 10:36 AM
#279
Senior Member
I love my RS and according to the reviews I have read... So do a lot of other people. In the relaxed catagory, the RS is regarded as in the top 2 or 3 in the segment. I also got a great deal on the bike. The bike came in well under retail and I switched to 09 force and ritchey carbon bars and stem and a new airone to boot (pics to come soon)
I am willing to be most of you that are bashing the Cervelo have never ridden one... Maybe us Cervelo owners should start a thread that says... Bianchi sucks!!! Of course most of us have never owned or ridden one... But why not?! This is BF where we do not let facts get in the way of a good story!
Oh btw Dr Pete. The RS is still very racey with that longer head tube
I am willing to be most of you that are bashing the Cervelo have never ridden one... Maybe us Cervelo owners should start a thread that says... Bianchi sucks!!! Of course most of us have never owned or ridden one... But why not?! This is BF where we do not let facts get in the way of a good story!
Oh btw Dr Pete. The RS is still very racey with that longer head tube
05-13-09, 10:48 AM
#280
Version 7.0
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 13,128
Bikes: Too Many
Mentioned: 297 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1341 Post(s)
Liked 2,483 Times
in
1,458 Posts
I love my RS and according to the reviews I have read... So do a lot of other people. In the relaxed catagory, the RS is regarded as in the top 2 or 3 in the segment. I also got a great deal on the bike. The bike came in well under retail and I switched to 09 force and ritchey carbon bars and stem and a new airone to boot (pics to come soon)
I am willing to be most of you that are bashing the Cervelo have never ridden one... Maybe us Cervelo owners should start a thread that says... Bianchi sucks!!! Of course most of us have never owned or ridden one... But why not?! This is BF where we do not let facts get in the way of a good story!
Oh btw Dr Pete. The RS is still very racey with that longer head tube
I am willing to be most of you that are bashing the Cervelo have never ridden one... Maybe us Cervelo owners should start a thread that says... Bianchi sucks!!! Of course most of us have never owned or ridden one... But why not?! This is BF where we do not let facts get in the way of a good story!
Oh btw Dr Pete. The RS is still very racey with that longer head tube
05-13-09, 10:52 AM
#281
Peloton Shelter Dog
I test rode it and didn't like it. Bought it anyway. Now I love it. That's the second road bike this happened with (ditto with my Six13).
05-13-09, 11:10 AM
#282
Newbie
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Wow, I guess I made a BIG MISTAKE because I just bought a good used P3C with Blackwell Research CF 50's on eBay for $2,000, as my first tri bike.
I didn't go online and read this most informative thread containing LOTS of valuable data to consider when looking at buying a Cervelo.
I just looked in the transition area at the Ironman 70.3 just held here last month and did my research.
I saw lots and lots of Cervelo's which to me meant they were a good bike and, from that I deduced that they would have a good resale value.
I don't subscribe to bike mags so no marketing was involved. In fact, the only Cervelo experience I had was to go to LBS to see if the bike for sale was the right size before I made an offer on eBay. A friend & his wife are doing IM have a Colnago and an '05 Cervelo P3C told me that I couldn't buy a P3C for that cheap and to BUY IT RIGHT NOW!
BTW, I looked at a '05 Kestrel Airfoil Pro for around the same price but I didn't like the fact that if I decided I didn't like it, I might have trouble selling it.
So, that's it. Another dumb newbie bites on the Cervelo marketing blitz. NOT! I just think the bikes appear to be very well thought out and efficient. And I don't think they are nearly as "whizzy" as the higher end, more expensive bikes, just good solid machines.
My only other bike is a '69 Raleigh Pro white.
Yes, I am old and dumb.
I didn't go online and read this most informative thread containing LOTS of valuable data to consider when looking at buying a Cervelo.
I just looked in the transition area at the Ironman 70.3 just held here last month and did my research.
I saw lots and lots of Cervelo's which to me meant they were a good bike and, from that I deduced that they would have a good resale value.
I don't subscribe to bike mags so no marketing was involved. In fact, the only Cervelo experience I had was to go to LBS to see if the bike for sale was the right size before I made an offer on eBay. A friend & his wife are doing IM have a Colnago and an '05 Cervelo P3C told me that I couldn't buy a P3C for that cheap and to BUY IT RIGHT NOW!
