I'm test riding the 2023 model with the SRAM Rival AXS eTap groupset tomorrow. Thanks for the succient review, echos most the of comments and reviews I've read elsewhere online. Just minor limitations and cost cutting measures. Local pricing in Australia is quite extreme at MRSP of $6100 AUD ($4100 USD). Where the Shimano 105 Di2 groupset version of the Caledonia is even more expensive. Even discounted pricing atm. Locally for me It's still $1000 AUD ($670 USD) more expensive to get the equivalent Giant or Trek spec for spec configuration.
Another not so obvious but highly relevant (to me anyway) comparison - Trek FX Sport. I know this is a bike you have owned previously with the intent of using it for more casual rides with an emphasis on comfort. I remember you mentioning that you found the grips somewhat uncomfortable for long rides since there is only one hand position - I also had this problem with the standard grips. However, I recently got the Deity Supracush grips and OMG what a revelation. They are easily the most comfortable grips I have ever used, nothing else is even close. They add a degree of comfort I didn't think was possible. I did have to swap out the standard handlebars since they are integrated with the standard grips however. Along with upgrading the saddle to a Bontrager Verse Elite, the comfort level on my FX is easily above endurance bike level. And the other upgrades I've done - Hunt 34 Aero Wide wheels, Conti GP 5000 S TR tires, Thomson carbon handlebars, Ultegra brake rotors - have transformed my FX into a 19.2 pound super-hybrid that can approach road-bike performance levels. I have been extremely surprised by my bike journey with the FX - now that it is in a virtually "maxed out" state where every major component has been upgraded, it has far surpassed my expectations for what I thought was possible with this bike. It is so comfortable and fun to ride that I often find myself choosing it over my CAAD13 and Aethos (both of which have a similar spec-level as the FX) when I go out for a ride. Maybe that says more about what I value as a rider (comfort over performance), but I think most people are like me - they're generally not seeking flat-out performance, and will accept performance compromises in the name of comfort. A fully upgraded FX Sport would be far more economical than a Caledonia as well.
Great deal on sale right now. Upgrading wheels, handlebars, and seat post with savings. Turning it into more of a comfortable racing machine for our brutal roads.
I enjoy your videos. I’m picking up a Caledonia Ultegra Di2. I was going to get the Cal5 in same groupset, but the price is just too much. I have a set of very light carbon wheels w/ 28mm Vit Corsa Control to sub for the stock wheelset and a very light carbon seat tube and saddle combo Im moving over from my Cannondale Caad. So basically, the bike will lose a significant amount of weight right off the bat. Good review
How are you liking the Caledonia ? It’s on my short list. I’m having the same dilemma you had, comparing the two and deciding whether the 5 is worth it. Thanks
Would be an option to me and now with 25% off with 105 Mechanical. Can be upgraddes with better steam and handlebar and new wheels. Only thing is i don´t like the cable routing, If the Caledonia 5 stem + handlebar could be used to have integrated cables or evem the Soloist option that has the cables under the stem would be much better.
Hi, thanks for the video! I'm currently deciding if I should get this one. I like the technical specs of 105 Di2 model, but I'm actually confused with the colour - the only one that is now available in my location is glossy black+grey(not that beautiful green that you have🥲), besides it can only be ordered remotely 🤷 So haven't you seen black+grey in a store? Didn't it look ugly?:) Yeah, its a bit silly, but i'm a visual person, and bike appearance means much to me🙂 I would wait for the next season rather than picking ugly colour lol (even though the discount is attractive)
I completely agree with you! It's not silly at all. Aesthetics are super important to me as well when it comes to bike purchases. The green is really stunning, I love it. Are you talking about the previous version black/white version? Or you mean that new 2023 black/gray combo? I've seen the black/white version in person and I don't like it at all personaly. The black/gray I have not seen in person actually! It doesn't look that bad to me, I like it, but I think the green is better looking. However, if the discount was big enough, I might just go with the black/gray!
@@hikerbikeromar yeah, I mean 2023 grey+black one Good to know that I'm not the only one who cares about bike appearance 🙂 Thanks for the answer, gotta search for some more pictures of grey+black🤔🤔
@@grigoryp201 If it's helpful, I found this: playtristore.com/products/cervelo-caledonia-5-disc-ultegra-di2-11spd-zipp-303s-2023?variant=43871943393497 Not exactly the same bike, but same color scheme. I'm totally with you man, the bike has to look cool for sure!
