Shop and Cervelo S3 Review by Simon Ree
I first discovered Bikes N Bites when a friend referred me to Paul and the team to get properly fitted on my road bike. I had purchased a Trek Madone – my first bike in over 20 years – in Australia in 2014 and the bike shop I purchased it from didn’t properly fit me on the bike.
Paul and his team did a very thorough job fitting me on the bike and honestly I think it was the best ~$150 I’ve ever spent! I was a lot more comfortable on the bike after the fitting and more importantly…I was faster!
Fast forward several months and I have really started to enjoy cycling as a hobby, to the point where I am now training for the Bintan 70.3. I had always enjoyed looking at the sexy Cervelos in the shop and decided it was time to buy one.
Following Paul’s excellent advice I purchased a Cervelo S3. It seemed to me like the best “all-rounder” in the range. The bike was available three days after I ordered it and was built to the same measurements from my previous bike fit. Paul and his team stayed back late the evening I picked it up to make final adjustments and recommendations and ensured I was properly fitted on the bike from the get go. I greatly valued their advice – which included talking me OUT OF buying a set of $400 tri-bars from them.
The bike is an absolute joy to ride. It climbs better, it descends better and is far more responsive than my Trek. I now finally understand what people mean when they talk about frame stiffness: when you put the power down through the pedals the result is immediate and rapid forward acceleration. The bike is also more comfortable than the Madone. Going over bumps on the Trek would occasionally result in jarring. The S3 seems
a lot better at smoothing out the bumps…not something I expected from an aero road bike. The bike also looks fantastic and begs to be ridden!
But is it faster? Speed on a group ride isn’t always easy to appreciate because you’re riding with the group. I am one of the least experienced riders in my group so I usually tuck in at the back and get pulled along.
What I noticed on our ride this morning was I spent probably 75% of the ride at the front (never happened before). Not only this but at the end of the ride I felt fresher and in better shape than I normally would after the same ride. I was delighted to see when I got home that I recorded a heap of PRs on Strava segments that I have ridden many, many times. So yes, i was faster on the S3 and with less perceived effort.
Paul and his team offer world class before and after sales service and advice. They really know their stuff and they sell fantastic products. I would not hesitate to recommend Bikes N Bites to anyone looking to purchase a bike in Singapore. While they are not cheap but they are most definitely good value and I am very happy with what I have got for my money.
