Sport/Performance

WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN R5 has one job—get to the top, fast. But for all the glory and fanfare that comes with a summit finish, they're rarely the only climb of the day. And while a race isn't usually won on a descent, they can certainly be lost. A climbing bike that can't carve a hairpin is a bit like a cup of decaf coffee. This is the fourth iteration of the R5, and while weight and stiffness have varied over the years, the handling, poise, and unmatched prowess on a descent have been consistent since day one.

The Soloist. It's a name from deep in our history, but immediately familiar to anyone with bike racing memories extending back to the early-2000s. It was the weapon of choice for top World Tour contenders on CSC and the Cervelo Test Team, and we're bringing it back for a new generation. The new Soloist is designed for the week-in, week-out rider and racer who can only justify one high-performance bike. It balances light weight and aerodynamic advantages to deliver a bike that really is 'just right'. Soloist comes in a hair lighter than S5, but significantly more aerodynamic than R5, and borrows the threaded bottom bracket standard you find on the R5-CX. It's a race bike that can accommodate mechanical and electronic shifting, can hammer out the training miles in all weather, and yet still has the chops to leap off the front at that decisive moment. That's the Soloist.

A BIKE FOR THE WAY RIDERS RIDE Caledonia doesn't fit in a box nicely, and we like it that way. It was conceived on our Thursday night rides-routes that often play fast and loose with 'road ride.' As we tried to stuff bigger tires into our R5s and streamline our Asperos, a new kind of bike was born. When we design a bike, we start with our library of tube shapes. These shapes are tubes we've used on other models that we know to have various qualities-aerodynamic, stiff, ultralight, etc.-and they help get us to the refinement stage on a bike more quickly. In the case of Caledonia, we wanted durability, lightweight, and aerodynamics to be in balance and selected a package that achieved the performance demands of this kind of race bike. Caledonia uses a standard round bar, stem, and seat post, giving riders the option to build their ultimate ride without compromise. Integrated accessory mounts and hidden fender mounts keep the bike's refined lines so you can ride with lights and computers in a downpour and still look fast. Because we all know if it looks fast, it probably is. Rather than designing multiple versions of the bike with various fit profiles (R5, R-Series, etc.) like we've done in the past, we designed a system that enables a broad range of fits on a single bike while maintaining the aesthetic and functional cleanliness we demand. Modern road riders are looking for bikes to handle long-distance, high pace, no limits, and offer maximum fun. By placing lower modulus carbon in key areas to mitigate the brittleness of hi-mod fiber-the Caledonia delivers performance, comfort, and speed. Oh, and you can fit a 34mm tire in there. Or 31mm with fenders.

All too often, corners are cut to meet price-points in the entry-level road bike market, but the Allez redefines what it means to be "entry level." Focusing on weight, refinement, and reliability like nothing else in its class, the Allez is the first to make these technologies accessible to everyone. Whether you're just getting into road cycling, commuting, or looking for a new bike, the Allez is just as performance-packed as it is versatile. For the build, this Allez features SRAM's Rival 22 shifting that delivers tremendous performance and value, durable DT R460 alloy wheels, our new super-comfy Body Geometry Bridge saddle, and well-protected RoadSport tires. - Entry-level road bikes often times feature either alloy or cheap carbon fiber forks that greatly detract from the overall ride quality. But with a full FACT carbon fiber fork, the Allez is better handling, smoother riding, and lower in weight—floating over rough chip-seal and carving through corners like a slalom skier. - For the geometry, we developed the Allez by utilizing our vast Retul fit database. This meant creating a geometry that's sure to cover a broad range of positions, while still providing the performance-minded handling you'd expect from your first bike. - Not only does a lightweight bike feel better when you're climbing up a hill, but it's also essential when you're carrying your bike up to the 5th floor, and this was at the forefront of the frame design. With a redesigned E5 Alloy frame, the Allez features a class-leading weight. Aggressively thin-walled, yet tough, tubes have been implemented to save weight and this results in over a 450g (1-pound) reduction in the frame and fork alone when compared to some models of yesteryear. - This Allez also features integrated rack and fender mounts, allowing you to get weight of your backpack off you and onto a lightweight rack. This not only makes for a good road bike, but it also enables you to transform it into a fast commuter.