@@hikerbikeromar thx! Seems that this is the most proper photo across the web. Well black+grey looks ok, but green is definitely better 😄 Need some time to think it through 🤔
I do like the bars it comes with. Not bad. Maybe later I’ll do an Easton carbon bar and stem.. Although I wound love to use the bars from the soloist if it’s workable.
I was thinking to go with an Easton bar as well. The soloist handlebar should work just fine I imagine, and I would bet the stem would work too. The only difference is the wires cannot be routed into the head tube like they can in the soloist.
Hey, how deep is your steering plug? looks like a really tall chimney and perhaps undue stress on the steering tube if the plug is not long enough. Beautiful bike!
Good question! It actually goes to the base of the fork, so it seems like it should be long enough, but that is a great point! I may end up raising the stem again at some point. Thank you for watching!
Hey buddy, not worth $3200. Unfortunately thats where alot of these type of bikes start. Is going down a little with other brands. If i was looking at cervelo, it would be the S5, or the calidonia 5. BTW, made friends with the felt. Highly recommend it. Good to hear from you!!!!
Great to hear from you too dude! I've actually had my eye on the Felt for a few weeks now myself :). I got to see one in a store, and it looked really awesome, and just looks FAST. And of course, your experience pretty much confirms in from our conversations before. Can't wait to try one out at some point. Agreed that's where most of these bikes start nowadays. Thanks for watching man!
@@hikerbikeromar if i had to do it over again, i would spring for a FRD frameset and build it up. Advanced frame is a chunker! Dosent slow it down on the flats, but still, a diet would make for a much more 'all around' bike. Good to hear from you too!
Hi, thank you for this review, very interesting, question where can I find the list you show at 7:16? Seems like a very quick way to check out prices. Thanks in advance.
That's actually just google. If you type in "Cervelo Caledonia" into google, you should be presented with a bunch of purchasing options on the right side of the screen. Then, pushing the "compare prices" button will pull up that expanded list. Thanks for watching!
Looking at one for $3200 CAD ($2300 USD) to upgrade from my 2011 Trek Madone 3.1 (also Carbon). I commute and like the long rides, not a racer, my thoughts are the Caledonia 105 will be as quick or quicker, a smoother ride, and disc brakes are a nice touch. Make sense to you?
About your suggested upgrades, would Aero handlebars with internal cable routing work, or what Aero bars are you thinking would be a good upgrade for this? Also, what deep dish carbon wheelset are you thinking of? I'm new to considering these components, returning to cycling after a decade plus away. I appreciated your review of the Soloist, I ride a Scott CR-1 Comp from 2011 and it's time for me to move to an endurance bike but I love the handling of the Scott so this seems like a good move for me.
Welcome back to cycling! It's a great time to be in the sport. Aero handlebars and deep dish wheels would really bring out the performance of the frame. The frame itself does not have internal cable routing, so finding an aero handlebar with internal cable routing wouldn't be necessary, but I would just buy whatever aero handlebar is most comfortable and annoint comfort as the top priority. The Co-efficient cycling aero handlebar is what I would choose personally: coefficientcycling.com/products/rr-road-race-handlebar As for deep dish wheels, any pair of Reserve wheels will pair very nicely with this Cervelo. I really love my Reserve 52/63, but any Reserve wheelset would be amazing. They are of course expensive though, so even if you went with a pair of deep dish Bontrager Aelous wheels which are much cheaper, I'm sure those would work well too. The Scott CR-1 was my very first road bike way back in the day! Awesome bike.
@hikerbikeromar I am scheduled to take a test ride on the this bike this weekend but have been looking at your other reviews and really you prefer the Trek Domane as the most comfortable. And why is that your preference? I am liking the price point of the Cervelo Caledonia 105 at the moment, and like you said in another review, the name Cervelo is associated with winning the Tour de France, even if not this bike. That was a reason you gave for not paying so much for a higher end Trek since you could get the Tour de France winner for just a bit more. I guess I'll have to try out the Domane too, so I have a basis of comparison, not just my pocketbook.
