Cervelo P3 Ultegra R8000 Road Bike for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

6.0
out of 10
1 Positive, 0 Mixed & 1 Negative
from 2 Reviews
Retail Price:
$2699.00
Used Value:
$1,619.40
Sale Value:
$2,429.10

When the P3 was first released over a decade ago, it quickly rose to the top ranks of the triathlon and time trial world. The bike was ahead of it's time, advancing fit and aerodynamic design to a point where other manufacturers were scrambling to catch up. Fast forward to the present day, and you'll find that the current iteration of the P3 is still a mainstay at events ranging from regional triathlons all the way up to the Kona Ironman World Championships. Though the P5 now sits in the top spot of Cervelo's UCI-legal offerings, the P3 is still a close rival when it comes to aerodynamic performance, but does so at a considerably lower price. Not only that, but the P3 allows a wider range of riding positions and greater ease of use, making it a better option for riders needing a fast, but approachable bike for training and racing. Offering refined aerodynamics, easy packing for travel, accessible storage options, and a widely adjustable fit, the P3 Ultegra R8000 Complete Bike is an ideal companion to help you push yourself to the next level of competition.

Out of all the bike's features, the P3's refined aerodynamics have the biggest impact on your speed. Cervelo applies their collective knowledge from years of building some of the fastest aero bikes in the world to the current iteration of the P3 frame. The head tube and fork present the smallest frontal area possible, working with the the TrueAero tube shapes to reduce drag when you're sprinting across the tarmac. An extended seat tube cutout shields the leading edge of the rear wheel, also contributing to the bike's impressive aerodynamic performance. Additionally, the P3 can easily be upgraded with more aerodynamic wheels or cockpit, allowing you to work toward even greater aero performance in the future.

Adding to the P3's impressive aerodynamics are its user-friendly performance features. First off, the P3 has flexible storage options. In addition to the standard water bottle mounts, there's an accessory mount on the top tube behind the stem, and another opening on the back end of the seat post that can accommodate an additional bottle carrier. This ensures you have everything you need for a 6-hour training ride or the extended leg of your triathlon. Also, because the frame uses traditional brake placement and a non-integrated cockpit, the bike is considerably easier to pack into a travel case and fly across the country to your next event. The conventional bar and stem allows a wider range of adjustment compared to an integrated setup, which is a huge win for anyone that hasn't quite figured out their ideal position and fit yet. And as we mentioned above, the P3's geometry is a bit less aggressive than the P5, offering up a taller stack height and a shorter reach that allow for a slightly more upright riding position, if desired. This makes the P3 suitable to a wider range of athletes, while still allowing you to adapt into a more aggressive aero riding position if that's your preference, or as your flexibility improves over time.

A Cervelo wouldn't be a Cervelo without their dedication to frame stiffness and ride quality. The P3 is no exception, being carefully engineered for an ideal stiffness to weight ratio that's noticeable right from the first pedal stroke, inspiring you to pedal harder and go faster. Specifically, Cervelo optimizes stiffness at the head tube junction for precise steering and responsive handling, and then employs just the right amount of vertical compliance at the rear of the bike to ensure a comfortable ride over long distances. The oversize BBright bottom bracket shell allows Cervelo to use a larger diameter down tube, seat tube, and left-hand chainstay, boosting frame stiffness while at the same time reducing weight—all without increasing the Q-Factor. This ensures maximum efficiency as you push the limits of your power output to the pedals.

Specifications

Brand:
Bottom Bracket:
Cervelo BBright Connect
Bottom Bracket Type:
BBright
Brake Type:
rim
Brakeset:
[calipers] Shimano Ultegra R8000, [levers] Shimano Dura-Ace BL-TT79
Cassette:
Shimano Ultegra CS-R8000
Cassette Range:
11 - 28t
Chain:
Shimano Ultegra R8000
Chainring Sizes:
52 / 36t
Crankset:
Shimano Ultegra R8000
Fork:
Cervelo All-Carbon, P3 Fork
Frame Material:
carbon fiber
Front Axle:
9mm Quick-Release
Front Derailleur:
Shimano Ultegra R8000 11-speed
Handlebar:
Profile Design SVET R Basebar, 35a Extensions, Sonic Bracket, Ergo Armrest
Headset:
FSA IS2 1-1/8in
Hubs:
DT Swiss
Manufacturer Warranty:
lifetime on frame
Pedals:
not included
Rear Axle:
130mm Quick-Release
Rear Derailleur:
Shimano Ultegra R8000 11-speed
Recommended Use:
time trial, triathlon
Saddle:
ISM PS 1.0
Seatpost:
Cervelo Carbon Aero, Rail-Adjust
Shifters:
Shimano Dura-Ace BSR1 11-speed
Stem:
Profile 1/Zeroseven
Tire Size:
700c x 23mm
Tires:
Continental Grand Prix SL
Wheelset:
DT Swiss P1800 Spline 23

