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From the very beginning of the 2025 Tour de France there have been two bikes standing out among the rest. Each ridden by a leading team, each with a similar cutting-edge aero focus. It only makes sense to compare the Colnago Y1Rs vs Cervélo S5.
Obviously the teams riding in the Tour de France are only choosing between sponsor bike options, but what if a rider somehow had the option to pick any bike they wanted? Which one would this theoretical rider choose and why?
I’m no WorldTour rider but right now I have both bikes and have been switching between the two and here’s all the ways they are drastically different.
(photo Chris Ho)
Colnago Y1Rs vs Cervélo S5 frame, fork, and handlebar
In many ways these two frames are incredibly similar. Both are using a bayonet style fork with a non-traditional seat post that hugs the rear wheel and all accounts seem to point to similar aero performance. There are differences though, you just have to look.
(photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Even in terms of the basic silhouette, things are not as close as you might first think. Overall, the Cervélo S5 uses bigger tubes and that includes a deeper headtube. In my size, 54 mm and the equivalent M on the Colnago, the headtube measures out to 14.5 cm for the Cervélo while the Colnago stops at 9.5 cm. Fork legs are the same 6mm deep on both bikes but the top tube slants more on the Cervélo S5 resulting in 20 cm of exposed seat post vs 12 cm for the Colnago (again in the same fit).
(photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Along with those bigger tubes, there’s also a difference in bottle cage designs. Colnago carves out part of the downtube, making it even smaller, to make space to further hide the front bottle. Cervélo on the other hand keeps things simple and allows the tube to hide standard bottle cages.
(Photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Given that an integral part of these two frames is also the one piece, uniquely shaped, handlebars this falls into the frame category as well. From the side they look the same with a Y shape. However, from any other angle, you can see that the Cervélo design isn’t free floating. The Cervélo HB19 Carbon bar system has a bridge across the top and the outfront mount attaches in the center. The Colnago CY.01 bar instead does with no bridge across the center but instead uses a more relaxed ankle away from the center of the bike. Both bars are available in twelve size combinations although the makeup is slightly different with Cervélo offering more length options but less width options.
(Photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Both bikes use UDH derailleur mounts however Colnago uses a threaded BSA bottom bracket while Cervélo has a press BBright option.
Of course you want to know the weight difference but it’s difficult to granular here. Cervélo doesn’t share weights at all while Colnago shares only weight for an unpainted frame without the handlebar. Here’s what we do know: The previous Cervélo S5 model hit the scales at 1,447 for frame and fork + 413 for bar and stem while the new model is 124 grams lighter for that system. A little math puts an estimate at 1736 grams for the frame, fork, and handlebar system for a retail painted unit. Colnago states only that the Y1RS 1415 grams for an unpainted frame and fork with the fork consisting of 450 of those grams.
(Photo Josh Ross/Velo)
On my own scale a Colnago Y1Rs ready to ride with Enve SES 4.5 wheels and SRAM RED 2x was 7.54 kg without pedals. A Cervélo S5 With SRAM RED XPLR and Reserve 57|64 wheels was 7.36 kg without pedals. For the sake of comparison, I’ve weighed SRAM RED vs SRAM RED XPLR as a 25 gram weight advantage to the XPLR groupset however the Enve SES 4.5 wheels are 1493 grams while the Reserve wheels are 1554 grams. That means the component difference is 36 grams lighter on the Colnago while the Cervélo enjoys a 180 gram full build advantage in my two example bikes.
Remember, the saddle and tires are both different so it’s not possible to perfectly extrapolate. That said, it would appear the Cervélo is a bit lighter.
(photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Colnago Y1Rs vs Cervélo S5 geometry, builds, and prices
You can glance through the geometry differences and specifics in the builds but Cervélo does a far better job on offering well thought out builds throughout the price ranges despite being slightly cheaper. I have Enve SES 4.5 wheels on the Colnago Y1Rs I’m testing but it would come with low-end vision wheels and no option to change that. There’s also no power meter and although the outfront mounts look similar, the Colnago doesn’t hold the weight of a Garmin Edge 1040 without drooping over time. Colnago does offer a Campagnolo build but Cervélo offers a RED XPLR 1×13 build that Colnago doesn’t have.
(Photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Cervélo S5
FORK
Cervélo All-Carbon, Bayonet S5 Fork
CHAIN
SRAM Red E1
HEADSET
FSA SL IS2 1-1/8, 36° x 45° / 1-3/8, 36° x 45°
REAR DERAILLEUR
SRAM Red XPLR AXS E1
FRONT THRU AXLE
Cervélo Aero Thru Axle Front, M12x1.5mm, 122mm length
CASSETTE
SRAM Red XPLR E1, 10-46T, 13-Speed
REAR THRU AXLE
Cervélo Aero Thru Axle Rear, M12x1.0mm, 169mm length
SHIFTER/BRAKE
SRAM Red AXS E1
FRONT WHEEL
Reserve 57TA, DT Swiss 180 DICUT, 12x100mm, 24H, centerlock, tubeless compatible
COCKPIT
Cervélo HB19 Carbon
REAR WHEEL
Reserve 64TA, DT Swiss 180 DICUT, 12x142mm, XDR freehub, 24H, centerlock, tubeless compatible
SADDLE
Selle Italia NOVUS BOOST EVO SuperFlow Carbon
TIRES
Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR G2.0 700x29c
SEATPOST
Cervélo SP34 Carbon
CRANKSET
SRAM Red 1 AXS E1, 50T Aero, DUB, with power meter
BRAKE ROTORS
SRAM Paceline X Centerlock
BOTTOM BRACKET
SRAM DUB Ceramic, BBright
SIZES
48, 51, 54, 56, 58
ACCESSORIES
Cervélo Front Computer/Accessory Mount 887, Cervélo Rear Accessory Mount, Hammerhead Karoo 3
Pricing
USA
CAN
EUR
AUS
UK
Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
14,100
18,500
13,999
18,000
12,000
SRAM Red AXS
14,250
18,750
13,999
18,500
12,500
SRAM Red XPLR AXS
14,250
18,750
13,999
18,500
12,000
Shimano Ultegra Di2
9,950
12,000
9,999
13,800
9,200
SRAM Force AXS
9,950
12,250
9,999
13,800
9,200
Frameset
6,500
8,000
5,999
8,500
5,400
Size
48
51
54
56
58
61
STACK
496
519
542
565
588
608
REACH
367
376
384
392
401
409
SEAT TUBE ANGLE
73
73
73
73
73
73
EFFECTIVE TT LENGTH
520
535
550
565
581
595
HEAD TUBE ANGLE
71
72
73
73.5
73.5
73.5
FORK OFFSET
58.5
52.5
46.5
43.5
43.5
43.5
HEAD TUBE LENGTH
64
82
104
125
152
173
BB DROP
74.5
74.5
72
72
69.5
69.5
FRONT CENTRE
579
580
581
588
604
617
CHAIN STAY LENGTH
405
405
405
405
405
405
STANDOVER*
712
734
758
781
804
822
WHEELBASE
973
974
975
982
999
1013
*5cm in front of BB
Colnago Y1Rs
SIZE (all measurements in mm unless indicated)
XS
S
M
L
XL
HT Angle (degrees)
70.8
71.9
73
73.5
73.5
ST Angle (degrees)
75
74.5
74
73.7
73
Reach
368
377
386
395
404
Stack
495
520
540
565
590
Fork Length
376.5
376.5
376.5
376.5
376.5
Trail
61
59.5
57.5
57
57
HT Length
88.5
108.5
126.5
150.5
176.5
Wheelbase
974
976
978
987
1003
CS Length
408
408
408
408
408
Front center
577.5
579.5
581
590
606
BB Drop
74
74
72
72
72
Frame kit includes seatpost, Headset, and CC.Y1 handlebar priced at $7500
Groupset
Campagnolo SR13
Campagnolo SR13
Dura-Ace Di2
Dura-Ace Di2
Dura-Ace Di2
SRAM RED
Wheels
Bora Ultra
WTO
Vision Carbon 45
Enve SES 4.5
Shimano C50
Vision Carbon 45
Vision Carbon 45
Price
$19,580
$15,664
$19,224
$17,800
$15,664
$14,596
(photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Colnago Y1Rs vs Cervélo S5 ride feel
This is the real meat of these two bikes and despite the similarities, the differences are quite stark. These two bikes are both the tip of the spear for modern aero bikes and yet in a Colnago Y1Rs vs Cervélo S5 battle they are obviously for different riders. If you go back to that premise of a hypothetical rider who can pick either bike, it’s a different person who picks one vs the other.
