# Cervelo vs Pinarello



## pedalfeet (Jun 22, 2009)

I have owned two Cervelo's (S2)and have loved them both. I' am curious as to what it's like to ride a Pinarello. Has anybody ridden/owned both? Hoping to get some feedback so I can make a decision as to which way to go.


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## rubbersoul (Mar 1, 2010)

why not simply keep the cervelos?


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Both make quite a few bikes thus I don't see how you could expect any useful information to result from you question as asked.


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

You have to ride them yourself - bikes feel different to different people.


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## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

Pina's and Nago's are the only bikes that matter in this world. Everything else.. meh.


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## chasea (Feb 7, 2009)

They are both better bicycles than you could possibly need. 

However...

One has a long, storied history in cycling. The other is often the subject of long stories from people who pee on their saddles.

One feels like its made by laboratory monkeys. The other feels like its made by Italian laboratory monkeys. 

One is most likely made in China. The other is most likely made in China. 

One demands that you follow the rules http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/ while riding it, forcing you to become a pretentious a$$hat. The other demands that you break all of those rules (and also pee on the saddle), forever condemning you to ride alone. 

One is available in black/white/red. The other comes in white/red/black.


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## aingeru (Aug 29, 2010)

hey chasea, you got the point on that one


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

> Look and Nago's are the only bikes that matter in this world. Everything else.. meh.


Fixed it for ya. 



Pinarello has become a hyperbole . They are the Monster Cable and Bose of the bike industry. Pity on them..

That said, they do ride pretty nice.


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## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

shabbasuraj said:


> Pina's and Nago's are the only bikes that matter in this world. Everything else.. meh.


Not quite.










chasea nails it.


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## mtbbmet (Apr 2, 2005)

One is a light,cheaply made in China, and extremely prone to failure frame.
The other is a heavy, made in Taiwan, and very reliable frame.
Both are extremely over priced due to the name on the down tube, one more so than the other.
At least Pina's look cool.


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

Pinas are like the Cowboys or the Yankees. Over hyped and over priced. Either you love them or hate them. I think they are the Ugliest bikes out there. Whats with those forks? Yuck!
To the OP, take some of that money burning a whole in your pocket and buy a clue. Seriously, you are asking people here wich $4k frameset to buy? I think if I was looking to spend that kind of money I'd do a bit more research than this.
Just get which ever matches your BMW the best.


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## zender (Jun 20, 2009)

double post -doh.


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## zender (Jun 20, 2009)

If Pina's are the Cowboys, then I'd say Cervelo is the Jets. Marketing like there is no tomorrow (I'm thinking of Hard Knocks here) and decent talent.


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## mtbbmet (Apr 2, 2005)

T K said:


> To the OP, take some of that money burning a whole in your pocket and buy a clue. Seriously, you are asking people here wich $4k frameset to buy? I think if I was looking to spend that kind of money I'd do a bit more research than this.
> Just get which ever matches your BMW the best.


I'm about sick of posts like this.
Why assume that the guy has money to burn? And why would you get angry about it if he does? None of your business if he has a BMW, and it's none of your business if he wants to match his bike to it. 
Keep your jealousy to yourself DB.


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

mtbbmet said:


> I'm about sick of posts like this.
> Why assume that the guy has money to burn? And why would you get angry about it if he does? None of your business if he has a BMW, and it's none of your business if he wants to match his bike to it.
> Keep your jealousy to yourself DB.


I'm not jealous of anybody nor am I angry. Even at you DB.
Just found it to be a silly question, to base your decision on.


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## Midwest Playa (Sep 12, 2008)

It really dont matter as much IMO when you get up there in the upper echelon of bikes. Its all about making sure the bike wil fit you unless you are a racer then you definitely need to choose more carefully. Other wise if it was up to me I will take one of ea only because I am a bike addict and yes I admit it.lol You can ride a 10k bike and if it does not fit it will ride like crap.


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## Kenacycle (May 28, 2006)

I had two Cervelos (r3 and s3). Sold the R3 and got a LOOK 586, then sold the S3 and got a Nago EPS. Loving the decision.