@@willing2live I totally hear you about the tour defrance winning name! For comfort and practicality alone, I think the Domane is hard to beat. It's got the most upright geometry, it has the isospeed which smooths out road buzz, and it has the internal storage in the down tube, not to mention the isozone handlebar which adds cushioning underneath the aluminum for the wrists. I still however would not purchase one of the expensive verions of the Domane which approach the price of the Cervelo S5. I would consider the SL5 which is the cheapest one ($3500). The Caledonia is also one of my favorite endurance bikes, but I think you'll find it's still fairly racy and aggressive, albeit perhaps a bit "cooler". My personal advice would be to make a decision mostly on the type of riding you'll be doing. If you intend to ride with a lower heart rate and less power ouput, I think the Domane is the way to go personally. However, if you plan to ride a tad more competitively, especially in group rides, then the Caledonia would work just fine for that. Just know that it will require a bit more power output than the Domane in order to be comfortable. This of course is all just my two cents. Looks like you have a test ride scheduled, which is great! That's the best way to tell what would work for you. If you get a chance for to test the Domane, that might be good for comparison too. Thanks for watching my videos! 🙏. Happy to talk bikes anytime.
@@hikerbikeromar Hi! I test rode both bikes today and there was no comparison. Out of the box the Cervelo Caledonia 105 hurt my neck on my test ride, it was just too harsh an angle. The Domane SL 5 was super comfortable, and it came out of the box with the -7% drop, and was still comfortable on my neck and I was just tooling around on a side street and in the parking lot! Since the price isn't as flexible as the Cervelo and I'm looking at the 2024 Domane SL5 for the 12 speed factor, does your recommendation in your video for upgrading the Domane AL with the Continental GP5000 tires and Tubelito S-Road Ultralight tubes hold true for the Domane SL? I can't afford a carbon wheel set and am used to riding with tubes on my Scott CR1-Comp - BUT I guess the Domane comes set up for tubeless, and I think they make Continental GP5000 tubeless - do you have an opinion on this? I hope you don't mind me picking your brain but clearly you have been riding a lot of different bikes for years now and I appreciate your videos and input since this is a big investment. Also, for aero bars since I'm going for the Domane, I'm planning to get their carbon aero bars which cost $349 so they're not cheap though a little less than the coefficient RR bars you recommended. BTW if you do or can get $ for recommending things, in my case you should. If these upgrades will work really your reviews gave me a good basis for comparison.
@@willing2live Awesome! So glad you got the chance to test them both and I'm glad you were able to get clarity. That's pretty much what I was worried about with the Cervelo. Even though it's a great endurance bike, it's still fairly racy, and probably better suited for long distance races. I really think your decision to focus on the Domane is the perfect choice. I would still definitely recommend the upgraded tires and innertubes 100%. The diffences are staggering and immediately noticeable, regardless of the bike. Unfortunately the tires and innertubes that the Domane (and most bikes) ship with are not that great. If you put some GP5000 tires on there with tubolito innertubes, you'll probably never even have to upgrade the wheels unless you really want to eek out more performance. However, I personally wouldn't worry about it, at least not at this point. The tires and tubes will be a more significant upgrade. The aero handlebars I think are an excellent upgrade because the flatter surface will be easier on your wrists than the skinny round bars. Eventually you could even replace that -7 degree stem with a +7 degree stem if you find that you want it even more upright, but that's totally personal preference. Feel free to keep me posted! I love talking bikes.
Love the look of these bikes and wanted one but just had to pass because of the price for what you get. Ended up with the Orbea Orca M30…$1k less and came with integrated cable routing which only comes on Cervelo’s top tier bikes.
Hi, for an Ironman I hesitate a lot between Van Rysel EDR 920 Ultegra and a Cervelo Caledonia 105. Would you have a preference for one of the two bikes? The course is slightly mountainous (1600m d+).
I have never tried the Van Rysel bikes but I have heard good things. Right off the bat, it will have better componentry, so most likely I would go for that one if it is the same price or cheaper. The Caledonia is definitely not a ironman bike. It would need lots of switching of parts in order to be that, most noteably the tires and wheels. If you prefer just to use a stock bike, I would definitely not recommend the Caledonia for ironmans. It's really meant more for long comfortable rides that include junky road surfaces. For ironmans, I think you would want more of a racer.
Great video!! The bike you're reviewing shows a high stem, allowing the handlebars to be raised. The image on the website shows the Caledonia with the stem slammed?? Can handlebars be raised or not?
