Cervelo S5 Red AXS Bike

The Cervelo S5 Red AXS Bike is the most refined version of Cervélo’s flagship aero road platform — the bike Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert have used at the highest level of the sport. The current generation of the S5 improves aerodynamic efficiency by more than 6 watts over its predecessor while reducing overall weight by 124 grams, changes that Cervélo achieved through deeper fork legs, a refined head tube profile, and optimized carbon layup and hardware throughout the frameset. This SRAM Red AXS build arrives with a power meter already in the crankset, ceramic bearings in the bottom bracket, and the Reserve 57|64 asymmetric wheelset that was co-developed with Reserve specifically for this generation of the S5.

The frame is carbon monocoque, anchored by Cervélo’s All-Carbon Bayonet S5 fork — the structure that changed most significantly in this generation, with deeper fork legs that work in aerodynamic concert with the Reserve 57TA and 64TA wheel profiles. The asymmetric rim design of those wheels mirrors the asymmetric shape of the S5’s seat tube, so air moves across the frame and wheels as a cohesive system rather than as separate surfaces. Cervélo states the Reserve 57|64 combination delivers 3 watts of improvement over the previous Reserve 52|63 setup at equivalent weight. The DT Swiss 180 hubs in both wheels — front at 12x100mm, rear at 12x142mm — are among the lightest and most reliable hub systems in road cycling.

The HB19 integrated carbon cockpit uses Cervélo’s “Plus-Four” design: the brake hoods are positioned 4 centimeters narrower than the drops, encouraging a more aerodynamic upper-body position without compromising the stability and control you need during sprints and descents. Nine bar and stem combinations are available across the size run, and the system is fully UCI-legal. SRAM Red AXS E1 handles the shifting — 12-speed wireless electronic, with the Red crankset shipping with a dual-sided power meter installed. The bottom bracket is SRAM DUB Ceramic BBright, using ceramic bearings in Cervélo’s proprietary asymmetric BB shell. The cassette spans 10-33t, and the 50/37 chainring combination provides close-ratio gearing through the middle of the range where race riding actually happens.

Design Benefits

1. 6+ Watts Aero Improvement Over Previous Generation: Cervélo’s aerodynamic development on the current S5 produced more than 6 watts of improvement at race speed, driven primarily by the deeper fork legs and refined head tube profile that channel airflow more efficiently across the front of the bike. Combined with the 124-gram weight reduction, this is a generation that made meaningful progress on both metrics simultaneously.
2. Reserve 57|64 Asymmetric Wheelset with DT Swiss 180 Hubs: The Reserve 57TA front and 64TA rear wheels were developed in partnership with Cervélo specifically for this S5 generation — their asymmetric rim profiles designed to complement the asymmetric seat tube shape for integrated system aerodynamics. Cervélo credits the combination with a 3-watt improvement over the previous wheel generation. DT Swiss 180 hubs are the rolling element in each wheel, at 12x100mm front and 12x142mm rear.
3. SRAM Red AXS E1 with Power Meter + Ceramic BB: The SRAM Red AXS E1 crankset arrives with a dual-sided power meter installed, and the bottom bracket is SRAM DUB Ceramic — ceramic bearings in Cervélo’s proprietary BBright asymmetric shell. The 50/37 chainring combination with a 10-33 cassette gives closer steps through the working range of the gears than most road setups provide.
4. HB19 Plus-Four Integrated Cockpit: Cervélo’s HB19 system positions the brake hoods 4 centimeters narrower than the drops — a geometry that encourages the elbows-in, narrow-shouldered position that aero road racing demands, without sacrificing the wider grip width that provides stability in sprints and technical situations. Nine bar and stem combinations span the size run.
5. Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR G2.0 700x29: The Corsa Pro TLR is one of the fastest road tires available — high-TPI cotton casing, Graphene 2.0 compound, tubeless-ready. At 29mm, it pairs with the Reserve wheels’ internal width for a tire profile that balances aerodynamic efficiency with the rolling resistance and compliance benefits of modern wider tires.

Final Take

The Cervelo S5 Red AXS is a complete, race-ready aero road bike that has been refined through the highest levels of professional competition. The current generation’s aerodynamic improvements are measurable and specific, the Reserve 57|64 wheelset was built for this exact frame, and the SRAM Red AXS drivetrain with power meter leaves nothing outstanding. At $14,500, this is among the most competitive specifications at this price in the aero road category.