I also have a Pina, but a vintage SLX with Campy Delta brakes. I love my steed


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

T K said:


> Pinas are like the Cowboys or the Yankees. Over hyped and over priced. Either you love them or hate them. I think they are the Ugliest bikes out there. Whats with those forks? Yuck!
> To the OP, take some of that money burning a whole in your pocket and buy a clue. Seriously, you are asking people here wich $4k frameset to buy? I think if I was looking to spend that kind of money I'd do a bit more research than this.
> Just get which ever matches your BMW the best.


What a tool. All your comment boils down to is you care about looks and perceived financial status. I'd agree the lack of detail in the OP (no models mentioned) would indicate the same but your response definitely matched and exceeded any shallowness in the OP.


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## LOUISSSSS (Dec 14, 2009)

T K said:


> Pinas are like the Cowboys or the Yankees. Over hyped and over priced. Either you love them or hate them. I think they are the Ugliest bikes out there. Whats with those forks? Yuck!
> To the OP, take some of that money burning a whole in your pocket and buy a clue. Seriously, you are asking people here wich $4k frameset to buy? I think if I was looking to spend that kind of money I'd do a bit more research than this.
> Just get which ever matches your BMW the best.


someone's jealous. looks are something called subjective. pina's are expensive for a reason, they're fine looking, great bikes. Just because you can't afford one, or a bmw, doesn't mean you should crap on someone for wanting to get one.

edit: and the yankees are amazing, so are the jets.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

Pinarellos are beautiful (IMO) and ride brilliantly at every model level. They are, however, a little overpriced - an exclusive brand comes at extra cost.
In my limited experience I can't see how anyone would be an unhappy owner should they choose to have one.


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## NTA (Apr 4, 2010)

T K said:


> Pinas are like the Cowboys or the Yankees. Over hyped and over priced. Either you love them or hate them. I think they are the Ugliest bikes out there. Whats with those forks? Yuck!
> To the OP, take some of that money burning a whole in your pocket and buy a clue. Seriously, you are asking people here wich $4k frameset to buy? I think if I was looking to spend that kind of money I'd do a bit more research than this.
> Just get which ever matches your BMW the best.


 jealous


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## maximum7 (Apr 24, 2008)

I do agree. There is something magic about the way they ride. 

My beef with them is that they are over-priced. If they toned down their ad campaign, they could pass the savings on to the consumer. 

Plus all their models are just copies of each other. They all have they same geometry. 
They essentially have two bikes. 
The Prince and the Dogma. All the other models are cheaper copies of the two. 
Which means they are raking in the money because they only have to build two bikes.


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## chase196126 (Jan 4, 2008)

Out of those two it really depends on what you want. 

The Pinarello is the nicest frame I have ever ridden, by far. It handles phenomenally and has just the right amount of road feel. The way the bike rides is simply perfect in my opinion. I have never felt more confident in the way a bike handles. 
I really like the look of the Pinarello and the finish on the bike is the best of any bike I have ridden as well. It extremely expensive, but if you are looking for an absolutely top of the line bike your money will be well spent. I recommend kitting it out with a Campagnolo 11 kit of some sort, but if you prefer a different brand that is great as well. In my opinion the way the frame looks works very well with any component group. 

The downside to the Dogma and Price is that they are very heavy frames in comparison to Cervelo. They quote their frame weights without BB shell or any other "Mechanization". I believe they come in around 1200g for a fully painted 55cm frame. I think the way the frame handles and rides more than makes up for the extra weight, but I have to worry about the UCI weight limit. Others may value lighter weight since they dont have to worry about the UCI. 

I rode an R3 and R3-SL for the entire 2008 and 2009 seasons. It is a nice bike, but it rides like a wooden board in comparison to the Dogma. They are pretty twitchy in their handling and their geometry (especially in smaller sizes) may not work for everyone. They are super stiff frames, but not noticeably stiffer than the Dogma for me. The finish on the Cervelos has improved, but it is not as good as the Pinarello's finish. 