All too often, corners are cut to meet price-points in the entry-level road bike market, but the Allez redefines what it means to be "entry level." Focusing on weight, refinement, and reliability like nothing else in its class, the Allez is the first to make these technologies accessible to everyone. Whether you're just getting into road cycling, commuting, or looking for a new bike, the Allez is just as performance-packed as it is versatile. For the build, this Allez features crisp and reliable Shimano Sora shifting, durable Axis Sport alloy wheels, our new super-comfy Body Geometry Bridge saddle, and well-protected RoadSport tires. - Entry-level road bikes often times feature either alloy or cheap carbon fiber forks that greatly detract from the overall ride quality. But with a full FACT carbon fiber fork, the Allez is better handling, smoother riding, and lower in weight—floating over rough chip-seal and carving through corners like a slalom skier. - For the geometry, we developed the Allez by utilizing our vast Retul fit database. This meant creating a geometry that's sure to cover a broad range of positions, while still providing the performance-minded handling you'd expect from your first bike. - Not only does a lightweight bike feel better when you're climbing up a hill, but it's also essential when you're carrying your bike up to the 5th floor, and this was at the forefront of the frame design. With a redesigned E5 Alloy frame, the Allez features a class-leading weight. Aggressively thin-walled, yet tough, tubes have been implemented to save weight and this results in over a 450g (1-pound) reduction in the frame and fork alone when compared to some models of yesteryear. - This Allez also features integrated rack and fender mounts, allowing you to get weight of your backpack off you and onto a lightweight rack. This not only makes for a good road bike, but it also enables you to transform it into a fast commuter.

Force AXS 1x12 wide to give you the lightweight performance and simplicity you need for any gravel ride. It's your road bike only this one goes everywhere. THE ALL NEW EXPLORO RACEMAX Whether riding road or gravel, we love speed. So everything on the RaceMax frame is engineered for that. The end result is the first gravel bike that: * Looks like a road bike * Rides like a road bike * Rips through gravel Best of all, the very same RaceMax frame can be built up with a focus on pure speed with 35-42mm WAM (Width As Measured) tires in 700c can also be turned into an unstoppable machine with very wide tires up to 61mm WAM. Handy for that epic ride or trip abroad. And with two wheelsets, you can switch between the two setups easily. That’s RaceMax. REALFAST AERODYNAMICS Starting from our favorite tires, we engineered a perfectly fitting rear wheel cutout (with mud clearance of course) and a closely trailing downtube to catch the airflow coming off the front tire. We added a super-narrow headtube (yet with a big steerer inside it), a multi-shape fork and aero details from seatstay to seatpost and from the shielded water bottle to the direct-attachment brake mounts. Most importantly, we engineered this for realistic riding speeds, wind speeds, tire widths, bottle positions and even for mud. We don’t care if it is theoretically fast in the windtunnel with a fantasy spec. We care if it is fast the way you ride it in real world conditions. RACEMAX VS ULTRA The RaceMax frameset is is fastest with 35-42mm WAM tires. That’s when its top speed rivals the best road bikes out there. So whether you’re on asphalt, easy or tougher gravel, you can be sure you have the fastest setup. But depending on where you ride and how fast you ride, you may want an even bigger tire for ultimate traction and control. Good news: 90% of the aerodynamic advantage of the RaceMax frameset still works with tires up to 61mm WAM. In a way, the Ultra is the reverse. It is aerodynamically optimized for 55-61mm WAM tires thanks to its wider downtube near the front tire. This extra width better redirects the air coming off a bigger front tire. If you prefer a smaller tire, you can run a 700c tire up to a 46mm WAM. But as you go to a smaller tire, the Racemax becomes the faster choice again. In addition, the Ultra combines its aero seattube with a round seatpost so you can fit a standard, dropper or suspension post.

The Soloist. It’s a name from deep in our history, but immediately familiar to anyone with bike racing memories extending back to the early-2000s. It was the weapon of choice for top World Tour contenders on CSC and the Cervelo Test Team, and we’re bringing it back for a new generation. The new Soloist is designed for the week-in, week-out rider and racer who can only justify one high-performance bike. It balances light weight and aerodynamic advantages to deliver a bike that really is 'just right'. Soloist comes in a hair lighter than S5, but significantly more aerodynamic than R5, and borrows the threaded bottom bracket standard you find on the R5-CX. It’s a race bike that can accommodate mechanical and electronic shifting, can hammer out the training miles in all weather, and yet still has the chops to leap off the front at that decisive moment. That’s the Soloist. FAST LIKE S5, LIGHT LIKE R5 Soloist sits right between S5 and R5 on the performance scale, while having a price tag that’s less World Tour, more Road Trip. It’s about 250g heavier than R5, and 250g lighter than S5. It’s 190g slower than S5, but 126g faster than R5. You get the idea. It’s the ‘just-right’ answer for the rider trying to find a smart, intentional compromise. LOOKS LIKE A RACE BIKE, RIDES LIKE A RACE BIKE We took the handling geometry for the Soloist directly from R5. The R5 is beloved by pros and amateurs alike for its poise, stability, and precision when that killer climb turns into an even more killer descent. Soloist benefits from our decades of race bike geometry development, and comes out of the gate ready to go. HIDDEN FROM THE WIND, NO BLEED NECESSARY The cable routing is inside the frame for aerodynamics, but doesn't go through the stem. We developed our own system that threads the cables under the stem, but through the bearing cap. Whether your position changes or you loan the bike to a friend who uses a different stem length, you won't need to bleed the brakes to swap the stem. CLEARANCE TO BUZZ THE TOWER The Soloist fits tires up to 34mm (measured), and wheels wide enough to support them.