That was the first Mikes Bike's video by Chris that I've watched, and I loved it! Sadly (and pathetically) I always buy fancy bikes but I still regularly get beat by juniors. :(
Got my ticket in for the Soloist Race 105 Di2 with the Reserve Wheels (🤤)that’s coming out pretty soon; thank you so much for not only this in depth video on it but your product page for the soloist is better than the one on the actual Cervelo website; so stoked. I’m gonna murder my solo century in April (assuming it gets here by then, fingers (not chains) crossed! Rock on
When do you think they will drop the new model? I am about to buy the Soloist 105 Di2 from 2023 but would be a shame if they released the new model right after
ahahahahaha. We wern't sure about making that joke. Honestly He's been one of the most exciting racers of the year. His contribution in the mountains for the TDF and the way he was trying to claw back time at the Vuelta... he's total class. Stoked to have him on a Cervelo.
LOL, we're conditioned now to think that $3400 for 105 w/crap crankset, 9.5 kg, and Boondock heavy wheel set (used on Caledonia) is a good deal... GTFOH
Agreed. The bike industry in general has done an incredible marketing job convincing amateur goofball posers to pay huge $ for cheaply fabricated Far East sweatshop made CF framesets that are usually hung with under specced components. And the posers happily slurp down this silly marketing/sponsorship driven Koolaid because some pro rides one that their sponsors demanded they ride. It’s as easy as holding an ice cream cone in front of a 5 year old as far as selling silly priced cheaply made CF junk to these easily marketed to fools. New fools are born every minute, and the fools happily shelling out thousands of $ for this cheaply made disposable trash are the living proof of that. 😆
@@ivanboesky1520 How do you really feel? LOL. I personally only buy used. You can save a ton of cash and get some spectacular deals from those that need the latest and greatest.
My worry with this bike is that the weight difference between the S5 and the R5 isn't significant enough to provide enough of a watt advantage that if you take the middle road between them it now is just ok. Like I can see the aero gains from this bike making it better than an R5 for everything except just going uphill and nothing else. But will the tiny weight savings make it a better choice than an S5 anywhere?
I think the bike that can do everything is the Cervelo Caledonia (R+S+Aspero Gravel), the soloist is a cross between R and S series, its not meant for off road.
Totally love the Caledonia too. For those looking for a true Jack of all trades or a bike for big rides it is, no doubt, the king. We've got a video on it too if you want to check it out!
How would this compare to a Paris Pinarello upgraded with firecrest 303 carbon fiber wheels and Vitoria Corsa tires? (I am not familiar at all with cervelo line)
The Soloist is firmly inline with the R5 and S5. All three bikes feature the same "aggressive" handling geometry that prioritizes maneuverability and quick cornering. The Caledonia on the other hand adds more trail to the fork (Trail = the ability for the bike to want to continue in a straight line regardless of bumps or other input from the road) and features a longer wheelbase to help make the bike feel more stable. In reality, the differences are relatively nuanced as a good bike handler would 100% be able to make a Caledonia go plenty fast, but the focus if the Caledonia is on providing stability and better ride quality where the Soloist, R5, and S5 are trying to give you an edge on competition. Make sense?
Great vid! As someone getting back into cycling that enjoys long rides, would the Soloist 105 be enough for me or does it make sense to go up to the Ultegra with the carbon wheels? Thanks!
Thanks! - It can always be tough to pick between models but regardless, the frame will provide the same experience. The Reserve 40/44 that come equipped on the Ultegra Di2 model are what we race on Team Mike's Bikes. They are a phinominal upgrade and really help the bike feel faster in all conditions. They also have a really wide 24mm internal rim width so they pair great with 28-30mm tires and help give you some real comfort. Regarding the Ultegra Di2... its really hard to fault modern electronic shifting and Shimano makes some of the best. The dollars spent on the upgrade from the mechanical 105 kitted bike to the Ultegra Di2 / Reserve bike makes a lot of sense with performance and comfort in mind. Hope that helps.
