Cervelo Caledonia-5: An Allroad bike for your "Big Stupid Rides"

cervelo caledonia-5 review — Cervelo Caledonia-5

“On the fringes of cycling and triathlon, already endurance-oriented sports, there are athletes pushing their bodies and equipment to the limit. Ultra-distance, but ultra-fast. Not bikepacking, but lightly loaded (and not afraid to sleep on a park bench outside Salzburg). We call these Big, Stupid Rides, and since the introduction of the Caledonia in 2020, athletes around the world have been exploring just how big and just how stupid those rides can be.” – Cervelo

“Whether these athletes are racing a traditional Brevet like Paris-Brest-Paris, or one of the new breed of ultras like the Transcontinental, they reach for the Caledonia-5. Caledonia-5 is built to handle long-distance, high-speed racing— with fit and handling geared toward comfort, but not at the expense of the Cervelo race bike feeling.”

“Similar to the revisions on Aspero, we focused on improvements that would be meaningful for the people pushing Caledonia to its limits. The biggest thing you’ll notice is the addition of the in-frame storage first seen on P-Series. This isn’t designed to fit a burrito—there’s room for a small multi-tool, tube, and a CO2 canister. Out of sight, out of mind, until your tire makes the bad noise.”

“The focus for refinement was comfort. Caledonia is the bike to reach for when you know the odometer is heading for triple digits. And whether that’s training for Sverigetempot, or tagging along with your riding buddy who always seems to push the limits of Type 2 fun, Caledonia’s more compliant ride will be a welcome shift. The seat stays are dropped, similar to Aspero, which makes that rear triangle more acute, and more vertically flexible. At the same time, there’s a bit more downtube stiffness to maintain that pro-level responsiveness Caledonia is known for. You can still stuff some big tires (36mm) in there, and every bike comes with fender mounts.”

Aerodynamics

“All Cervélo bikes are aero bikes. And when you’re on three days of panini and candy, running on fumes into Checkpoint One, you’ll appreciate the free speed. The completely internal housing, and aero tube shapes team up to help you do battle against the wind.”

In-Frame Storage

“New this year on the Caledonia-5, the in-frame storage is designed for a tube, small multi-tool, and a CO2 canister. The hatch is easily removable even with gloves on—just flip the lock and pull.”

Refine & Enhance

“Caledonia-5 is meant for all-day riding, high-pace group rides, and routes featuring less-than-ideal tarmac. We kept all the good stuff and improved the little things like the split bearing cap designed to allow fit changes without having to re-cable.”