BTW, I looked at a '05 Kestrel Airfoil Pro for around the same price but I didn't like the fact that if I decided I didn't like it, I might have trouble selling it.
So, that's it. Another dumb newbie bites on the Cervelo marketing blitz. NOT! I just think the bikes appear to be very well thought out and efficient. And I don't think they are nearly as "whizzy" as the higher end, more expensive bikes, just good solid machines.
My only other bike is a '69 Raleigh Pro white.
Yes, I am old and dumb.
05-13-09, 11:35 AM
#285
I'm so much cooler online
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: San Diego
Posts: 297
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
(By the way, I have no reason to doubt that Longfemur was, in fact, passed like he was standing still by a small lady riding high on a flat-barred fitness bike.)
05-13-09, 12:12 PM
#286
Arsehole
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,280
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Wow, I guess I made a BIG MISTAKE because I just bought a good used P3C with Blackwell Research CF 50's on eBay for $2,000, as my first tri bike.
I didn't go online and read this most informative thread containing LOTS of valuable data to consider when looking at buying a Cervelo.
I just looked in the transition area at the Ironman 70.3 just held here last month and did my research.
I saw lots and lots of Cervelo's which to me meant they were a good bike and, from that I deduced that they would have a good resale value.
I don't subscribe to bike mags so no marketing was involved. In fact, the only Cervelo experience I had was to go to LBS to see if the bike for sale was the right size before I made an offer on eBay. A friend & his wife are doing IM have a Colnago and an '05 Cervelo P3C told me that I couldn't buy a P3C for that cheap and to BUY IT RIGHT NOW!
BTW, I looked at a '05 Kestrel Airfoil Pro for around the same price but I didn't like the fact that if I decided I didn't like it, I might have trouble selling it.
So, that's it. Another dumb newbie bites on the Cervelo marketing blitz. NOT! I just think the bikes appear to be very well thought out and efficient. And I don't think they are nearly as "whizzy" as the higher end, more expensive bikes, just good solid machines.
My only other bike is a '69 Raleigh Pro white.
Yes, I am old and dumb.
I didn't go online and read this most informative thread containing LOTS of valuable data to consider when looking at buying a Cervelo.
I just looked in the transition area at the Ironman 70.3 just held here last month and did my research.
I saw lots and lots of Cervelo's which to me meant they were a good bike and, from that I deduced that they would have a good resale value.
I don't subscribe to bike mags so no marketing was involved. In fact, the only Cervelo experience I had was to go to LBS to see if the bike for sale was the right size before I made an offer on eBay. A friend & his wife are doing IM have a Colnago and an '05 Cervelo P3C told me that I couldn't buy a P3C for that cheap and to BUY IT RIGHT NOW!
BTW, I looked at a '05 Kestrel Airfoil Pro for around the same price but I didn't like the fact that if I decided I didn't like it, I might have trouble selling it.
So, that's it. Another dumb newbie bites on the Cervelo marketing blitz. NOT! I just think the bikes appear to be very well thought out and efficient. And I don't think they are nearly as "whizzy" as the higher end, more expensive bikes, just good solid machines.
My only other bike is a '69 Raleigh Pro white.
Yes, I am old and dumb.
05-13-09, 12:18 PM
#288
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,664
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Wow, I guess I made a BIG MISTAKE because I just bought a good used P3C with Blackwell Research CF 50's on eBay for $2,000, as my first tri bike.
I didn't go online and read this most informative thread containing LOTS of valuable data to consider when looking at buying a Cervelo.
I just looked in the transition area at the Ironman 70.3 just held here last month and did my research.
I saw lots and lots of Cervelo's which to me meant they were a good bike and, from that I deduced that they would have a good resale value.
I don't subscribe to bike mags so no marketing was involved. In fact, the only Cervelo experience I had was to go to LBS to see if the bike for sale was the right size before I made an offer on eBay. A friend & his wife are doing IM have a Colnago and an '05 Cervelo P3C told me that I couldn't buy a P3C for that cheap and to BUY IT RIGHT NOW!