It does help. Thanks so much! Essentially just looking for someone with much more knowledge to let me know that it is indeed worth the money to upgrade. I'm always just a bit nervous as somewhat of a novice that it doesn't make sense financially. Cheers!@@mikesbikes
I like and always like the soloist. However, like many cyclist online I gave up road cycling this year due to crazy drivers. Not worth getting injured. Now like many other going to gravel and mountain biking. Unless California motor vehicle code changes and also changes come from the federal I think better off from road cycling.
I totally understand where you're coming from.. Last year, I was hit from behind by a car too. Ever since I have been super stressed looking over my shoulder whenever I hear anything. I bought a Garmin Varia radar and it has been the single best bit of tech I have ever had on a bike. We'll try to get a little video up on it soon, but i'd really encourage you to look in to how it works. It has almost eliminated the stress of riding on the road, it is better than having eyes in the back of your head. fantastic peace of mind.
@@mikesbikes Santa is bring me rear facing radar in just a few days. Can't wait to use it. I wonder if it will beep as much as my heart rate monitor...LOL.
Negative mucacho. We'll give it to you, they look similar at a glance but there are a few key differences. 1. Geometry: While the caladonia is built around a "Modern Road" Geometry and is designed around a 30mm tire and features more trail, more BB drop, and a longer wheelbase for stability. The Soloist shares geo with the R5 and S5. 2. The airfoils on the frame, or the depth of the tubes is noticibly deeper in person. The Soloist also has a unique seatpost that is deeper than the R5/Caledonia and shallower than the S5. They say this is to add aero without taking too much from ride quality. 🙌🏻 Good question.
Placebo effect. Have a number of riders rode each rig disguised in their appropriate size and see if they could actually tell the difference in small numbers regarding trail, etc… any better than random guessing. Reality check is most amateur riders would not be able to do it. But it makes for great marketing to the amateur CAT 3, 4 beer crit crowd of posers. 😀😀
Up close there are quite different. The Giant is much thinner and the soloist definitely has some sharper edge tubes. We're looking forward to getting on the new Propel too!
This is priced very competitively to a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX and poised as a similar all-around racer. The difference is a CF SLX runs about $200 less, includes 50mm DT Swiss wheels, and has a true one-piece cockpit. Still, love the aggressive price in a market where Specialized wants you to take out a mortgage for a non-S Works.
Bikes are getting SOOOOOOO expensive. We are stoked to see someone paying attention to the fact that everybody doesn't have 10k hidden in their mattress but still wants to go fast.
I wish the Soloist came out a few months ago. I have a Canyon Aeroroad SLX with Force AXS and while the Canyon is fast I miss the cockpit reach adjustability you get with the Soloist. A Ultegra DI2 56cm bike with 120mm -17 stem and 38cm bars would be an amazingly quick bike and very serviceable. Nicely done Cervelo!
Caledonia 5 is more endurance / all-road rather than racey geometry though, where this is more geared towards faster club riders up to competitive crit folks. This seems like an S5/R5 discount mashup that’s perfect for semi serious+riders who lack a trust fund, frankly I don’t understand how this isn’t more expensive. They’d probably sell out at $8k…
LOL, a multi thousand dollar price for a bike with a stock cheaply fabricated sub $500 cost sweatshop made cookie cutter frameset is considered a bargain? Hahaha, new gullible fools are born every minute.
Nice review, but not sure if anyone knows the new Soloist has a rider weight limit of about 195lbs, which is shockingly low. Maybe no issue for you, but may be for some...
Good overview and an appealing choice vs Canyon or Specialized. Fun to watch Mike’s vids now considering my parents bought my Schwinn Stingray from the Mike in San Rafael way back when.
7.900euro for an Ultegra Di2 in Europe vs Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 6499euro same groupset with better components overall, and if I am not wrong with powermeter... right... another one for the dentists of this world
Thank you for this professionally detailed video. I'm an owner of a 2006 Soloist Carbon, and I've never let it go as it's just as fast and reliable as any non-pro would even need. It's important to give you guys kudos on the detail in this video. It's strange that a bike shop provides more content, b-roll, stills etc. than the company itself. I can't understand how companies put so much into their bikes, have an almost free platform to showcase their products...and they just don't. Maybe they're exhausted from all the engineering, and need to rely on the community to provide the masses with the content we love.