Thanks! Yep, the handlebars can totally be raised. I lowered them right before filming this video, but then eventually I raised them back up. You can also flip the stem so that it is angled upwards to get even more stack height.
Both options are awesome. I think the Soloist is more for racing and the Caledonia is a bit more relaxed and better for endurance. For me personally, I would choose the Caledonia since I think it is the more practical bike for the vast majority of people.
Thanks man! That's a good question. If I was doing strictly racing, I'd go for the soloist. But for most general purpose riding (even occasional competitive riding), I'd go for the Caledonia, because I think it is a bit more versatile and comfortable.
@@hikerbikeromar thanks for the reply man! I couldn’t find the soloist anywhere anyways sadly and wasn’t to sure about the Caledonia was a good bike compared to the soloist. Appreciate the help
I would definitely say so, yes. Although they tend to be on sale nowadays which makes the value a bit better. If you can find it for $2100-$2200, I think that is a decent price. Anything above that is too much in my opinion.
It seems like you have a high interest level in this bike - indeed, the idea of an all-rounder bike that's both racy and comfortable has a lot of appeal. I can see why a lot of people (including myself) would be interested in it. But I was let down when I test rode it. It's too geared towards endurance for my taste, lacking in snappiness (I definitely have a bias towards race bikes). I know it's kind of a weird comparison (and I mentioned it on your first Caledonia video comment thread), but I really think people who are considering this bike should at least consider the Specialized Aethos. It's not just a climbing/race bike - even though it has race geometry, it's comfort level approaches that of an endurance bike. And the handling and fun factor are quite simply sublime. It's kind of hard to explain how it rides. I think it was conceived in a similar manner and had similar objectives as the Caledonia, but while the Caledonia leans more towards endurance/gravel, the Aethos leans more towards road/race. I actually just got a custom build Aethos completed by a bike shop - I'm eager to see how it works out for me in the long term, but all signs point to it being one of my favorite bikes of all time.
Thanks for sharing! I remember your comment about the Aethos last time, and I have been SUPER intrigued to try it out ever since. Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to yet, but I absolutely appreciate your advice! I'll let you know as soon as I do :)
@@hikerbikeromarAethos update after 2 days of ownership - while at first I thought the Aethos could be a true all-rounder bike that could offer endurance bike levels of comfort while performing like a race-bike, I’m quickly realizing that’s not what this bike is. While it’s handling and performance are stellar, the geometry is just too racy for it to approach endurance bike levels of comfort. It’s extremely smooth over rough roads, but smoothness can’t make a race-bike the equivalent of an endurance bike in terms of comfort. A word that comes to mind when I think of the Aethos is effortless - almost anything you do on it feels effortless, whether it’s turning, accelerating, or just coasting. I have never ridden a bike that handles like it, and that novelty makes it interesting. Overall, I think the Aethos is a race-bike with amazing handling capabilities that just so happens to offer extremely good ride quality and smoothness. Which makes it quite a unique and exciting bike, but not necessarily the “race-bike with endurance-bike comfort level” I mistakenly thought it was.
@johnyoon5399, thank you so much for sharing! I’ve really enjoyed reading your detailed breakdown. It’s a bike that has always interested me, and I hope to be able to try it out. Again, thanks for sharing!
I'm test riding the 2023 model with the SRAM Rival AXS eTap groupset tomorrow. Thanks for the succient review, echos most the of comments and reviews I've read elsewhere online. Just minor limitations and cost cutting measures.
Local pricing in Australia is quite extreme at MRSP of $6100 AUD ($4100 USD). Where the Shimano 105 Di2 groupset version of the Caledonia is even more expensive.
Even discounted pricing atm. Locally for me It's still $1000 AUD ($670 USD) more expensive to get the equivalent Giant or Trek spec for spec configuration.