Full Reviews

10
I ordered this bike for myself, the Cervelo P3, from Competitive Cyclist. We just started triathlon training about a year ago and had only used road bikes before this purchase. From what I understand the Cervelo is widely popular in triathlon so I figured for a first bike we couldn't go wrong. I was a little hesitant to order after reading that other review where they guy basically flamed Competitive Cyclist. I can' t speak for his experience, but mine was nothing like that. It was probably the best experience ordering anything online that I've had so far. I wasn't sure how long it would take to arrive, but I figured at the sale price it was no big deal if it took a few weeks. Anyways I was shocked when I received it the same week I ordered. I even got a friendly email from Jonathan Ertz following up with me after my order, which was great customer service. It's nice to know companies still contact their customers personally instead of canned automated emails if you have any questions. It was also nice because he let me know when it was being worked on, shipping, etc. The bike comes in a large box, not too big, but large enough. Everything is attached to thick cardboard inside. It took about an hour to assemble everything. Overall it seemed well organized as a bike shipment. I usually order my biking gear and accessories from Completive Cyclist and have never had a problem, so it makes sense that a bike purchase would go so smoothly. I will probably look to order other bikes from them again in the future if I see anything that catches my eye. I also ordered a P2 for my wife which is very similar. There are some differences that I should highlight though in case you are deciding between the two bikes. The first is that the seat is a little higher end. Obviously this has the Ultegra groupset, which is lighter too. The wheels the P3 comes with are actually not too bad. They are pretty light, almost as light as my Zipp wheels. I was most surprised by this. They are also tubeless ready if you want to run tubeless so that is a nice plus! The front bars are also carbon and more narrow, they are also more aerodynamic. I am 5'10'' 160 lbs and the 54 fits perfectly. I will probably slam the stem down to get even more aero as I get more comfortable, but overall the feel of the power through my legs to the pedals is very nice and smooth. I feel well connected on this bike, if that makes sense. In the photo you will see that I put on my own Zipp wheels, which are older. I also have my Garmin pedals on there in the picture. I weighed this bike as seen in the picture and it was 18.6 lbs. The weight with the wheels it comes with would probably be pretty close to that as well. Also the Garmin pedals I have are older and are somewhat heavy. Update for James whom commented below: everything has been great for my size as far as fit goes. I've made some adjustments here and there by very small amounts, but overall the fit is perfect for my size. I ride a 56 cm Trek Emonda road bike, so in this instance the 54 cm for the tri bike was the way to go. I am pretty confident a 56 size for this bike would be too big and I would have to lower the seat, which in turn would lower any aero gains I would have. Any smaller than 54 would be too aggressive with a much higher seat, and probably uncomfortable for my size. Hope that helps!
Shawn C., backcountry.com
November 8, 2020
2
I only wish I had done more due diligence and read the comments on Facebook and elsewhere before I made a purchase with competitive cyclist. But I trusted the reviews on this bike. Please don’t make the same blunder that I very regrettably made. I purchased a bike on May 21st and a month later I’m not sure when I will see my purchase. I bought the bike in spite of the insane price of shipping (don’t be duped by the free shipping artifice) with the understanding it would be two weeks. I received an email alerting me they are backed up and it would now be 21-24 days before the bike is shipped. I responded to explain I had travel plans to hopefully leave the country with bike in hand and needed it at the time originally promised. I asked if there was anything I could do to expedite the process time. In response, I was told that not only could I not get it at the originally promised time at purchase, but now they were increasing the wait time again to over a month. As a business owner, I am appalled by the customer service of this company, and only hope you don’t make the same error that I made purchasing from competitive cyclist. Any money I might have saved by using CC is more than made up in hidden fees and the opportunity cost in dealing with incompetent customer service.
Jack H., backcountry.com
June 20, 2020

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