Thanks for that! Really. We've been busting our butts trying to put out content on this channel to help out. Bikes are expensive and it never feels like there is enough info on them to make the right purchase.
It's a pretty generic standard geometry. Dont BS your audience about some amazing geometry. That is not an opinion, that is straight-up facts that anyone can look up. The geometry is about as generic as you can get. That is not a bad thing at all, so don't make stuff up. Miikes Bikes, you should be ashamed of yourself for pushing such fluff. It is a decent bike, you could focus on legitimate facts. Instead you speak on a level that only focused at BS'ing the novice cyclist. Step it up Mikes, You can do lot better.
Relatively easy to assemble th-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA (note that is does not come with tools, so please have a set of hex/Allen keys and Phillips screwdriver handy). The bike weighs 27 lbs fully assembled, which is not bad.A couple quirks about the bike:- left brake lever operates the front brake (something to get used to if controlling the front brake with your right hand is what you usually do)- Shimano thumb shifters for the gears are positioned close to the center. This is a bit of a nuisance because changing gears involved taking your weight from one hand to change gears, a hassle if you are regularly changing gears. However, gear shifters positioned at the drop bars are very expensive compared to thumb shifters, so I can understand, given the price of the bikeBike is otherwise of good quality. Gears change fairly smoothly and fit/assembly is of good quality. A totally competent product for the price.
This video is so good. Chris’ commentary is A+, B-Roll is A+ and info is A+. I didn’t think I wanted a Soloist… but now I do.
That was the first Mikes Bike's video by Chris that I've watched, and I loved it! Sadly (and pathetically) I always buy fancy bikes but I still regularly get beat by juniors. :(
That 105 Di2 build is going to be perfect
105 di2 isn’t worth it, sram is way better
SRAM Fan here too but lots of people do sure love the shifting of shimano. Its the no wires and ease of set-up we dig.
@@jxpowers totes, way more better.
I’m still riding my cervelo s3 from 2010 - it’s a rocket 🚀 ship ! Great review by the way - loving the love for Cervelo !
Love the bike, after this review also buying one. Doing a great job, love what you people are doing here!!
Got my ticket in for the Soloist Race 105 Di2 with the Reserve Wheels (🤤)that’s coming out pretty soon; thank you so much for not only this in depth video on it but your product page for the soloist is better than the one on the actual Cervelo website; so stoked. I’m gonna murder my solo century in April (assuming it gets here by then, fingers (not chains) crossed! Rock on
When do you think they will drop the new model? I am about to buy the Soloist 105 Di2 from 2023 but would be a shame if they released the new model right after
The Roglic shade is real.
ahahahahaha. We wern't sure about making that joke. Honestly He's been one of the most exciting racers of the year. His contribution in the mountains for the TDF and the way he was trying to claw back time at the Vuelta... he's total class. Stoked to have him on a Cervelo.
the media team needs a raise.
Had a mataro low 52 cm with a aventon push wheel set, seat clamp/ seat and drop down bars. Sold it for $300 two years ago and I miss that bike now.
LOL, we're conditioned now to think that $3400 for 105 w/crap crankset, 9.5 kg, and Boondock heavy wheel set (used on Caledonia) is a good deal... GTFOH
Agreed. The bike industry in general has done an incredible marketing job convincing amateur goofball posers to pay huge $ for cheaply fabricated Far East sweatshop made CF framesets that are usually hung with under specced components. And the posers happily slurp down this silly marketing/sponsorship driven Koolaid because some pro rides one that their sponsors demanded they ride. It’s as easy as holding an ice cream cone in front of a 5 year old as far as selling silly priced cheaply made CF junk to these easily marketed to fools.
New fools are born every minute, and the fools happily shelling out thousands of $ for this cheaply made disposable trash are the living proof of that. 😆
@@ivanboesky1520 How do you really feel? LOL. I personally only buy used. You can save a ton of cash and get some spectacular deals from those that need the latest and greatest.
