Cervelo ZFS-5 120 Mountain Bike Review
This is Steve with another Bikes We Ride from Maklin Bike Shop. I’ve been riding the Cervelo ZFS-5 120 this summer, built with the XO Transmission drivetrain. It’s mostly stock with a couple of swaps, and I thought I’d walk through how it rides and how it compares to the other bikes I’ve spent time on.
Video review
History & setups we’ve tested
Races ridden on this bike:
- Ore 2 Shore Epic
- Elite Minnesota Mountain Bike Series
Wheelsets used:
- Reserve 28 XC w/ DT 350 hub
Tires we’ve ridden:
- Schwalbe Racing Ray / Ralph
- Vittoria Barzo / Mezcal
Drivetrain configurations:
- Stock XO Transmission 1x drivetrain
- 32T stock chainring → upgraded to 36T
- Left-side power meter crank spindle swap
Photo gallery (optional):
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Drivetrain
The XO Transmission drivetrain has been solid. The only real change I made was swapping the stock 32T chainring to a 36T. With the 10–52 cassette, the 32T put me into the 52T climbing cog any time things got steep, and at that point you’re barely moving. The 36T gives better top-end speed while still keeping climbing range totally fine.
I also swapped the left crank arm to one with a power-meter spindle. It measures left-side power only, but it’s been reliable and is an easy, cost-effective upgrade if dual power isn’t a priority.
Wheels and tires
I’ve been running a Schwalbe Racing Ray/Racing Ralph setup. Previously I had tan-sidewall Vittoria Mezcals on the bike and they looked great, but this Schwalbe setup matches the ZFS-5’s intentions really well and rolls fast. The bike feels planted in corners and predictable on XC race courses and local trails.
Cockpit and fit
This ZFS-5 is the 120mm version—120mm up front and about 115mm in the rear. The front end feels capable and tracks well through rough sections. Fit-wise, the bike feels balanced for XC and trail. The dropper post has been great. I originally felt like electronic droppers were maybe overkill, but after a year of riding this one, I haven’t had a single issue.
If you ever wanted to save weight for a race, you could swap between the dropper and a rigid post quickly since it’s electronic. I haven’t done that, but the option is there.
Braking performance
Brakes have been strong and predictable. No fading, no surprises, and solid performance in everything from local XC racing to rougher trail sessions. No complaints here.
Additional notes
I’ve ridden a long list of comparable bikes over the years: Trek Procaliber, Trek Supercaliber, Salsa Spearfish, Felt Edict, Niner AIR 9 RDO, Niner RKT, and more. The ZFS-5 120 holds its own against all of them. It climbs well, feels efficient, and is capable enough for drops, rock gardens, and technical trail features—basically anything I have any business riding at 45 years old.
It’s also a great “quiver killer” type of bike. Not a full-on long-travel party bike, but capable enough. Not a pure XC race bike, but plenty fast for XC racing unless you’re at the absolute pointy end of the field.
I’ve also been tuning with ShockWiz to dial in the rear suspension. It’s a cool tool and helps fine-tune the setup, especially for mixed XC/trail use.
One thing worth noting: Cervelo launched these during a rough industry period, and the number of build variations was confusing—mechanical GX, electronic GX, GX Transmission, XO Transmission, XXSL, Shimano builds… a lot. I’m curious to see if they simplify builds in future model years the way they simplified the Aspero.
Final thoughts
The Cervelo ZFS-5 120 is a fast, versatile, and capable bike. It climbs well, handles rough trail features, and feels efficient everywhere I’ve taken it. If you want one bike that can cover almost everything from XC racing to local Minnesota trail riding, this is a strong option. We rotate through demo bikes often, so if this one ends up listed on our site, that’s why—not because I’m eager to let it go.
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