Originally Posted by
guadzilla
On the other hand, my concerns:
- the R5 is just an awesome,awesome ride. I will be taking a step down with a Caledonia-series bike, as opposed to a Caledonia 5. How much, though?
- supposedly not as stiff as the R5
Cervelo is really good at making a bike appropriate for the kind of riding it was born for. I don't think it's a bad thing if this is somewhat less stiff than an R5.
Analogies can fool you. That said, they don't make the C series anymore, and they have a bona fide gravel bike still, so this seems pretty analogous to the C3/C5. I have a C3, used to have an R3 SL. My R3 was stiffer, but not by much. I've never found it lacking, but appreciate the change too when I'm on some truly awful surface. It jumps when I touch the pedal, the handling makes me feel like I could do crits. Not saying I could, I'm saying it's a satisfying ride. R3 is a little more in both of those areas, but the C3 is a fast handing bike that rides well, feels stable, and likes to be pushed. I'd expect the Caledonia to be all those things, plus the benefit of a few more years of engineering knowledge.