My worry with this bike is that the weight difference between the S5 and the R5 isn't significant enough to provide enough of a watt advantage that if you take the middle road between them it now is just ok. Like I can see the aero gains from this bike making it better than an R5 for everything except just going uphill and nothing else. But will the tiny weight savings make it a better choice than an S5 anywhere?
For half the price of the frame...it might have to ha
If you need a bigger bike than 58 u can't get an S5
I think the bike that can do everything is the Cervelo Caledonia (R+S+Aspero Gravel), the soloist is a cross between R and S series, its not meant for off road.
Totally love the Caledonia too. For those looking for a true Jack of all trades or a bike for big rides it is, no doubt, the king. We've got a video on it too if you want to check it out!
Ok that is a beautiful bike
I have an Aspero. Do I need a Soloist too? I want one....
Really great review 👏🏼 is it possible to fit full length mudguards with the same adapters the Caledonia uses?
Sweet bike, love the color
that NorCal Cycling reference had my dying!
Will the GP5000 AS TR 700x35c physically fit without rubbing?
She is beautiful! 😍
waitng for 51cm Gold Dust frameset, let me know when its available.
How would this compare to a Paris Pinarello upgraded with firecrest 303 carbon fiber wheels and Vitoria Corsa tires? (I am not familiar at all with cervelo line)
I’m on your exact setup. The Paris has endurance geometry and the Soloist is road geometry.
What kind of rider is this bike for compared to the Caledonia?
The Soloist is firmly inline with the R5 and S5. All three bikes feature the same "aggressive" handling geometry that prioritizes maneuverability and quick cornering. The Caledonia on the other hand adds more trail to the fork (Trail = the ability for the bike to want to continue in a straight line regardless of bumps or other input from the road) and features a longer wheelbase to help make the bike feel more stable. In reality, the differences are relatively nuanced as a good bike handler would 100% be able to make a Caledonia go plenty fast, but the focus if the Caledonia is on providing stability and better ride quality where the Soloist, R5, and S5 are trying to give you an edge on competition. Make sense?
So the soloist is like SL7? one bike rule them all.
You could say they're in the same class, though the Soloist has a shorter reach.
Great vid! As someone getting back into cycling that enjoys long rides, would the Soloist 105 be enough for me or does it make sense to go up to the Ultegra with the carbon wheels? Thanks!
Thanks! - It can always be tough to pick between models but regardless, the frame will provide the same experience. The Reserve 40/44 that come equipped on the Ultegra Di2 model are what we race on Team Mike's Bikes. They are a phinominal upgrade and really help the bike feel faster in all conditions. They also have a really wide 24mm internal rim width so they pair great with 28-30mm tires and help give you some real comfort. Regarding the Ultegra Di2... its really hard to fault modern electronic shifting and Shimano makes some of the best. The dollars spent on the upgrade from the mechanical 105 kitted bike to the Ultegra Di2 / Reserve bike makes a lot of sense with performance and comfort in mind. Hope that helps.
It does help. Thanks so much! Essentially just looking for someone with much more knowledge to let me know that it is indeed worth the money to upgrade. I'm always just a bit nervous as somewhat of a novice that it doesn't make sense financially. Cheers!@@mikesbikes
I wonder if mikes bikes in Palo Alto has this bike but color ember. $6800 sounds fair.
I want one.
The Soloist looks very similar to the S3. Is the geometry close to that model?
pretty much identical
Cervelo needs to update/redesign the Caledonia 5 and get rid of the downtube cable routing port
Hi, can you confirm any weight in Force or ultegra and size please?
Thanks a lot
We weighed the size 56cm in the video to 18lb 2oz. / 8.22kg. No pedals or cages, but including the computer mount and gopro mount.
My Mash would like so cherry on it
The Primoz Roglic meme took me out. 😂
I like and always like the soloist. However, like many cyclist online I gave up road cycling this year due to crazy drivers. Not worth getting injured. Now like many other going to gravel and mountain biking. Unless California motor vehicle code changes and also changes come from the federal I think better off from road cycling.
