Hello everyone,

I recently sold my Cannondale Six13 Team Replica that had Campy Record components, and I have decided to buy either the Cervelo R3 or the Soloist Carbon. I will be racing, but not on a regular basis, but I do a lot of long distance riding with hills and I try to beat my times. I am looking for opinions as to the ride quality and differences between the R3 and the Soloist Carbon as well as recommendations. Thanks in advance.

Since I am a noob to this forum, I didn't use the search option which would have brought up a similar discussion on the same topic. Sorry for the new post, although additional opinions are welcome.

Troy, check out the reviews for both bikes. they both seem to get excellent reviews, I can only comment on the R3, I got it a couple of months ago with full campy chorus and I'm absolutely amazed by the weight and it's handling quality. it corners like it's on rails.
I must admit I used to be scared going downhill at 35mph on my orbea, now the same hills at over 40 mph and feel pretty confident.
hope this helps, let us know what bike you get!:)

Thanks for the insight and for not flaming me. I'll let you know how I make out.

By the way, what wheels are you running on it?

I got the original easton vista sl, not very light but planning on upgrading sometime later this year.

I've been racing my R3 for a year now. It's the most comfortable bike that I've ridden and my position has definitely improved on the bike this season as a result.

I haven't been able to go at full intensity in the training for more than 6 weeks prior without developing some lower back problems. This season has been a blessing. The rougher the roads, the faster I feel relative to my riding partners ( that aren't on the R3)... it just soaks up the rattle & hum and keeps the engine going at full throttle.

The soloist carbon is a significant step up in stiffness in the upper half of the chassis ( the two bikes share similiar BB & Chainstay construction/stiffness). The added stiffness right up to the seat urges you to keep the power. Kinda like having a stiff boot heal to the back of your neck ... your PB on your local loop will definitely happen aboard the S.C. but you will have paid for it in the comfort dept.

Depends what you want ... I would love to experiment with a S.C frame with R3 seatstays ... not sure why they don't keep the aero downtube for the R3 ... especially since the SLC is now the same weight.

Good luck

Troy, if you like racing yourself, you should have a look at the Garmin 305. It lets you race yourself and give you splits to earlier rides on the same course. Could be a cool feature for you?
I dont have one myself, but a friend does and he really like it :)

I was in the same position as you a couple months ago and purchased the R3 after test rides and reading all the reviews on this site. There were one or two reviews in the review section by a rider who owned both and strongly preferred the R3. It sounds like you may have found the reviews already but if not check it out.

I am a bit of a newb but I felt that I got better power transfer on the R3 and found the impact of strong cross wind on the soloist to be slightly annoying.

My sense is you can't go wrong with either. I personally love the R3.

I do also use the Garmin to "race myself" - very nice motivator.

Hello everyone,

I recently sold my Cannondale Six13 Team Replica that had Campy Record components, and I have decided to buy either the Cervelo R3 or the Soloist Carbon. I will be racing, but not on a regular basis, but I do a lot of long distance riding with hills and I try to beat my times. I am looking for opinions as to the ride quality and differences between the R3 and the Soloist Carbon as well as recommendations. Thanks in advance.

I got the R3-SL. I wasn't even considering the Soloist due to its proprietary seatpost, that is, I would not be able to get another one easily if it broke or if I ended up not liking it (e.g., from adjustment point of view). From that point of view, the R3-SL is superior to the R3 because it has a 27.2 seatpost and there are many different models available in this size, as opposed to 34.2.

On the other hand, some people might prefer the Soloist seatpost, as it is not possible to rotate it, so the saddle will always be in line with the frame.

-ilan

Does anyone know if there is going to be any changes to either the R3 or the Soloist Carbon for 2008 (other than color). Any changes to the component build kits?

thanks

Loved them both in test rides. They both felt perfectly stiff standing/sprinting, but the R3 felt a bit more comfy sitting over rough pavement. Bought the R3 and haven't looked back
you really can't go wrong on this one.

My R3 is a deadly weapon, fast, commanding, climbs like a goat, and is COMFORTABLE!

The new RS is probably a better bike for people like me who do not race. (new this year)

You can not go wrong with either bike, but the R3/R3-SL is really good choice!

I have not ridden either so do not pay to much attention to me. My take is they weigh about the same but with the Soloist Carbon you get added stiffness and the aero advantages so i say go for the Soloist Carbon. And if you are worried about about comfort there are other things that come into play besides the frame such as tire pressure and saddle.