Cervelo S5 Road Bike Review

By maklinbikes | November 30, 2025

2026 Cervelo S5 – First Look & Frame Updates

Jump to:
Video Review •
History & Setups •
Review Summary

Video Review

History & Setups

Races Done:
Wheelsets Tested:
Tires Tested:
Drivetrain Configurations Tested:
Longest Ride / Biggest Day:

Review Summary

📍 We’ve got the brand-new 2026 Cervelo S5 in the shop. The previous generation is sitting right behind it, so this walkthrough focuses on what’s changed, what’s improved, and what stands out now that Cervelo has updated one of the fastest aero road bikes on the market.

Handlebar Changes

The most noticeable update is the new integrated one-piece bar.

The previous bar used a two-piece V-shape system.
The 2026 bar is a single molded piece with a cleaner aero profile.
There is now a — subtle, not gravel-bar level, but noticeable.
Backwards compatible: You can install this new bar on the previous generation S5, which is awesome.

Bar width options include 36, 38, and 40cm — in line with what most S5 riders prefer.

Frame & Fork Updates

The new S5 frame clearly borrows aero shaping from Cervelo’s S5 and TT bikes:

Much deeper head tube compared to the old S5.
Deeper aero fork blades with sharper leading edges.
Revised seat stay shaping — more pronounced lines compared to the softer transitions on the previous gen.
Recessed seatpost clamp with a fitted rubber cap — cleaner look and better integration.
The down tube shaping echoes the S5, though the Aspero-style depth differences apply.

Tire clearance remains 34mm, same as the previous generation. With the Reserve aero wheelset profile, a true 34 may be tight in front, but 29–32mm is ideal.

Wheelset Spec

The SRAM RED build ships with:

Reserve 57 front
Reserve 64 rear
DT Swiss 180 hubs
Stock tires: Vittoria Corsa Pro Controls (29s)

Drivetrain Options & Thoughts

This first build we received features the new SRAM RED 13-speed XPLR drivetrain using the universal derailleur hanger.

50T chainring up front
13-speed XPLR cassette out back (massive range, great top end)
SRAM RED power meter included

My preference for the S5 would be a 1x, 13-speed RED or Force XPLR setup — simple, fast, aero, and tons of range. If I were building one for myself, this is likely what I’d run.

Options available from Cervelo:

SRAM RED (1x or 2x)
SRAM Force (1x or 2x)
Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
Shimano Ultegra Di2

Colors

Carnelian
Five Black
Lithium

Not all colors are available in all build specs.

Final Thoughts

Cervelo took an already incredibly fast bike and refined it even further — deeper aero sections, a better bar, cleaner integration, and a drivetrain future-proofed with UDH.

I also love that the new handlebars work on the old model. And if you’ve been riding more gravel like I have, the slight flare feels great without looking like a gravel cockpit.

We were fortunate to get the S5 at launch, along with the new Aspero 5 and one of the new Soloist colors. If you’re local, swing by to check them out — happy to answer questions and walk through fit or drivetrain options.

This one is long overdue — the Cervelo S5 has been out for a while, but I finally had the chance to spend real time on one. This is the bike I’ve been putting miles on lately, and it’s been awesome. It has honestly changed my appreciation for road cycling and pavement riding. It’s incredibly fast, super fun, and just makes you want to go.

Video review

History & setups we’ve tested

Races ridden on this bike:

Wheelsets used:

Reserve 52 (front)
Reserve 63 (rear)

Tires we’ve ridden:

Vittoria Corsa Pro 28mm

Drivetrain configurations:

Ultegra Di2 12-speed
11–30T cassette
LOOK Keo 2 Max pedals

Longest ride / biggest day:

Photo gallery:

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Frame

The Cervelo S5 is a rocket ship. It’s incredibly fast, extremely aerodynamic, and just a blast to ride. On flats with a tailwind, you feel like Superman — but honestly, the bike feels that way pretty much anytime you’re on it.

I didn’t know how it would climb, since climbing around here is limited to short 1–3 minute hills in the river valley. But the S5 climbs well. It accelerates quickly and holds speed. Even though it’s an aero bike, it doesn’t feel sluggish or heavy in the front end the way some aero road bikes can.

The frame is wildly narrow — when you look at it from the front, it practically disappears. Cervelo’s aerodynamic shaping is real, not gimmicky. The whole bike slices the wind.

Wheels & tires

This S5 is running the stock wheel setup:

Reserve 52 front
Reserve 63 rear
25mm internal width
Vittoria Corsa Pro 28mm tires

ETRTO now recommends 29mm for rims this wide, and honestly, this might be the last 28mm tire I run. The trend is moving toward 30s, especially with how rough some of the pavement can be. We pretty much can’t sell 25mm tubeless road tires anymore, except to riders whose bikes can’t clear 28s.

The Corsa Pros look great on the bike with the tan sidewalls and ride extremely well.

Drivetrain

The bike is the stock Ultegra Di2 12-speed build:

Ultegra Di2 derailleurs
11–30T cassette
LOOK Keo 2 Max pedals

I’m not picky about road pedals and could ride Shimano, but I’ve had LOOK-based Garmin Vector pedals, so I stuck with LOOK. We stock these and the Ultegra pedals at the shop and sell a lot of both.

Fit & sizing

This bike is a 54cm. I’m 5’10” (slightly shy of it), long inseam, long arms, shorter torso. I’m using most of the seatpost on the 350mm post (versus a 400mm). There’s just a bit more room before hitting minimum insertion.

The drop from saddle to bars is already pretty aggressive. I haven’t removed any spacers because:

It’s an aggressive fit for me as-is.
I’m going to sell this bike eventually.
Cutting hoses for a more aggressive fit would require re-routing when the next owner wants it higher.

I’ve ridden plenty of 56cm bikes and could ride the 56 S5 too, but the 54 has been fitting very well — especially since my flexibility isn’t what it used to be (46 years old, losing some range, probably my own fault). With long arms, I can still get low even with a higher saddle height.

I also tend to prefer shorter stems and slightly forward saddle positions on 56s, but that comes at the cost of steering stability. The 54 ends up being the right balance.

Ride impressions

This bike is phenomenal. Not a technical deep-dive review — just real-world riding impressions. The S5 is incredibly fast, very aerodynamic, and surprisingly comfortable once you’re fit properly.

Since getting on this bike, I’ve done more pavement riding than gravel in the past six months. It’s simply fun to ride. We’ve also been testing the Bianchi Oltre, and the S5 and Oltre together have pulled me onto pavement far more than usual.

If you can swing an S5 — or find this generation of it — it’s an amazing bike to have in your quiver.

Final thoughts

I love riding the Cervelo S5. It’s fast, aero, climbs better than expected, and just feels incredible out on the road. The frame design, stiffness, aero shaping, and handling all come together to make a bike that inspires speed and fun.

Any questions or want to see how an S5 might fit you? Let us know.