BTW, I looked at a '05 Kestrel Airfoil Pro for around the same price but I didn't like the fact that if I decided I didn't like it, I might have trouble selling it.
So, that's it. Another dumb newbie bites on the Cervelo marketing blitz. NOT! I just think the bikes appear to be very well thought out and efficient. And I don't think they are nearly as "whizzy" as the higher end, more expensive bikes, just good solid machines.
My only other bike is a '69 Raleigh Pro white.
Yes, I am old and dumb.
I didn't go online and read this most informative thread containing LOTS of valuable data to consider when looking at buying a Cervelo.
I just looked in the transition area at the Ironman 70.3 just held here last month and did my research.
I saw lots and lots of Cervelo's which to me meant they were a good bike and, from that I deduced that they would have a good resale value.
I don't subscribe to bike mags so no marketing was involved. In fact, the only Cervelo experience I had was to go to LBS to see if the bike for sale was the right size before I made an offer on eBay. A friend & his wife are doing IM have a Colnago and an '05 Cervelo P3C told me that I couldn't buy a P3C for that cheap and to BUY IT RIGHT NOW!
BTW, I looked at a '05 Kestrel Airfoil Pro for around the same price but I didn't like the fact that if I decided I didn't like it, I might have trouble selling it.
So, that's it. Another dumb newbie bites on the Cervelo marketing blitz. NOT! I just think the bikes appear to be very well thought out and efficient. And I don't think they are nearly as "whizzy" as the higher end, more expensive bikes, just good solid machines.
My only other bike is a '69 Raleigh Pro white.
Yes, I am old and dumb.
05-13-09, 12:44 PM
#291
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto area
Posts: 1,124
Bikes: Cervelo, Pinarello, Specialized
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It's just too easy to make fun of people who know nothing about bicycles. Cervelo and other similar companies are successful only because so many newbies buy their overpriced bikes. They want to be the fastest guy out there, because riding for them is passing dudes and not being passed. So they buy the bike that has the fastest image. It might be a Cervelo, or it might be any of the other popular names in that market segment.
For many, it's the first and only serious road bike they have ever had. Riding it compared to a hybrid, comfort or mountain bike is a revelation for them, and then they assume it's because of the Cervelo name on the downtube (or substitute Madone, Tarmac, etc.). Then there's the natural tendency to defend to internet death one's own current purchase, no matter what rationalizations have to be employed. Put all that together and you get the basis of 80% of bicycle forums posts on the internet.
For many, it's the first and only serious road bike they have ever had. Riding it compared to a hybrid, comfort or mountain bike is a revelation for them, and then they assume it's because of the Cervelo name on the downtube (or substitute Madone, Tarmac, etc.). Then there's the natural tendency to defend to internet death one's own current purchase, no matter what rationalizations have to be employed. Put all that together and you get the basis of 80% of bicycle forums posts on the internet.
They should stop marketing to road cyclists altogether - they are wasting precious advertising dollars.
05-13-09, 12:47 PM
#292
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 324
Bikes: Aluminum Falcon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Cervelo's must suck. This is obvious because Chrissie Wellington won the Ironman Championship on the cheapest carbon TT frame the p2c. Even after she declined the ridiculously more expensive an unattainable p4. Imagine if Lance rode on Trek madone's 4.5 TCT carbon frame?
05-13-09, 12:49 PM
#293
Peloton Shelter Dog
It's not Bianchi that sucks, it's that hideous green color they seem so fixated upon.
05-13-09, 12:53 PM
#294
Token Canadian
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Gagetown, New Brunswick
Posts: 1,555
Bikes: Cervelo S1, Norco Faze 1 SL, Surly Big Dummy, Moose Fatbike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 200 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
May 2009 Cycling Plus magazine (a Brit mag - man, the brits do magazines so much better than North Americans) has their "Bike of the Year" article. In it they test 37 bikes.
Their criteria for consideration is "The best race or sportive bike between £1200 and £2000" with the intent that this was type of bike that best fit the demographic of the majority of their readership. Later on in the article, they reveal a bias towards an all-rounder rather than a "pure" race bike; but that's neither here nor there.