I totally understand where you're coming from.. Last year, I was hit from behind by a car too. Ever since I have been super stressed looking over my shoulder whenever I hear anything. I bought a Garmin Varia radar and it has been the single best bit of tech I have ever had on a bike. We'll try to get a little video up on it soon, but i'd really encourage you to look in to how it works. It has almost eliminated the stress of riding on the road, it is better than having eyes in the back of your head. fantastic peace of mind.
@@mikesbikes Santa is bring me rear facing radar in just a few days. Can't wait to use it. I wonder if it will beep as much as my heart rate monitor...LOL.
Isn’t this basically a cervelo caledonia? Don’t see how it looks any different except for the front end
Negative mucacho. We'll give it to you, they look similar at a glance but there are a few key differences. 1. Geometry: While the caladonia is built around a "Modern Road" Geometry and is designed around a 30mm tire and features more trail, more BB drop, and a longer wheelbase for stability. The Soloist shares geo with the R5 and S5. 2. The airfoils on the frame, or the depth of the tubes is noticibly deeper in person. The Soloist also has a unique seatpost that is deeper than the R5/Caledonia and shallower than the S5. They say this is to add aero without taking too much from ride quality. 🙌🏻 Good question.
@@mikesbikes so it is really a different bike with celedonia or will they kill off the celedonia?
@@sirehan1002 Look at the geometry. Two totally different bikes for different riders.
Placebo effect. Have a number of riders rode each rig disguised in their appropriate size and see if they could actually tell the difference in small numbers regarding trail, etc… any better than random guessing. Reality check is most amateur riders would not be able to do it. But it makes for great marketing to the amateur CAT 3, 4 beer crit crowd of posers. 😀😀
Vroomen is actually Dutch, not Canadian.
calidonia 5+ without the muds
I agree on this.. Caledonia even has more integration (cockpit wise)
It looks like the new giant propel
Up close there are quite different. The Giant is much thinner and the soloist definitely has some sharper edge tubes. We're looking forward to getting on the new Propel too!
This is basically what the Tarmac SL8 SHOULD have been.
Music is a bit too much. grating
And it’s only $3500 bucks
Atleast enought cash left over for a 6-pack. win-win.
Cervelo is a month too late. I would've gone to this direction
Say it ain't so! Wha'd you go with?
@@mikesbikes I went for a NOS 2019 S3
The Ultegra Di2 is the highest level spec, not the AXS
So if it’s Brand New how do you know it’s “all that”. ? Freaking marketing BS is getting old.
Is there anything for $ 45,000 😂😂😂
Oh great… Better just ride it in Beverly Hills or Bel Air, unless you want your bicycle jacked!
LOL
This is priced very competitively to a Canyon Ultimate CF SLX and poised as a similar all-around racer. The difference is a CF SLX runs about $200 less, includes 50mm DT Swiss wheels, and has a true one-piece cockpit. Still, love the aggressive price in a market where Specialized wants you to take out a mortgage for a non-S Works.
Bikes are getting SOOOOOOO expensive. We are stoked to see someone paying attention to the fact that everybody doesn't have 10k hidden in their mattress but still wants to go fast.
canyon can't match the service that you can get from going into a mike's bikes retail location.......a great value is about more than price
@@ericstobin4305 awe, thanks Eric.
Not when you factor in taxes, shipping and import duty. But yeah, the cable routing looks ugly on the soloist.
@@Abhitips224 you know you pay taxes and shop fees to build a Cervelo right?
I wish the Soloist came out a few months ago. I have a Canyon Aeroroad SLX with Force AXS and while the Canyon is fast I miss the cockpit reach adjustability you get with the Soloist. A Ultegra DI2 56cm bike with 120mm -17 stem and 38cm bars would be an amazingly quick bike and very serviceable. Nicely done Cervelo!
The used bike market is still poppin' off... Im sure somebody would want your "Like-new" canyon. 😏
105 is the only way to go. Buy your own wheels save 3k.