Another not so obvious but highly relevant (to me anyway) comparison - Trek FX Sport. I know this is a bike you have owned previously with the intent of using it for more casual rides with an emphasis on comfort. I remember you mentioning that you found the grips somewhat uncomfortable for long rides since there is only one hand position - I also had this problem with the standard grips. However, I recently got the Deity Supracush grips and OMG what a revelation. They are easily the most comfortable grips I have ever used, nothing else is even close. They add a degree of comfort I didn't think was possible. I did have to swap out the standard handlebars since they are integrated with the standard grips however. Along with upgrading the saddle to a Bontrager Verse Elite, the comfort level on my FX is easily above endurance bike level. And the other upgrades I've done - Hunt 34 Aero Wide wheels, Conti GP 5000 S TR tires, Thomson carbon handlebars, Ultegra brake rotors - have transformed my FX into a 19.2 pound super-hybrid that can approach road-bike performance levels. I have been extremely surprised by my bike journey with the FX - now that it is in a virtually "maxed out" state where every major component has been upgraded, it has far surpassed my expectations for what I thought was possible with this bike. It is so comfortable and fun to ride that I often find myself choosing it over my CAAD13 and Aethos (both of which have a similar spec-level as the FX) when I go out for a ride. Maybe that says more about what I value as a rider (comfort over performance), but I think most people are like me - they're generally not seeking flat-out performance, and will accept performance compromises in the name of comfort. A fully upgraded FX Sport would be far more economical than a Caledonia as well.
Thanks for sharing all of this @johnyoon5399 ! I really enjoyed reading this.
Great deal on sale right now. Upgrading wheels, handlebars, and seat post with savings. Turning it into more of a comfortable racing machine for our brutal roads.
Hi, which website can I check to get a sale on this? thank you!
I enjoy your videos. I’m picking up a Caledonia Ultegra Di2. I was going to get the Cal5 in same groupset, but the price is just too much.
I have a set of very light carbon wheels w/ 28mm Vit Corsa Control to sub for the stock wheelset and a very light carbon seat tube and saddle combo Im moving over from my Cannondale Caad. So basically, the bike will lose a significant amount of weight right off the bat.
Good review
Awesome! I think with those upgrades, it's going to be a really stellar ride.
How are you liking the Caledonia ? It’s on my short list. I’m having the same dilemma you had, comparing the two and deciding whether the 5 is worth it. Thanks
Caledonia and Domane are the best true "endurance" bike for me. Depends how you define the word endurance.
Would be an option to me and now with 25% off with 105 Mechanical.
Can be upgraddes with better steam and handlebar and new wheels.
Only thing is i don´t like the cable routing,
If the Caledonia 5 stem + handlebar could be used to have integrated cables or evem the Soloist option that has the cables under the stem would be much better.
Ok, i suggest the felt ar advance ultagra. This bike is FIRE!! Was just a little scared of it at first but now its freakn AWESOME!!!
Haha dude! I’m so stoked to one day try this thing man.
Hi, thanks for the video! I'm currently deciding if I should get this one.
I like the technical specs of 105 Di2 model, but I'm actually confused with the colour - the only one that is now available in my location is glossy black+grey(not that beautiful green that you have🥲), besides it can only be ordered remotely 🤷
So haven't you seen black+grey in a store? Didn't it look ugly?:)
Yeah, its a bit silly, but i'm a visual person, and bike appearance means much to me🙂 I would wait for the next season rather than picking ugly colour lol (even though the discount is attractive)
I completely agree with you! It's not silly at all. Aesthetics are super important to me as well when it comes to bike purchases.
The green is really stunning, I love it. Are you talking about the previous version black/white version? Or you mean that new 2023 black/gray combo? I've seen the black/white version in person and I don't like it at all personaly. The black/gray I have not seen in person actually! It doesn't look that bad to me, I like it, but I think the green is better looking. However, if the discount was big enough, I might just go with the black/gray!
@@hikerbikeromar yeah, I mean 2023 grey+black one
Good to know that I'm not the only one who cares about bike appearance 🙂
Thanks for the answer, gotta search for some more pictures of grey+black🤔🤔
@@grigoryp201 If it's helpful, I found this:
playtristore.com/products/cervelo-caledonia-5-disc-ultegra-di2-11spd-zipp-303s-2023?variant=43871943393497
Not exactly the same bike, but same color scheme. I'm totally with you man, the bike has to look cool for sure!
@@hikerbikeromar thx! Seems that this is the most proper photo across the web.
Well black+grey looks ok, but green is definitely better 😄
Need some time to think it through 🤔
I do like the bars it comes with. Not bad. Maybe later I’ll do an Easton carbon bar and stem.. Although I wound love to use the bars from the soloist if it’s workable.