One of the points the article keeps coming back to was how difficult the judging really was. Of those 37 bikes, none were dogs. Slightly different component mixes, slight riding differences, a change of emphasis from pure speed to comfort or vice versa, but none of the bikes tested SUCKED - and the eventual winner was marginally better than the rest and only settled on after exhaustive discussion.
(The Giant TCR Advanced ultimately won. The Cervelo S1 was tested, but when currency exchange rate changes pushed it over the £2000 price limit they disqualified it - the actual quote is "Cervelo's S1 is also aluminum and has a racing pedigree as well. So much so that CSC riders were riding this bike in the Tour de France in 2006. It's not outdated though - in fact CSC's Matt Gross picked up podium positions on one in major races last year. So what's the weight penalty? None. The Cervelo weighs less than the Ridley or the Trek Madrone. It also has a full Ultegra groupset. On the road it was... er, pretty damn fast, bud sadly after price increases it ended up over the two grand limit")
The point being? Once you get over a certain price limit, almost nothing sucks.
Yes, some people buy for name recognition and fashion over form - but if in so doing, they get a solid bit of kit for a fair price, what's the beef?
DG
Their criteria for consideration is "The best race or sportive bike between £1200 and £2000" with the intent that this was type of bike that best fit the demographic of the majority of their readership. Later on in the article, they reveal a bias towards an all-rounder rather than a "pure" race bike; but that's neither here nor there.
One of the points the article keeps coming back to was how difficult the judging really was. Of those 37 bikes, none were dogs. Slightly different component mixes, slight riding differences, a change of emphasis from pure speed to comfort or vice versa, but none of the bikes tested SUCKED - and the eventual winner was marginally better than the rest and only settled on after exhaustive discussion.
(The Giant TCR Advanced ultimately won. The Cervelo S1 was tested, but when currency exchange rate changes pushed it over the £2000 price limit they disqualified it - the actual quote is "Cervelo's S1 is also aluminum and has a racing pedigree as well. So much so that CSC riders were riding this bike in the Tour de France in 2006. It's not outdated though - in fact CSC's Matt Gross picked up podium positions on one in major races last year. So what's the weight penalty? None. The Cervelo weighs less than the Ridley or the Trek Madrone. It also has a full Ultegra groupset. On the road it was... er, pretty damn fast, bud sadly after price increases it ended up over the two grand limit")
The point being? Once you get over a certain price limit, almost nothing sucks.
Yes, some people buy for name recognition and fashion over form - but if in so doing, they get a solid bit of kit for a fair price, what's the beef?
DG
05-13-09, 01:05 PM
#295
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Someplace trying to figure it out
Posts: 10,664
Bikes: Cannondale EVO, CAAD9, Giant cross bike.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 67 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
Cervelo's must suck. This is obvious because Chrissie Wellington won the Ironman Championship on the cheapest carbon TT frame the p2c. Even after she declined the ridiculously more expensive an unattainable p4. Imagine if Lance rode on Trek madone's 4.5 TCT carbon frame?
Giant, Cannondale, and Trek (who put two riders in the break today) all beat the lone Cervelo rider in the Giro. If the bikes matter that much.
This could very well be the most amusing thread ever on this forum.
I vote for a sticky.
BTW...I never use the word "cheap" when talking about this stuff. "Less expensive" is more accurate.
Last edited by roadwarrior; 05-13-09 at 01:08 PM.
05-13-09, 01:07 PM
#296
Dirt-riding heretic
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Posts: 17,413
Bikes: Lynskey R230/Red, Blue Triad SL/Red, Cannondale Scalpel 3/X9
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
How many do you see ridden by elite athletes at Ironman, many of whom are amateurs and buy their own stuff?
__________________
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
05-13-09, 01:08 PM
#297
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto area
Posts: 1,124
Bikes: Cervelo, Pinarello, Specialized
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
05-13-09, 01:14 PM
#299
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto area
Posts: 1,124
Bikes: Cervelo, Pinarello, Specialized
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
05-13-09, 01:43 PM
#300
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 324
Bikes: Aluminum Falcon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts