The new Cervélo Soloist is claimed to weigh 6.85kg and be 8.6 watts more efficient than its predecessor.
Cervélo’s reinvention of the Soloist back in 2022 brought aerodynamics to a race bike that was easier to live with. For the new incarnation, it’s a case of evolution rather than revolution.
The new Soloist improves aerodynamics by 8.6 watts and shaves 276g from the frame kit (frame, fork, seatpost and cockpit) according to Cervélo.
The new Soloist: what you need to know
- 8.6 watts faster than the previous generation
- Range-topping bike weighs in at 6.85kg (56cm)
- All models come with power meter as standard
- Prices from £5,500 / $6,800 to £9,000 / $11,000
- 36mm tyre clearance
- New aero cockpit shaves 134g from the previous design
- Aero bottles and cages
- Read more: Cervélo Soloist Force AXS review: forget the S5 and R5, this is the Cervélo race bike I'd buy
Soloist frameset: larger surface area, less weight
Taking the previous Soloist as the start point, Cervélo’s engineering team used extensive CFD (Computational fluid dynamics) research through several iterations to improve aero in key areas.
Up front, the head tube has been deepened significantly, yet Cervélo has narrowed the frontal profile. The brake hose exit hole has been moved to the fork's flank to simplify the routing and shed weight. The fork crown has been reshaped to integrate better with the head tube's base.
The fork is deeper than before and the surface area has increased by more than 8%, while losing 16g in weight.
Even the fork's brake mount has been reshaped to improve mounting consistency. The direct fit makes the fork compatible only with 160mm rotors.
The seat tube/top tube junction has also been tweaked for aerodynamics, and it incorporates a new more compact and user-friendly seatpost clamp that shaves 12g from the older design.
For the rear of the frame, the dropped seatstays have a more defined aero profile that helps bring about the 8.6W of drag reduction over the previous design. The frame’s surface area has also increased by 2.9%, while dropping 28g of weight.
The Soloist is based on Cervélo’s classic race geometry, as found on the R5. However, now each size has a size-specific seat tube angle like the R5 and the bottom bracket has been lowered by 2mm to 74mm to reflect the increase in tyre clearance.
Cervélo Soloist geometry
| Size | Frame reach | Frame stack | BB drop | CS length | ST angle | HT angle | Fork length (A2C) | Trail w/ 28mm tyre | ST length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unloaded, Rad:343mm | (BB Centre to Top of ST) | ||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 28mm | - |
| 48 | 368.7 | 496.1 | 76.5 | 410 | 74.5 | 71 | 373 | 57.5 | 432.2 |
| 51 | 376.5 | 520.2 | 76.5 | 410 | 74 | 72 | 373 | 51.5 | 481.7 |
| 54 | 383.3 | 544.6 | 74 | 410 | 73.5 | 73 | 373 | 45.5 | 507 |
| 56 | 391.1 | 567.5 | 74 | 410 | 73 | 73 | 373 | 45.5 | 530.4 |
| 58 | 400.3 | 590.7 | 71.5 | 410 | 73 | 73 | 373 | 45.5 | 553 |
| 61 | 408.3 | 610.7 | 71.5 | 410 | 73 | 73 | 373 | 45.5 | 571.6 |
Aero bottles and cages
Aero designs for hydration are something I’d expect to see on out-and-out aero and TT bikes, such as the Trek Madone SLR, BMC Timemachine Road and Colnago TT2.
The new, slim rectangular bottles have a 650ml capacity and lock into cages that integrate neatly with each other. The slimline cages are also claimed to be compatible with standard round bottles, so there are no worries over mid-event hydration.
Cervélo claims the new bottles and cages save 4.3 watts compared to standard ones.
One-piece cockpit with plenty of choice
It would be easy for Cervélo to chase watt savings by fitting a fashionably narrow cockpit.
However, Cervélo thinks fit is the most important part of the equation with the Soloist. Therefore, it is offering a free swap from the standard cockpit on each size within the first 60 days of purchase.
Cervélo says to simply ask the authorised Cervélo dealer from whom you purchased the bike for an alternative. Cervélo will ship your preferred cockpit to the store, where it’ll be fitted free of charge.
The new HB18 cockpit is available in myriad sizes, so no matter if you prefer a narrow or wide bar, Cervélo will have an option for you.
Cockpit size details
- 36cm wide with stems from 80 to 140mm. The size-48cm bike comes with the 36x80 as standard
- 38cm wide with stems from 90 to 150mm. The size-51cm bike comes with the 38x90 as standard
- 40cm wide with 100mm stem as standard on the 54/56cm
- 40cm x 110mm stem as standard on the 58cm
- 40cm x 120mm stem as standard on the 61cm
- 40cm x 130/140mm effective stem length available aftermarket
Pro spec for less
Every bike in the Soloist range, from the £5,500 / $6,800, 7.45kg, SRAM Rival AXS model comes with the HB18 one-piece carbon cockpit, a power meter and Reserve Carbon wheels.
The range-topping Soloist is equipped with SRAM Red AXS, a Quarq power meter and Reserve’s 42/29 TA carbon with DT Swiss 240 hubs. It is priced at £9,000 / $11,000.
In comparison, Cervélo’s two pro tour bikes, the S5 and R5, are priced at £12,750 / $14,500 and £11,700 / $14,400 for similarly equipped models.
2026 Cervélo Soloist range and pricing details
| | USA | CAD | EU | UK | AUS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cervélo | Soloist Red | $11,000 | $15,500 | €10,999 | £9,000 | $15,500 |
| Cervélo | Soloist Force XPLR 1 | $8,500 | $11,000 | €7,499 | £7,000 | $11,000 |
| Cervélo | Soloist Force | $8,500 | $11,000 | €7,499 | £7,000 | $11,000 |
| Cervélo | Ultegra | $8,250 | $10,750 | €7,499 | £7,000 | $11,000 |
| Cervélo | Soloist Rival | $6,800 | $8,500 | €5,999 | £5,500 | $8,500 |
| Cervélo | Frameset | $4,000 | $5,000 | €3,799 | £3,500 | $5,900 |