I was thinking to go with an Easton bar as well. The soloist handlebar should work just fine I imagine, and I would bet the stem would work too. The only difference is the wires cannot be routed into the head tube like they can in the soloist.
Yes for the price
You could just double wrap the handlebars for a thicker grip.
What's up with yhe cables, they are so prominent. Should they not be slightly shorter?
Hey, how deep is your steering plug? looks like a really tall chimney and perhaps undue stress on the steering tube if the plug is not long enough. Beautiful bike!
Good question! It actually goes to the base of the fork, so it seems like it should be long enough, but that is a great point! I may end up raising the stem again at some point. Thank you for watching!
Hey buddy, not worth $3200. Unfortunately thats where alot of these type of bikes start. Is going down a little with other brands. If i was looking at cervelo, it would be the S5, or the calidonia 5. BTW, made friends with the felt. Highly recommend it. Good to hear from you!!!!
Great to hear from you too dude! I've actually had my eye on the Felt for a few weeks now myself :). I got to see one in a store, and it looked really awesome, and just looks FAST. And of course, your experience pretty much confirms in from our conversations before. Can't wait to try one out at some point.
Agreed that's where most of these bikes start nowadays. Thanks for watching man!
@@hikerbikeromar if i had to do it over again, i would spring for a FRD frameset and build it up. Advanced frame is a chunker! Dosent slow it down on the flats, but still, a diet would make for a much more 'all around' bike. Good to hear from you too!
Hi, thank you for this review, very interesting, question where can I find the list you show at 7:16? Seems like a very quick way to check out prices. Thanks in advance.
That's actually just google. If you type in "Cervelo Caledonia" into google, you should be presented with a bunch of purchasing options on the right side of the screen. Then, pushing the "compare prices" button will pull up that expanded list. Thanks for watching!
Looking at one for $3200 CAD ($2300 USD) to upgrade from my 2011 Trek Madone 3.1 (also Carbon). I commute and like the long rides, not a racer, my thoughts are the Caledonia 105 will be as quick or quicker, a smoother ride, and disc brakes are a nice touch. Make sense to you?
Definitely! And yea that is an excellent deal. You’ll love it
About your suggested upgrades, would Aero handlebars with internal cable routing work, or what Aero bars are you thinking would be a good upgrade for this? Also, what deep dish carbon wheelset are you thinking of? I'm new to considering these components, returning to cycling after a decade plus away. I appreciated your review of the Soloist, I ride a Scott CR-1 Comp from 2011 and it's time for me to move to an endurance bike but I love the handling of the Scott so this seems like a good move for me.
Welcome back to cycling! It's a great time to be in the sport. Aero handlebars and deep dish wheels would really bring out the performance of the frame. The frame itself does not have internal cable routing, so finding an aero handlebar with internal cable routing wouldn't be necessary, but I would just buy whatever aero handlebar is most comfortable and annoint comfort as the top priority. The Co-efficient cycling aero handlebar is what I would choose personally: coefficientcycling.com/products/rr-road-race-handlebar
As for deep dish wheels, any pair of Reserve wheels will pair very nicely with this Cervelo. I really love my Reserve 52/63, but any Reserve wheelset would be amazing.
They are of course expensive though, so even if you went with a pair of deep dish Bontrager Aelous wheels which are much cheaper, I'm sure those would work well too.
The Scott CR-1 was my very first road bike way back in the day! Awesome bike.
@hikerbikeromar I am scheduled to take a test ride on the this bike this weekend but have been looking at your other reviews and really you prefer the Trek Domane as the most comfortable. And why is that your preference? I am liking the price point of the Cervelo Caledonia 105 at the moment, and like you said in another review, the name Cervelo is associated with winning the Tour de France, even if not this bike. That was a reason you gave for not paying so much for a higher end Trek since you could get the Tour de France winner for just a bit more. I guess I'll have to try out the Domane too, so I have a basis of comparison, not just my pocketbook.
@@willing2live I totally hear you about the tour defrance winning name!
For comfort and practicality alone, I think the Domane is hard to beat. It's got the most upright geometry, it has the isospeed which smooths out road buzz, and it has the internal storage in the down tube, not to mention the isozone handlebar which adds cushioning underneath the aluminum for the wrists. I still however would not purchase one of the expensive verions of the Domane which approach the price of the Cervelo S5. I would consider the SL5 which is the cheapest one ($3500).
