Love the black/murdered look!!! I’m building out a white Soloist Ultegra Di2 now. Should weigh in just under 7.06kg when complete. My other current climber/crit bike is my murdered version CAAD12 at 7.44kg.
I have a Madone SLR 9 (but with Ultegra, or an SLR7 with the RSL51 wheels) and my buddy just picked up a same size used S5 with 64mm Enves. I’m excited to swap bikes on a ride and see how it feels compared to mine. I did notice the bar flex on the Madone you mentioned if I push them around standing still but when I’m riding i don’t feel it at all. I think the wider footprint of the stem on the S5 makes the bars naturally stiffer
Always wanted one of these but can’t justify the price. The madone was also on my list and now with the release of the SL tier frames the price is more palatable. Curious to hear your opinions on the supersix evo as well since that and the new tarmac are also under consideration
The Madone SL does help lower the price, but keeps the looks! I need to ride a few more miles on the SuperSix before putting out a review, but I will say the bike is faster than I expected on the flats.
Great Video! 'for me the S5 was to snappy in corners. I am happy with my Dogma F and the Princeton PEAK4550 which make the bike almost ideal for me ... this is for me the perfect combination for prealp terrain. Also the Dogma as you mentioned is very muted aka forgiving and comfy to ride!
Absolutely! No one bike is perfect for everyone. Good to hear that our experiences were similar and you were able to pick the best bike for you. (Sweet bike by the way)
Thanks for your good review-do you think there are many better Things in the cervelo s5 2023 in compare with the model s5 from 2019?Excuse my not perfekt English-i write from Munich-?Thanks a lot
Love the bike, but bought a '23 Scott Foil because the biggest size in the S5 is a 58cm and I needed a 61cm [equivalent]. The Foil is prettier too. Great videos!
Great detailed video! And this comment is crazy bc I’m actually deciding in between both of these bikes. Safa Brian swears by the new Foil, not that I descend like him by any means but would like a faster more aero bike than my current Addict. Decisions, desicions…
I would ride LOTOJA on this, but with some lighter 45-50mm wheels to help with the three climbs and 28-30mm tires. The only section of the race that wouldn’t be ideal is that stretch of road near Thayne that’s always rough on a stiff bike.
I’m in the middle of a new build, and I purchased the same NSW’s that you are riding in this video. Have you had any negative experiences on the wheels- such as your tire blowing off? I’ve heard many horror stories of peoples tires blowing off while the bike was stored, and even worse, tires blowing off in the middle of a ride. Many people say that the cyclists with these experiences don’t follow the specs for tires- such as the recommended tires and PSI. But, there are cyclists out there who claim that their tires blew off confirming that they followed all of the recommendations. Needless to say, all of the horror stories have made me second guess my wheel selection for this build and have purchased a new pair of hooked ENVE wheels. I just wanted your take of the NSW’s. Thank you.
I haven't had any issues with tire blow-offs, but I always run 10psi below the max 72.5 and always use a tire that is hookless approved. You will need to use a minimum tire size of 28-29mm.
Personally, I liked the S5 more and thought the build quality was slightly better than the Madone. The Madone was more comfortable, but the S5 had a stiffer BB and handlebar that I liked. Both bikes are good though, so pick the one you like the look of most and that also fits you the best.
The one in front is the one that comes stock with the bike. The one on the rear is one that was 3D printed for the Swat mounting bolts on the Specialized saddle.
I've road both the madone SLR and the cervelo S5..i went with the Madone..the madone is alot smoother and simple..they both hold speeds but the madone is slightly better to me..I also felt the madones handling was slightly sharper..both are amazing bikes..the bontrager aeolus rsl saddle is light and comfortable. I got the madone SLR down to 16.6 lbs with using TPU inner tubes, 700x38 gp5000 conti, and my roval rapide clx2 wheels from my older 2022 s-works sl7..the cervelo has a longer top tube that will have you too stretched out..I have no loyalty to one brand..I own several bikes but from cervelo I love my cervelo caledonia 5 ultegra..
For somebody in between sizes(im 5ft11, 148 lbs, long arms, medium to shorter length of torso), would you say getting a 56 frame and a long stem(120mm stem) or 58 frame and stock stem be better? Asking because when talking with my friend who does fittings, he said my optimal frame size would be 57, but many bike manufacturers don't make a 57.
That’s a tough spot to be in. It might be better to go for the 56, that will possibly give you a little bit of extra wiggle room. Make sure to check your fit measurements carefully before deciding!
No major issues so far. I did need to true them once after a lot of braking down mountain descents on a very hot day, but they have held up better with fewer noises and issues than the original Shimano ones (not the new version).
If you're looking for a more all around bike I'd look at some options like the Tarmac, Addict, Dogma, or SuperSix. The Madone and S5 are full aero bikes, fast, but not as light as an allrounder.
The chain was sized according to the CS specification, there is still plenty of spring left at full extension, but I do agree it doesn't look good in the easier gears.
The Melee is the smoother bike with the more accommodating geometry for sure. S5 is stiffer a bit faster and has a more aggressive position. If you want the fastest bike go for the S5. If you want a race oriented bike that you can ride comfortably all day, then go for the Melee.
I haven't ridden the SL7, but I do have a review in the works for the SL8. I'd say the S5 is marginally faster and stiffer feeling. The SL8 is very well balanced. I enjoy both bikes. I race and do group rides on the S5, but I mostly ride and train on the SL8. I'd like to do a follow up review on the S5 so drop any questions you have my way.
