Nicola Rutzou
Editor Nicola Rutzou found herself in the bike-friendly city of Adelaide without a bike. Cervélo came to the rescue with the comfortable yet fast Caledonia-5.
Cervélo says its modern road bike, the Caledonia-5, is built to handle long-distance as well as high-speed racing. The fit and handling are geared toward comfort but not at the expense of the Cervélo race bike feel.
I’m told that the original Caledonia-5, the predecessor to this model, was originally conceived and named after the poor-quality road surface of Caledonia Street near Cervélo’s Toronto HQ. Apparently, the road is used for the company’s after-work rides, but it wasn’t suitable for the more race-inspired R5 and S5. So, they designed an all-rounder with plenty of speed and excitement that could still handle the cracks and potholes of Caledonia Street.
It lived up to that claim while riding it during the Tour Down Under in Adelaide in January. The Caledonia-5 is fast, comfortable, versatile and an absolute joy to spend time on.
Cervélo calls it a ‘modern road’ bike, although many in the industry would refer to this category as an all-road bike. I think of it as an endurance/all-road platform because it’s quick off the mark, extremely comfortable and compliant while being very zippy.
The bike I rode was a custom build based on the attractive dark red ‘Carmine’ frameset, featuring the SRAM Red groupset, Cervelo carbon handlebars and stem, and Reserve 42/49 Turbulent Aero wheels.
Cervélo offers the frameset in two colourways (black and Carmine), as well as five models featuring different groupsets and components, to suit various budgets and requirements.
What is an all-road bike?
This is an emerging category of road bike that is described as halfway between a road bike and a gravel bike. They have wider tyre clearances, more laid-back or stable geometry, wider gearing and often, storage options. These characteristics are also true of some endurance bikes and many gravel bikes, so it’s tricky to settle on an agreed definition. I think some steer away from the ‘all-road’ tag because it suggests that riders only need one road bike to cover all situations!
Definitions aside, the Caledonia-5 hummed along, taking it all in its stride. Most of my riding was on flat roads, but I gave it a good workout with rough tarmac and even some light gravel.
A lot of this comfort, performance, and all-road ability is no doubt due to the supplied wheelset, Reserve’s 49/42 TA, along with the 30mm factory tyres.
Reserve wheels
Reserve is Cervélo’s sister company, which has been making an impact in the competitive wheel market with its Turbulent Aero approach. Reserve reportedly takes turbulence and crosswinds into account, focusing on real-world scenarios for its aerodynamic optimisation. The Reserve 42/49 Turbulent Aero wheels have different rim depths, which is something we’ve seen a lot of recently, as well as different rim widths optimised specifically for the front and rear.
To ride, the wheels felt light and stiff, as well as looking good. And even though they are lightweight, I’m sure they’d stand up to fairly rough treatment, having been raced at Paris-Roubaix and the Giro d’Italia. I’m told they have no rider weight limit.
Tyre-wise, the Caledonia-5 models are shipped with tubeless-ready 30mm Vittoria tyres of various levels, and there is space for 36mm tyres.
Downtube storage
Aside from the increased tyre size, the bike comes standard with a downtube storage compartment that includes two internal bags.
The compartment is tucked away beneath the bottle cage.
The two internal neoprene bags can hold tools and spares, and although it’s compact, Cervélo says there is enough room for a spare tube, small multi-tool, and CO2 canister. Basically, all the things you’d normally cram into a plastic canister (carried in your drink cage) or under-saddle bag.
Access is via a hinged cover that doubles as the downtube bottle cage mount. It locks into place via a 90-degree latch and remains securely in place when underway.
I found it slightly awkward to access, but I’m sure it would become okay with practice.
Frame & components
The frame has been revised from the previous model, though the changes are subtle. The dropped seat stays, inspired by the sister bike, the Aspero, help make the rear triangle more flexible, while Cervélo says the downtube has been stiffened to maintain responsive handling. This stiff downtube and bottom bracket ensure efficient power transfer to the rear wheel, maintaining precise steering.
For vibration damping, the frame relies on the 30mm tyres rather than any suspension features seen in some other endurance or all-road bikes. But it works, and the Caledonia-5 was comfortable and cushy to ride.
The aero Cervélo carbon handlebars and integrated cabling create a neat and comfy cockpit.
The bike tested included the SRAM Red groupset, which provided smooth and compliant gear changes and braking.
Summing up
The Caledonia-5 rewards riders with a comfortable yet zippy ride. It performs well at slow speeds, but the faster you ride, the more stable it becomes, which instils confidence at higher speeds, particularly while descending. These characteristics make the Caledonia-5 ideal for long group rides, fast-paced outings, or races on various terrains. It would also make an awesome commuter bike.
Specifications
Fork: Tapered Caledonia-5 Fork
Headset: FSA IS2 1-1/4 x 1-1/2
Thru Axles: Cervélo Aero Thru-Axles, 12×100/142
Rear Wheel: Reserve 49TA, tubeless compatible
Front Wheel: Reserve 42TA, tubeless compatible
Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro Control 700 x 30mm
Crankset: SRAM Red
Front & Rear Derailleur: SRAM Red, 12 speed
Brake shifters & calipers: SRAM Red hydraulic disc
Handlebar: Cervélo HB13 Carbon
Stem: Cervélo ST31 Carbon
Saddle: Selle Italia Novus Boost Evo
Seatpost: Cervélo SP24 Carbon
Sizes: 48 (tested), 51, 54, 56, 58, 61
More info cervelo.com/en-AU