The Caledonia is also one of my favorite endurance bikes, but I think you'll find it's still fairly racy and aggressive, albeit perhaps a bit "cooler".
My personal advice would be to make a decision mostly on the type of riding you'll be doing. If you intend to ride with a lower heart rate and less power ouput, I think the Domane is the way to go personally. However, if you plan to ride a tad more competitively, especially in group rides, then the Caledonia would work just fine for that. Just know that it will require a bit more power output than the Domane in order to be comfortable.
This of course is all just my two cents. Looks like you have a test ride scheduled, which is great! That's the best way to tell what would work for you. If you get a chance for to test the Domane, that might be good for comparison too.
Thanks for watching my videos! 🙏. Happy to talk bikes anytime.
@@hikerbikeromar Hi! I test rode both bikes today and there was no comparison. Out of the box the Cervelo Caledonia 105 hurt my neck on my test ride, it was just too harsh an angle. The Domane SL 5 was super comfortable, and it came out of the box with the -7% drop, and was still comfortable on my neck and I was just tooling around on a side street and in the parking lot! Since the price isn't as flexible as the Cervelo and I'm looking at the 2024 Domane SL5 for the 12 speed factor, does your recommendation in your video for upgrading the Domane AL with the Continental GP5000 tires and Tubelito S-Road Ultralight tubes hold true for the Domane SL? I can't afford a carbon wheel set and am used to riding with tubes on my Scott CR1-Comp - BUT I guess the Domane comes set up for tubeless, and I think they make Continental GP5000 tubeless - do you have an opinion on this? I hope you don't mind me picking your brain but clearly you have been riding a lot of different bikes for years now and I appreciate your videos and input since this is a big investment. Also, for aero bars since I'm going for the Domane, I'm planning to get their carbon aero bars which cost $349 so they're not cheap though a little less than the coefficient RR bars you recommended. BTW if you do or can get $ for recommending things, in my case you should. If these upgrades will work really your reviews gave me a good basis for comparison.
@@willing2live Awesome! So glad you got the chance to test them both and I'm glad you were able to get clarity.
That's pretty much what I was worried about with the Cervelo. Even though it's a great endurance bike, it's still fairly racy, and probably better suited for long distance races.
I really think your decision to focus on the Domane is the perfect choice. I would still definitely recommend the upgraded tires and innertubes 100%. The diffences are staggering and immediately noticeable, regardless of the bike. Unfortunately the tires and innertubes that the Domane (and most bikes) ship with are not that great. If you put some GP5000 tires on there with tubolito innertubes, you'll probably never even have to upgrade the wheels unless you really want to eek out more performance. However, I personally wouldn't worry about it, at least not at this point. The tires and tubes will be a more significant upgrade.
The aero handlebars I think are an excellent upgrade because the flatter surface will be easier on your wrists than the skinny round bars. Eventually you could even replace that -7 degree stem with a +7 degree stem if you find that you want it even more upright, but that's totally personal preference.
Feel free to keep me posted! I love talking bikes.
Love the look of these bikes and wanted one but just had to pass because of the price for what you get. Ended up with the Orbea Orca M30…$1k less and came with integrated cable routing which only comes on Cervelo’s top tier bikes.
Hi, for an Ironman I hesitate a lot between Van Rysel EDR 920 Ultegra and a Cervelo Caledonia 105.
Would you have a preference for one of the two bikes?
The course is slightly mountainous (1600m d+).
I have never tried the Van Rysel bikes but I have heard good things. Right off the bat, it will have better componentry, so most likely I would go for that one if it is the same price or cheaper.
The Caledonia is definitely not a ironman bike. It would need lots of switching of parts in order to be that, most noteably the tires and wheels. If you prefer just to use a stock bike, I would definitely not recommend the Caledonia for ironmans. It's really meant more for long comfortable rides that include junky road surfaces. For ironmans, I think you would want more of a racer.
@@hikerbikeromar thanks a lot bro !
can you review bmc roadmachine as well?
Great video!! The bike you're reviewing shows a high stem, allowing the handlebars to be raised. The image on the website shows the Caledonia with the stem slammed?? Can handlebars be raised or not?