I had the experience of dropping around 15 pounds from when I first got the R3. At 165 pounds and above the R3 rides very well. At 150 pounds and below the frame rides quite a bit rougher. I think the R3s reputation for being a very supple ride applies to larger riders, but not so much for more middle to small riders. This applies to the older R3, not the new iteration, so that may have changed a bit. 

You can build the Cervelos to a super lightweight with nothing but stock parts. If that is important to you I would go with the Cervelo.

I personally would go for the Pinarello. It just has a special feel in the way the frame rides and handles. The Cervelo is a nice bike but it feels rather plastic and soulless to me. Give both bikes a ride and decide for yourself, that is the best way.


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## pedalfeet (Jun 22, 2009)

At first this post was a disaster, but thanks to everyone who had something to say worthwhile. Chase196126 - I really appreciate it. 

I currently have an S2, and I do love it; but you're right - it can be a bit rough.
Might have to take a Dogma for a spin when I get the chance.


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

pedalfeet said:


> At first this post was a disaster, but thanks to everyone who had something to say worthwhile. Chase196126 - I really appreciate it.
> 
> I currently have an S2, and I do love it; but you're right - it can be a bit rough.
> Might have to take a Dogma for a spin when I get the chance.


I have been known to be a bit sarcastic at times and not everyong gets it. So, what I was trying to say is try to realistically determine what your needs are and go test ride as many bikes as possible to make the right decision before you spend your money. There is great advise here but ultimately you have to get what is best for you.
Good luck. Bike shopping is fun!


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## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

Bianchi has been officially pwned by Nago, and will be the next Motobecane, by the end of this decade.


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## mtbbmet (Apr 2, 2005)

Bianchi already has been the next Motobecane, in the 80's the brand was in the toilet. They had a nice resurgence from the mid-late 90's until about 4-5 years ago. Now they seem to be floating back down again. Hopefully the new flagship that they put out will help the brand. I love Bianchi, and have owned many over the years. I'm very nostalgic for it. But I would not ride anything out of the current line up. Unless they still made the full alloy FG Lite, I'd own that bike again.


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## chasea (Feb 7, 2009)

pedalfeet said:


> At first this post was a disaster, but thanks to everyone who had something to say worthwhile. Chase196126 - I really appreciate it.
> 
> I currently have an S2, and I do love it; but you're right - it can be a bit rough.
> Might have to take a Dogma for a spin when I get the chance.


Well, the thread was a disaster because there were no details from the start. You made no mention of your height, weight, riding style, experience, any lingering problems from injuries, etc. The post you said was helpful- from my namesake, no less- really only stated that certain frames rode well. But HOW did they ride well? Climbs? Sprints? Centuries? Tall guys? Beginners? Midgets?

You want my personal opinion and experience? I'm 6'3'' and between 175-190lbs depending on the season. While coordination comes easy on the bike (or behind the drums); off the bike, its another story. I walk into stuff, knock stuff over, just generally break sh!t no matter how careful I am. I am also not lusting after the latest and greatest marketing campaign, only to be let down when its old news the next fiscal year. I have a custom steel frame from a local builder. It rides great. BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT FOR MY BODY AND RIDING STYLE. And if anything ever went wrong on the bike, I know the guy who made it would hold himself responsible and do everything he could to make things right. And if he didn't, I know where he lives and I'm much bigger than him. 

So here's a recommendation for you. Spend the money on a custom frame from a builder in your region. It will ride just as well as the bellybutton bikes discussed in this thread. It will most likely last much longer. You will most likely have more of a connection with the bike. Of course, this also requires you have some serious thought about what you need from a bicycle. It also requires that you are willing to share that information with someone else- the guy building the bike. The money you spend will stay in your neck of the woods and help out a small, independent business. And your brand loyalty will finally be justifiable, as you are also building a relationship with your frame builder. If it has to be carbon, give Nick Crumpton a call.

