Cervélo Builds its First Ever Ebike. Realisation or Surrender?

Cervélo ended the year 2022 with a bang. Back then, the manufacturer launched a mountain bike for the very first time in the company’s history. 2023 also ends with great fanfare. This time, the first ebike in the Canadian range is celebrating its premiere. At first glance, the Cervélo Rouvida appears to be the logical consequence of the existing range of road bikes, time trial bikes and triathlon bikes. In fact, however, it is a model range with two faces.

Cervélo Rouvida

More generally, the news of an ebike manufactured by Cervélo comes as a surprise. The company is one of the few renowned names for complete bikes in professional cycling that has so far consistently dispensed with models with electric assistance. Yet the brand’s longstanding distinguishing feature, the stylised é on the head tube, would have provided the perfect opening for ebikes. We don’t know what ultimately tipped the scales in favour of the turnaround. Curiosity? Customer demand? Competitive pressure? Many things are conceivable.

In any case, Cervélo itself wants to avoid a break in perception with this step. Both in terms of the external image and the company’s own view of its products. Until now, the manufacturer has perceived them as “refined, design-forward performance machines”. And this is exactly what the manufacturer’s ebikes are intended to be.

Lightweight and aerodynamic

To achieve this, Cervélo takes a lot of carbon and moulds it not only into the frame and fork, but also the handlebars and stem. Visually, the result is somewhere between the Cervélo S5 road bike and the Cervélo Áspero gravel bike. Some parts of the frame are understandably somewhat more massive. After all, the motor and battery of the ebike system still have to fit inside. With the Ride 60 from Fazua, Cervélo has opted for a drive that combines very compact dimensions with an extremely low weight. These are good prerequisites for the kind of unobtrusive integration that the manufacturer had in mind.

It has clearly invested a great deal of thought in this. One consequence of this is the vertical integration of the battery in the down tube. Compared to its typical orientation, it has been rotated by 90 degrees. Its narrow side therefore points downwards. The down tube is correspondingly narrow when you look at it from a bird’s eye view. On the other hand, the flank of the tube grows more strongly, so to speak. According to the diagnosis in the wind tunnel, this has saved a few grams of weight. The actual gain is more likely to be a better airflow, which saves a few watts of pedalling power, especially on longer distances. On its website, Cervélo also mentions the position of the speed sensor. Well, it’s already very small and has a place on the mount for the rear wheel axle where it doesn’t interfere with the aerodynamics or the design. The manufacturer is unlikely to have achieved any significant optimisation at this point.

The somewhat unusual integration of the battery can be surmised at the transition from the down tube to the head tube.

Intriguing interplay

You will definitely feel the effect of another detail of the frame. Cervélo works with interchangeable dropouts on both the fork and the rear triangle. In contrast to other competitors, you can change the geometry and therefore the riding characteristics at two points using a flip-chip system. If you go for this, you should also do it consequently at the front and rear. Anything else would be neither fish nor fowl and would probably ride quite awkwardly.

Flip-chip system allowing to switch between road and gravel geometry on the same bike

The differences between the two dropouts are so great that with one variant you end up with a road bike, while the other results in a gravel bike. For example, the fork offset and the trail of the fork are greater on the gravel dropouts, so that the bike runs more smoothly. On the other hand, it loses some of its sensitivity and responsiveness. A shorter distance to the handlebars relaxes your position. You don’t need to stretch your upper body as far forwards and sit more compactly in the bike. The distance from the bottom bracket to the ground also increases, giving you more ground clearance. As soon as you want to overcome roots, stones and other obstacles on tours, this will make the task easier. The slacker steering angle also contributes to greater safety when riding off-road. The ten millimetre longer chainstays on the gravel set-up increase smoothness and stability at high speeds, while the road bike set-up with its shorter stays retains more of its dynamism.

Different geometry data due to the use of different dropouts for road and gravel bikes

Focus on the road models

In order to ensure that the change of dropouts is a complete success, you can choose between three different versions of the Rouvida. With the Cervélo Rouvida Red XPLR AXS 1 Road and the Cervélo Rouvida Rival XPLR AXS 1 Road, we are talking about an e-road bike for two of the variants. The Cervélo Rouvida Red XPLR AXS 1 Road is particularly exclusive. Its saddle alone costs almost 300 euros. Of course, Sram’s high-end Red groupset – together with the classy wheelset and carbon cranks from FSA – add significantly more to the bill. For 4,200 euros less, you can still get the entry-level model. In this case, however, you’ll have to make do with a Sram Rival groupset and simpler wheels. Nevertheless, you still end up with a price of 8,299 euros.

The gravel bike fits in between the two road bikes. Its equipment is a mix of the aforementioned. Exclusive to the Cervélo Rouvida Force XPLR AXS 1 Gravel is its dropper seat post, the Force groupset from Sram and the ten millimetre wider profiled tyres from WTB. This adds up to a price of 10,699 euros, which is not really a bargain either. The models are delivered with matching dropout ends. You can swap them in all three cases. Who actually makes use of this and how often in practice is another matter. In addition to the geometry, we believe that the choice of tyres should also be adjusted as a minimum. Venturing off-road with the setup changed from road to gravel probably promises only limited riding fun on 30 millimetre wide slick tyres.

Cervélo Rouvida Force XPLR AXS 1 Gravel

E-drive with a suitable operating concept

The Fazua Ride 60, on the other hand, provides the same pleasure on all Rouvida models. Cervélo even says that the Rouvida was developed around the e-drive. In any case, it is harmoniously integrated. The new Fazua Road Control is used on the handlebar drops. These small control units are not only harmoniously positioned under the handlebar tape, but also sit exactly where your fingers often rest when riding with road handlebars. As a result, you can always keep your hands on the handlebars when you want to change the support level.

Control unit mounted on the drops of the road handlebars for changing the support level

The Fazua LED hub integrated into the top tube provides a visual reminder of this. In addition to the current riding mode, you can also see the remaining battery range. Using the control unit, you can switch the e-drive on and off. Hidden under its cover is a USB charging port, which you can utilise to power various accessories or your own mobile devices while riding.

LED hub display in the top tube featuring USB-C charging port

As is well known, the Fazua Ride 60 is at the upper end of the performance spectrum for e-drives with mid-level support thanks to its torque of 60 Newton metres. As its system weight is only just over four kilograms despite the 430 watt-hour battery, the Rouvida boasts a great weight/performance ratio. Overall, the bike remains at around 13 kilograms and should therefore be as sporty to ride as it looks. According to the manufacturer, it will be available in Europe from January 2024. So you still have some time to find out whether this would be a bike for you and, if so, which version.

Fazua Ride 60 motor integrated almost invisibly

Cervélo Rouvida at a glance

• Variants: Cervélo Rouvida Red XPLR AXS 1 Road, Cervélo Rouvida Force XPLR AXS 1 Gravel, Cervélo Rouvida Rival XPLR AXS 1 Road
• Frame: Carbon
• Fork: Rouvida Fork
• Motor: Fazua Ride 60
• Battery: Fazua Energy 430
• Control unit: Fazua LED Hub + Fazua Road Control
• Drivetrain: Sram Red XPLR AXS, Sram Force XPLR AXS, Sram Rival XPLR AXS
• Brakes: Sram Red, Sram Force, Sram Rival
• Weight: 13 kg
• Maximum permitted total weight: 110 kg
• Colours: Plasma Blue, Granite
• Price: from 8,299 euros

Pictures: Cervélo Cycles