# Anyone Racing an RS?



## garbec (Mar 3, 2006)

Any RS owners who raced them? If so, what were your impressions? Thanks.


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## STARNUT (Jun 19, 2005)

why would you not race one?

It is the "heaviest" of the R series. Even holding that title, the frame is near 1000g in a normal human size.

I haven't raced one but have done "spirited" groups rides on one and it feel like an R3 to me with a little slower steering. It would be an _awesome_ road race bike. The steering is not so slow to preclude it from doing crit duty. As a frame of refrence my Super 6 has wicked fast handling while my old C40 was like driving a Semi. I'm going to refrain from using the term "twitchy" because I firmly feel that thats the rider's fault not the bikes. I've ridden custom bikes with a 40 offset fork on a 74 deg headtube angle and never felt "twitchy".

I'd race an RS with no worries. You can build them up to be sub 14 with the money saved from the R3SL.

You not going to win or lose a race because your on an RS.

Starnut


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## otoman (Mar 8, 2004)

Well put, Starnut. 

I would add that if acheiving a comfortable, long-distance position requires a taller head tube, than you will be faster racing that bike than a bike with a lower, uncomfortable position.


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

It's not that you couldn't (all Cervelos are built like battleships), but why would you? Generally, if you're going to race, you want to get as low as you can. When you're all in and working as hard as you can wind resistance is a big deal- bigger when somebody is 100 yards ahead and you just can't shrink the distance. If you've got back or neck problems, or want a comfortable tourer and just race for fun, then go for it. And I'm not some insane drop your handlebars to the front hub elitist. I've got a Specialized Sequoia (high head tube) and a Soloist with the bars raised to saddle level- which may give you another option. You could go with lower head tube bike and raise the bars for recreation and lower them for racing.


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## Gimme Shoulder (Feb 10, 2004)

I would think it would be a fine road racer. As for saddle to bar height...On my 56cm RS I have 1 1/4" of spacers under a 6 degree stem, which is flipped in the down possition. As I'm slightly short leged for my height, I don't have an unusual amount of seatpost showing. The center of the bar is 2" below my saddle height. If I were to take the spacers out and use a flat stem, it would be very close to 4". So in my case, unless I wanted more than 4" of drop to the flat of the bar in race mode, the saddle to bar drop would not be an issue. Also, the amount of drop the bars themselves have is another variable to be considered. The non-compact varieties typically have more drop than the compacts.


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## Comer (Jan 13, 2009)

I've raced mine in a circuit race, did well, took fourth. I ride it on fast group rides, overall I prefer my Soloist Carbon, but my 56 RS is 15.8lbs complete. It has SRAM Red, Mavic SL Premiums.


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## voodooguy (Aug 18, 2007)

STARNUT said:


> I'm going to refrain from using the term "twitchy" because I firmly feel that thats the rider's fault not the bikes.
> Starnut


Curious as to how "twitchy" is the rider's fault. Still a novice at riding, that is a description I find myself using on some rides. What can I do better? Thanks


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## Quixote (Aug 26, 2008)

"_Anyone Racing an RS_"

Apparently the entire Test Team during Flanders and Roubaix, albeit with some as yet undisclosed modifications.


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## a_avery007 (Jul 1, 2008)

NO you CAN'T race it!!!

2009 Paris Roubaix Results


3 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team 1.17
7 Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 3.13
12 Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team 
15 Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 
19 Jérémy Hunt (GBr) Cervelo Test Team 6.32

must have sucked racing that old man's frame with the high handlebar position and slow handling and -17 degree stems...


lol


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