And if you REALLY love Cervelos from that era, buy a Canyon. 
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cervelo-frames-found-to-violate-canyon-patent


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

Chasea, you must be jealous! 
After reading your post, a great one bye the way, I am more pissed at those who called me names here. 
The OPs original post was completely vague and posed no criteria. Tho only bike he asked about just happend to be one of the most expensive bikes out there. He didn't seem interested in a Trek or a Cannondale. So when I question that I'm a jealous d bag.
If I wanted a Pina or a BMW I'd go buy one. So F/U!
And If I think they are ugly, thats my freakin opinion! If you think they are beautiful that's yours. Big freakin deal.
Pedalfeet, hope you find the perfect bike for you and ride the sh!t out of it!


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## alex3780 (Nov 7, 2009)

i have a pinarello and a bmw. im neither fast or talented on the bike and i drive a measly 10 miles on a freaking freeway in traffic to work. but, after driving lots of cars and riding lots of bikes, I found a car that begs me to drive and a bike that begs me to ride. I'm smitten. ride both, ride other brands too. find the bike that will beg you to ride.


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## alexb618 (Aug 24, 2006)

cervelo steal other people's patented ideas for their mobile toilets


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## Gaear Grimsrud (Oct 18, 2010)

pedalfeet said:


> I currently have an S2, and I do love it; but you're right - it can be a bit rough.


That's why I bought an R3. No complaints in any department. I weigh 155lbs, and a 56cm frame is well balanced, muting bumps while being stiff in the bottom bracket. I heard the S2's ride is harsher, but not probably not much worse.

FWIW, I think any high-end CF frame is going to be more than adequate (like an S2). You're probably looking for reasons to justify a new bike purchase. You shouldn't have any trouble finding plenty of people who feel that Bike X has an ineffable, magical ride that is a bargain at any price.


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## specialc728 (Oct 23, 2010)

alex3780 said:


> i have a pinarello and a bmw. im neither fast or talented on the bike and i drive a measly 10 miles on a freaking freeway in traffic to work. but, after driving lots of cars and riding lots of bikes, I found a car that begs me to drive and a bike that begs me to ride. I'm smitten. ride both, ride other brands too. find the bike that will beg you to ride.



Wow.. What a beautiful bike.


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## Undecided (Apr 2, 2007)

It brings tears to a sponsor's eyes!


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## chase196126 (Jan 4, 2008)

Undecided said:


> It brings tears to a sponsor's eyes!


Just because I'm sponsored doesn't mean I lose my objectivity :thumbsup: 

I happily endorse the items from sponsors that I really do like, such as the Dogma and Campy 11, and keep quiet about those I dont (at least on a public forum). Im also not under contract from Bissell until the turn of the year, so Im not technically required to endorse those sponsors until then  

I liked a lot of the stuff I rode on Trek this year, but not everything. Some of the stuff sponsors gave us was absolutely terrible. Out of respect for my contract I will not rag on those items until the turn of year, and probably not even then because those companies were generous enough to give me items so I could ride as a job. 

I guess my ramble turned into a basic warning about listening to what pros say about their equipment. If they happily talk about their gear without a lot of prompting, they probably like it. If they stay oddly silent, or say "its okay" (or something like that), maybe dont go and spend a chunk of change on that item...


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## lobular (Jan 10, 2008)

I agree with pretty much everything chase196126 has said. I had an S2 (08) then went to a R3SL (08) and thought they were great bikes until I bought a Prince. The difference in handling is huge, the Prince just tracks down hill and around corners like nothing I've ridden so far. Yes it's heavier, but I climb quicker now that when I was on the R3SL because of training, not the weight of the bike. And the paint on the Pinarello is fantastic, so much better up close than from photo's. And for all those who can't get over the price, who says you have to buy it new. I got my Prince (08) for a little over $4k, full Campag 10spd in immaculate condition...then not long after picked up an 09 Prince frame barely used for $2.5k (as yet unbuilt)..


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## Gaear Grimsrud (Oct 18, 2010)

chase196126 said:


> If they happily talk about their gear without a lot of prompting, they probably like it.


And if they kiss a bike after a win, it's love?


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