Got a caledonia-5 last October. Wish this bike was out then!!
Caledonia 5 is more endurance / all-road rather than racey geometry though, where this is more geared towards faster club riders up to competitive crit folks.
This seems like an S5/R5 discount mashup that’s perfect for semi serious+riders who lack a trust fund, frankly I don’t understand how this isn’t more expensive. They’d probably sell out at $8k…
@@Ridewithjst Couldn’t agree more and my thoughts exactly.
LOL, a multi thousand dollar price for a bike with a stock cheaply fabricated sub $500 cost sweatshop made cookie cutter frameset is considered a bargain? Hahaha, new gullible fools are born every minute.
Done in Ultegra Di2 with aero wheels for me please
Also wishing the paint work was more creative
Nice review, but not sure if anyone knows the new Soloist has a rider weight limit of about 195lbs, which is shockingly low. Maybe no issue for you, but may be for some...
Where is that info listed. Would love to research it.
Good overview and an appealing choice vs Canyon or Specialized. Fun to watch Mike’s vids now considering my parents bought my Schwinn Stingray from the Mike in San Rafael way back when.
Thanks! Glad to have you guys shopping with us! The studio we shoot our photos and video is directly behind the San Rafael store.
I like this vid
7.900euro for an Ultegra Di2 in Europe vs Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 6499euro same groupset with better components overall, and if I am not wrong with powermeter... right... another one for the dentists of this world
For that much cash, you could book a vacation to visit us here in California. Just saying...
@@mikesbikes if we book a vacation then we cant afford a bike
Thank you for this professionally detailed video. I'm an owner of a 2006 Soloist Carbon, and I've never let it go as it's just as fast and reliable as any non-pro would even need. It's important to give you guys kudos on the detail in this video. It's strange that a bike shop provides more content, b-roll, stills etc. than the company itself. I can't understand how companies put so much into their bikes, have an almost free platform to showcase their products...and they just don't. Maybe they're exhausted from all the engineering, and need to rely on the community to provide the masses with the content we love.
Thanks for that! Really. We've been busting our butts trying to put out content on this channel to help out. Bikes are expensive and it never feels like there is enough info on them to make the right purchase.
James, I bought a 2008 Soloist with 500 miles on it. Dura Ace 10 speed for 500 cash, near mint. Iam excited!
My R3 2014 rim brake, Roval carbon wheels, conti 5000 28 c tires is the best bike I have ever owned!!! 15.8 lbs and awesome smooth fast ride !!!!
By ‘other things’ goin on at the time he means steroids. By ‘at the time’ he means up until right now.
love it!
We're really excited for this one too! bike is fantastic in person.
POV u clicked this on accident
What it ride like
Anyone remember those, "Beyond the Peloton" videos??
I loved watching those.
Loved those. Cervelo has had a few really good bits of marketing over the years. Do you remember their "8grams of engineering"?
It's a pretty generic standard geometry. Dont BS your audience about some amazing geometry. That is not an opinion, that is straight-up facts that anyone can look up. The geometry is about as generic as you can get. That is not a bad thing at all, so don't make stuff up. Miikes Bikes, you should be ashamed of yourself for pushing such fluff. It is a decent bike, you could focus on legitimate facts. Instead you speak on a level that only focused at BS'ing the novice cyclist. Step it up Mikes, You can do lot better.
Relatively easy to assemble th-cam.com/users/postUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA (note that is does not come with tools, so please have a set of hex/Allen keys and Phillips screwdriver handy). The bike weighs 27 lbs fully assembled, which is not bad.A couple quirks about the bike:- left brake lever operates the front brake (something to get used to if controlling the front brake with your right hand is what you usually do)- Shimano thumb shifters for the gears are positioned close to the center. This is a bit of a nuisance because changing gears involved taking your weight from one hand to change gears, a hassle if you are regularly changing gears. However, gear shifters positioned at the drop bars are very expensive compared to thumb shifters, so I can understand, given the price of the bikeBike is otherwise of good quality. Gears change fairly smoothly and fit/assembly is of good quality. A totally competent product for the price.