Thanks! Yep, the handlebars can totally be raised. I lowered them right before filming this video, but then eventually I raised them back up. You can also flip the stem so that it is angled upwards to get even more stack height.
This is an option for me....do you like this better than the Soloist 105?
Both options are awesome. I think the Soloist is more for racing and the Caledonia is a bit more relaxed and better for endurance. For me personally, I would choose the Caledonia since I think it is the more practical bike for the vast majority of people.
Would you take the soloist over this ? Good reviews man!
Thanks man!
That's a good question. If I was doing strictly racing, I'd go for the soloist. But for most general purpose riding (even occasional competitive riding), I'd go for the Caledonia, because I think it is a bit more versatile and comfortable.
@@hikerbikeromar thanks for the reply man! I couldn’t find the soloist anywhere anyways sadly and wasn’t to sure about the Caledonia was a good bike compared to the soloist. Appreciate the help
Thanks- can I ask the frame size of the bike shown in the video?
This was a size 58. Thanks for watching!
I looking at getting one. I am 5 foot 7 inches. Should I get a 51 or 54?
I think a 51 would definitely be small. You’d almost certainly be a size 54, but I’d try it out in a shop if you can to verify.
Hello, What is the size frame? I'm 180cm and considering 54 or 56 size...
This is a size 58. If you are 180cm, you’d probably fit perfectly on a size 56.
so, then its too expensive for such a basic bike, right?
I would definitely say so, yes. Although they tend to be on sale nowadays which makes the value a bit better. If you can find it for $2100-$2200, I think that is a decent price. Anything above that is too much in my opinion.
What’s your height?! I’m 6’1 and debating on a 58 or 56
I’m 6’1” and a size 58 is perfect for me
@7:27. What is the website youre using to bring up all the bikes? Some sort of aggregator??
Oh that is actually just google! I just searched "Cervelo Caledonia", and then it gives you all the options for purchase.
It seems like you have a high interest level in this bike - indeed, the idea of an all-rounder bike that's both racy and comfortable has a lot of appeal. I can see why a lot of people (including myself) would be interested in it. But I was let down when I test rode it. It's too geared towards endurance for my taste, lacking in snappiness (I definitely have a bias towards race bikes). I know it's kind of a weird comparison (and I mentioned it on your first Caledonia video comment thread), but I really think people who are considering this bike should at least consider the Specialized Aethos. It's not just a climbing/race bike - even though it has race geometry, it's comfort level approaches that of an endurance bike. And the handling and fun factor are quite simply sublime. It's kind of hard to explain how it rides. I think it was conceived in a similar manner and had similar objectives as the Caledonia, but while the Caledonia leans more towards endurance/gravel, the Aethos leans more towards road/race. I actually just got a custom build Aethos completed by a bike shop - I'm eager to see how it works out for me in the long term, but all signs point to it being one of my favorite bikes of all time.
Thanks for sharing! I remember your comment about the Aethos last time, and I have been SUPER intrigued to try it out ever since. Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to yet, but I absolutely appreciate your advice! I'll let you know as soon as I do :)
@@hikerbikeromarAethos update after 2 days of ownership - while at first I thought the Aethos could be a true all-rounder bike that could offer endurance bike levels of comfort while performing like a race-bike, I’m quickly realizing that’s not what this bike is. While it’s handling and performance are stellar, the geometry is just too racy for it to approach endurance bike levels of comfort. It’s extremely smooth over rough roads, but smoothness can’t make a race-bike the equivalent of an endurance bike in terms of comfort. A word that comes to mind when I think of the Aethos is effortless - almost anything you do on it feels effortless, whether it’s turning, accelerating, or just coasting. I have never ridden a bike that handles like it, and that novelty makes it interesting. Overall, I think the Aethos is a race-bike with amazing handling capabilities that just so happens to offer extremely good ride quality and smoothness. Which makes it quite a unique and exciting bike, but not necessarily the “race-bike with endurance-bike comfort level” I mistakenly thought it was.
@johnyoon5399, thank you so much for sharing! I’ve really enjoyed reading your detailed breakdown. It’s a bike that has always interested me, and I hope to be able to try it out. Again, thanks for sharing!
Seen one of these at my local bike shop for 1700
That’s an amazing deal
@@hikerbikeromar I may get it if its still there when I have the money 💰