dpd3672

I've been training on my tri bike for months (an aluminum Cervelo P2 and an older Quintana Roo Kilo), and while I enjoy it, I've had an eye out and been researching something a little more comfortable to ride; so I can build my legs without being in an aero position for hours at a time.

I wanted something carbon, for a less harsh ride, and was looking at the Cervelo R and S series bikes, and a few others by other manufacturers. I settled on the Cervelo RS, which seems to be designed as a more comfortable alternative to dedicated race bikes. I got a deal on a frame set, and have a Dura Ace group to build it up with, but need to find a seat post and drop bars to complete the build.

So a few questions:

1) Will the comfort of a Carbon bar and seat post be that apparent? I'm buying the bike for a smoother ride over the somewhat rough pavement in SE Michigan, but don't want to spend the considerably extra money if the improvement isn't significant. I'm not terribly concerned with weight, although I don't want a boat anchor, either.

2) I have an old wrist injury (broken wrist) that alternates between irritating and excruciating when going over rough pavement. I'm thinking the combination of carbon frame and bars will help, any suggestions?

3) Any recommendations for current great value/performance going on right now?

andr0id

Carbon bars will maybe dampen some high frequency vibrations a tiny bit.

You need to let some air out of your tires or get wider 700x25 tires and run them at a lower pressure to reduce the road shock in any noticeable way.

TobinH

It's not quite that simple, as some carbon components are actually less flexy than some aluminum. However, the differences between very stiff components and very flexy components are pretty noticeable. My favourite seatpost, the FSA K-Force Light with 32mm of setback provides a great deal of movement, actually more than some dedicated suspension posts. It's very light and makes a significant difference to comfort. This test is older, but provides some good info: From the pages of Velo: Getting the most from your post - Page 3 of 5 - VeloNews.com

For handlebars, check out the test that these guys did: https://fairwheelbikes.com/c/reviews...dlebar-review/ As you can see there are big differences!

You might also notice that components that are light and flexy tend to be quite expensive. None of these things are going to make even nearly as much difference as a supple set of tires set to a lower psi.

dpd3672

Great information, thanks.

dnslater

+1. Go with wider rims, and run 25 or 28mm tires and this will help more than components. 28 might not clear, but 25 probably will be fine.