Cervelo P5 Red AXS 1 Bike

Fast gets faster. That’s Cervélo’s stated intent for the P5, and the Cervélo P5 Red AXS 1 Bike is the most complete expression of it. As the bike Team Jumbo-Visma rode to Giro d’Italia and Tour de France victories in 2023, the P5’s pedigree at the highest level of professional road racing is established. Here, it arrives as a complete triathlon build — a contre la montre catalyst configured with a single-ring SRAM Red AXS drivetrain, Reserve 77/88TA carbon wheels on DT Swiss 180 hubs, and Cervélo’s full integrated storage and cockpit system.

The “1” in Red AXS 1 is the key spec detail: this is a single-chainring (1x) drivetrain. A 50-tooth front ring runs against a SRAM Red E1 10-33 cassette in 12-speed with SRAM’s AXS Blip satellite shifters mounted on the aerobars. Single-ring eliminates the front derailleur entirely — cleaner aerodynamics, fewer mechanical variables on race day, and a drivetrain that doesn’t require front shift decisions during an Ironman bike leg. The crankset includes an integrated power meter, and the bottom bracket is a SRAM DUB Ceramic unit in Cervélo’s BBright shell — their proprietary asymmetric BB standard, which uses a wider shell than conventional road bikes for improved lateral stiffness and power transfer. Brakes are SRAM S900 Aero flat-mount hydraulic disc — an aero-specific caliper designed for time trial and triathlon applications, with SRAM Paceline X Centerlock rotors.

The cockpit is the Cervélo one-piece front end system: HB15 Carbon basebar, EX14 Carbon Aero Riser Assembly, and Profile Design 52ASC extensions. The basebar sits lower than previous P5 generations to minimize frontal area. The riser is stackable to 40mm of total adjustment. Extensions are adjustable between 0 and 30 degrees in 5-degree increments — a meaningful range for dialing in the elbow angle that sits behind the rider’s fit coordinates on a specific course profile. Cable routing is fully internal from bar tip to rear dropout.

The wheels are Reserve 77TA front and 88TA rear on DT Swiss 180 hubs — an asymmetric pairing that reflects the different aerodynamic and handling demands of each end of the bike. The 77mm front balances crosswind stability with steering response; the 88mm rear maximizes aerodynamic benefit where handling feedback matters less. Reserve wheels are developed through Cervélo’s Turbulent Aero program, which uses real-world wind data rather than purely theoretical CFD, optimizing for the yaw angles riders actually encounter rather than a perfect headwind. Both hubs use DT Swiss 180s — DT Swiss’s top-tier hub. Tires are Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR G2.0 700x29, tubeless-ready. The frame accepts up to 700x34.

Cervélo designed extensive storage directly into the P5 because, as they put it, half the battle in triathlon is taking in sufficient calories for a strong marathon. The included system covers all points: Cervélo Rear Hydration Mount, P5 Stem Storage, and Smartpak Top Tube Storage Bag 400. An aero bottle and cage are included. The saddle is a Selle Italia WATT 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow — a noseless triathlon saddle with carbon rails. Six sizes run from 48 to 61cm.

Design Benefits

1. 1x drivetrain with SRAM Red AXS E1 — The single-ring setup eliminates the front derailleur, removing drag, mechanical complexity, and one category of race-day decision. A 50t single ring against a 10-33 cassette provides a race-functional range on wireless SRAM AXS with blip satellite shifters positioned for aero position shifting. Integrated power meter and ceramic bottom bracket are included at spec.
2. Reserve 77/88TA asymmetric wheel pairing — Front and rear wheels are deliberately different: 77mm front for controlled handling and crosswind response, 88mm rear for maximum aerodynamic benefit where steering feedback matters less. Both run DT Swiss 180 hubs — DT Swiss’s highest tier. Reserve’s Turbulent Aero development program uses real-world wind data, optimizing the rim profiles for the yaw angles riders actually see rather than idealized headwind conditions.
3. BBright proprietary shell with ceramic DUB — Cervélo’s BBright standard uses an asymmetric wider shell for improved lateral stiffness and power transfer compared to conventional road BB standards, without the installation complexity of press-fit alternatives. The ceramic DUB bearing set reduces friction at the drivetrain’s highest-load interface.
4. Adjustable one-piece cockpit system — The EX14 riser is adjustable to 40mm of stack and the 52ASC extensions adjust 0–30 degrees in 5-degree increments, enabling meaningful fit range within each frame size. The lower-profile HB15 basebar reduces frontal area compared to earlier P5 generations. Internal routing is complete throughout.
5. SRAM S900 Aero caliper — The S900 is SRAM’s TT/tri-specific disc brake caliper, shaped for aerodynamic integration in flat-mount applications. Purpose-built for time trial and triathlon frames where conventional road caliper body shapes create unnecessary drag.
6. Integrated storage system — Cervélo built nutrition and hydration access directly into the P5 at multiple points: rear hydration, stem storage, and the Smartpak 400 top tube bag. In Ironman racing, effective fueling can be a decisive factor, and the P5’s storage architecture ensures access without compromising aerodynamics or rider position.

Final Take

The Cervélo P5 Red AXS 1 is a race-ready triathlon build with the pedigree of a Grand Tour TT weapon and the specification of a complete Ironman machine. Single-ring SRAM Red AXS with power meter, Reserve 77/88TA wheels on DT Swiss 180 hubs, ceramic BBright bottom bracket, adjustable one-piece cockpit, and a full integrated storage system — this is a bike that shows up to race day with nothing left to add.