The lowered bottom bracket, longer reach, lower stack, and shorter headtube of the R5 lengthen and drop the cycling position lower in favor of a pro bike fit and weights the bike appropriately. The fit set-up centers rider weight, holding the power of the pedaling position at an aggressive hip angle, while ensuring the proper distribution over the front wheel required for aggressive corning and overall stability. The overall frame construction and geometry of a 56cm feature a shorter 151mm headtube, 410mm seatstays and a 993mm wheelbase, all of which lead to impeccable, agile handling at any speed.

The tapered 1½ to 1⅛" Cervelo Carbon Disc Fork was built like, and complements the frame, with enhancements to the lateral base stiffness, tire clearance and aerodynamics. As aerodynamics research has pushed wheel manufacturers to wider rims, larger tires, and frame/fork air flow integration, we know 25-28mm road tires can be fast, aero, and reduce road noise and impact. This race-ready R5 Disc takes full advantage with a carbon DT Swiss PRC 1450 Spline 35 wheelset that is Tubeless Ready, with valves.

Cervelo's aero integrated Future Proof cable routing that accommodates mechanical and electronic drivetrains becomes only partially applicable when used with eTap AXS, with only the hydraulic disc rear brake housing run internally. Otherwise the Future Proof concept simply fills holes you don't use. The overall set-up is so clean and simple you forget that some bikes actually use cables and wires. It allows you to focus on what is truly important, stripping away the excess.

From a design perspective one of the engineers' tasks with the R5 was to develop disc brake and non-disc version to be a close as possible in fit, function, feel, and frame performance; disc brakes do have different requirements and move the actual braking effect lower to the road, at the hub, versus upon the fork crown and seatstays. The R5 disc brake model features 12mm thru-axle drop outs, using the RAT thru-axle system for much faster wheel changes- crucial to the racing world. Again, this is catering to the pros, but with excellent safety as well, every R5 Disc rider will benefit from the stability and stiffness of thru-axles, while being able to quickly and easily remove and reinstall a wheel in any conditions.

Of course safety is also tied to disc braking, specifically the newer lighter lever/caliper options that manage heat on a long descent, elicit subtle feel and performance while cornering, as well as delivering power that won't fade or diminish in wet or dry conditions. The caliper standard is the Flat Mount system, front and rear, with integrated internal hose routing. The braking set-up had been optimized for 160mm calipers/rotors but 140mm can still be used. SRAM's new CenterLine X models in the 160 are spec'ed here. These road brake rotors meet the UCI's requirement for a rounded edge, which further minimizes potential injury in a group crash.

Everything about the Red eTap AXS 12 for disc braking feels more refined than the 11-speed version. The Red eTap HRD levers are more compact, sleeker and powerful with the new AXS HRD Disc caipers. The eTap AXS front and rear derailleurs are more efficient and optimized for wider framesets and wider ranging drivetrains, while using the same battery system as the 1st gen. The 10-28 Red XG-1290 cassette requires the Tubeless Ready 1450 Spline 35 Disc wheelset to have a SRAM XDR Driver (freehub), while the crank uses a BBright version of the DUB bottom bracket design, required by the Red DUB 48-35T carbon crankset.

This 2019 Cervelo R5 SRAM Red AXS Disc Bicycle is perfect marriage of an innovative and accomplished road race frameset with premium quality, cutting edge SRAM technology. If you are ready push boundaries on the bike, you might as well have a bike that sets a new standard for efficiency and technology.