The Cervélo S5 is all about being stiff and efficient. I can’t feel a single bit of flex in that bike. There’s just no give anywhere in the frame. Then, at the front of the bike, the handlebars are the same with the triangulation of the y-shaped stem soaking up any hint of flex in the bar. The only reason this bike continues to be a good ride comes down to the wheels.
Unlike the Colnago, Cervélo uses a vertically integrated supply chain for the S5. The Reserve wheels launched with the bike and were part of the development process. The frame and bars are stiff but the 25.4mm / 24.4mm internal width on the wheels brings everything together into something that feels both stiff and efficient while also quite rideable.
The Cervélo S5 is designed to aid sprinters. It’s aero so that at top speeds it has every advantage and the stiffness is there to deal with the incredible sprint numbers that professional riders throw at it.
Now the Colnago Y1Rs is the complete opposite. Instead of being a sprinters bike, I like to call this bike the breakaway bike. The aero efficiency is much more about small gains over long periods of time. Except that aero efficiency works the same in both situations. The difference is the stiffness.
Instead of aiming for an incredibly stiff platform to handle huge watts, the Colnago Y1Rs rides almost exactly like the V5Rs, but faster. There’s flex in this frame. The bottom bracket feels plenty stiff to me but in the Colnago Y1Rs vs Cervélo S5 matchup it’s a noodle.
(photo Josh Ross/Velo)
There’s also a lot more flex built into the seat post/seat tube design compared to the Cervélo. The Cervélo might show more seat post but it’s huge in comp-arison and it’s vertical vs the angle of the Colnago. Then, from there, the Colnago joins the rest of the bike in a separate junction while the Cervélo creates a single junction between the chainstay, top tube, and seat post.
When it comes to the handlebars, engineered flex is on tap. Not only is there no bridge to tie the carbon together but the Y shape has a wider center portion that introduces more flex. Of course that wider center portion does introduce a few oddities to the usability equation. I personally found that my thighs hit and I actually removed my Garmin leash during a long ride because it was driving me crazy as it smashed between my leg and the bar. It’s also more difficult to move the bike around (normally you’d grab the stem but there’s nothing like it) and the angle is less comfortable to hold during a climb. It does keep the bar feeling fairly standard, rather than overly stiff, though.
(photo Josh Ross/Velo)
Final thoughts
Obviously there’s no real WorldTour rider who can pick between these two bikes. Consumers can though, and in many ways the Cervélo S5 is the better buy. Aero performance should be quite similar but the Cervélo is lighter and it’s also significantly cheaper for much better builds.
In fact, I really want to highlight how well thought out the Cervélo feels as you look through the build options. There’s even things like a better outfront mount and a GoPro mount in the saddle rails on the Cervélo. The Cervélo paint feels leagues better than the Colnago with a deep and glossy finish vs a matte finish with water transfer graphics from Colnago. Every detail on the S5 feels premium and considered while the Colnago is more expensive with less attention to detail.
The only problem with the Cervélo is that not everyone is going to love the ride feel. Stiffness is king for the Cervélo S5 and that reigns in a bit of the snap that makes a bike feel fun. The Cervélo S5 is a business-first sprinters’ bike while the Colnago Y1Rs is a breakaway bike that feels like any number of other high-end race bikes. Which one would you prefer to have at home?