New Cervélo S5 2025/2026: Photos, Price, Weight, Performance, Specs – Everything You (Really) Need to Know
New Cervélo S5 2025/2026: Photos, Price, Weight, Performance, Specs – Everything You (Really) Need to Know
Cervélo S5: Aerodynamic Evolution for Superior Performance
The latest iteration of Cervélo's flagship aero bike, the S5, has been officially unveiled, with a clear focus on pure, uncompromised speed. This model has already seen action in the professional peloton, notably ridden by Jonas Vingegaard throughout the Critérium du Dauphiné and at this year's Tour de France. The S5's aerodynamic update capitalizes on the latest UCI regulations governing tube depths.
Aerodynamic Optimization and Weight Reduction
The new S5 is reportedly 6.3 watts faster than its predecessor, a bike Cervélo previously touted as the fastest in the pro peloton. This improvement stems from a comprehensive aerodynamic overhaul and the introduction of a new Reserve wheelset, designed to work optimally with the frameset. Despite the increased tube depths, the overall weight of the new S5 has been reduced by 124 grams thanks to refined carbon layup in the frame, seatpost, and cockpit.
Innovations in Front-End Design
The performance gain is primarily due to the front-end redesign. The fork legs and head tube are slimmer but feature significantly deeper chord lengths to manage airflow, making the most of the UCI's latest 8:1 ratio tube shape regulations. The head tube is notably deeper than before, mirroring designs like the Ridley Noah Fast.
The cockpit has been re-engineered into a one-piece design, eliminating the need for a bolted split stem section to the top bar. The stem arms rise at a significant angle, providing the necessary rise for fit purposes while allowing them to flow cleanly into the top tube. The hole has also been enlarged thanks to a stepped top bar, intended to reduce wake turbulence. The updated HB19 cockpit integrates Cervélo's "Plus-Four" shape concept, with the drops 4cm wider than the hoods for a more aerodynamic position on the tops and greater control when descending in the drops. The drops' compactness has also been slightly increased.
The seat tube and seatpost have also been slimmed down, with sharper trailing edges also said to reduce turbulent wake, further cutting drag. These modifications integrate with the new Reserve 57/64 wheelset, specifically designed for the S5.
Synergy with Reserve 57/64 Wheelset
The new Reserve wheelset features a design that aligns with the frame's slimmer silhouette and asymmetric rim profile, with a more deeply offset spoke lacing pattern. This combination aims to ensure smoother airflow across the bike's length, while the lacing pattern increases lateral stiffness by 10 percent. Independently, the wheels are claimed to be 3 watts faster than the preceding Reserve 52/63, while maintaining the same weight.
The wheels are tubeless-ready with a hooked rim design. The front wheel has a 25.4mm internal width and the rear is 24.4mm wide. Overall, Cervélo states the new S5, with the new wheelset, is 6.3 watts faster than the previous S5 fitted with the outgoing Reserve 52/63 wheelset at 50kph, with consistent benefits seen across a +/- 15-degree yaw angle range.
Cervélo also conducted comparative tests against competitor bikes, reporting an 8.7-watt gain over its closest tested rival, the Pinarello Dogma F. Even larger gaps were observed against the Cannondale SuperSix Evo (12.9 watts), Specialized Tarmac SL8 (13.5 watts), and Trek Madone SLR (19.9 watts). It's worth noting that the exact testing protocols and competitor bike configurations have not been disclosed.
Weight Optimization and Componentry
Despite the claimed aero improvements, the new S5 frameset is 124 grams lighter than the previous model (in a size 56cm). Most of this weight saving comes from the new cockpit (approximately 100g) and optimized carbon layup process (around 30g). The seatpost clamp has been simplified, featuring a new carbon cradle and alloy crossbar, which collectively reduce weight by 27 grams and offer increased fore/aft adjustment.
The previous fork had a large alloy insert around the thru-axle dropout, whereas the new model features a smaller support around the axle hole and separate receptacles for a flat mount caliper. This saves hardware weight, but results in a net gain of 53 grams due to the deeper leg profiles. Cervélo has also developed its own version of the UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger), dubbed éUDH. The SRAM version saves 1 gram, while the Shimano version saves 5.8 grams.
Geometry and Availability
The S5 retains its race-oriented geometry across six sizes, with a moderate reach-to-stack ratio that should appeal to aggressive riders and racers. Notably, the bike features consistent 405mm chainstays across all sizes, which Cervélo claims maintains consistent handling through all five frame sizes. Handling has been optimized for use with 29mm-wide tires. The cockpit is available in nine sizes, though these are not swappable at the point of purchase. The seatpost can be had in 15mm-setback and inline variants, with Cervélo stating these can be swapped via a Cervélo dealer.
The Cervélo S5 is available in five configurations, all equipped with dual-sided power meters. This includes a 1x build with a SRAM Red XPLR AXS groupset. The nominally top-tier builds feature wheels with DT Swiss 180 Dicut hubs, while the Ultegra and Force-spec bikes come with DT Swiss 240 hubs. Prices range from £9,200 / $9,950 / €9,999 to £12,500 / $14,250 / €13,999. The frameset alone costs £5,400 / $6,500 / €5,999.
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