If you haven’t swapped out numerous framesets while consistently using components that you are thoroughly familiar with, then you wouldn’t realize just how good most modern framesets are.  There isn’t a great deal of difference between many of them and most of them, with the right set of components, will result a bicycle that is thoroughly satisfactory to ride.  However, once in a while you experience a ride that is significantly better than other bikes or one that presents genuine value based on its performance compared to those priced significantly higher.  The Cervelo Soloist Team is one of those bikes.  Of course, I'm evaluating the frameset based on the one factor we must all consider relevant - price.  Otherwise, I would certainly have to explain why the Team is a better than its two carbon based siblings.

The first thing I did with the Soloist Team frameset was build it up as a complete road bike with some of the finest components available.  Inexpensive framesets are generally thought of as undeserving of top of the line components, but I prefer to use similar quality components on each frameset I ride so I'm only evaluating the frameset.  I used a 2007 Campy Record group with a 3T More carbon bar, an ITM 101 carbon stem, the '07 Selle Italia Flite gel flow saddle, Topolino VX4.0 carbon tubulars (with ceramic bearings) and Tufo Elite Jet tires.  I was initially shocked by the Team's ride quality and speed.  I then added clip on bars and Campagnolo Bora Ultras and was amazed at how comfortable I was from head to toe in the aero position and how the Team maintains speed.  Then with a full aero set up using Easton’s Attack TT aero bar, Sram carbon aero brakes and Campy Record shifters, I felt like I had one of the fastest tri bikes I’ve ridden.  Maintaining speed on this bike just seems to require less effort than it should.

For some reason, perhaps due to the different riding styles required for road riding and tri riding, I tend to like aluminum tri bikes and carbon road bikes.  I felt the same way about the Soloist Team.  I like riding this bike in the aero position on solo rides better than as a road bike on fast group rides.  To me, its performance just seems better suited for that style of riding. However, the fact that Team CSC still successfully uses the Soloist Team frame in road races proves that it has no limitations. 

To put it bluntly, the Soloist Team is one of the best steel road bikes I’ve ever ridden and it is made entirely out of aero shaped aluminum tubing.  Others have commented on its steel like ride and I can absolutely confirm it.  This bike does not ride like any other aluminum road or tri bike I’ve tried.  Although there are some very smooth high dollar aluminum bikes, this bike is so composed, resilient and dynamic that it defies everything you’ve grown accustom to.  It’s been a while since I’ve been on a steel bike, but this bike performs better than frames built with top of the line double butted steel tubes, is less expensive and its aero shaped tubes have little or no weight penalty when compared to round steel tubes. 

Those who have commented that the Soloist Team is a harsh riding bike are flat wrong.  They either didn’t ride the bike or were commenting on the ride of other components.  You do feel more road than some carbon bikes, but it is nonetheless a smooth, composed, confident and comfortable bike.  Those who have commented that the Soloist Team is a noisy bike are also flat wrong.  I put this bike together and have swapped out many of the parts including going from a full road set up to a full tri set up and ridden it many times without a single rattle.  Moreover, the test route I use includes pavement changes from asphalt to concrete, wide and uneven expansion joints, dips, patches, etc.  If this bike was noisy because of either the material it is made from or due to the internal cable routing, I would have definitely heard it.  If it’s assembled properly, it is as silent as any other well made and assembled bike.

Perhaps due to the weight difference between the Soloist Team and the R3 SL, it doesn’t accelerate as quickly and as effortlessly (few bikes do), but it carries speed in the flats and up short, rolling hills brilliantly.  I initially built this bike up exactly how I had the R3 SL and comparatively, the R3 is a better bike for criteriums and fast group rides.  The Soloist Team though has superb aerodynamics and an uncanny ability to maintain speed when out front which makes it a perfect bike for normal road riding, triathlons and even centuries.  This is a bike you thoroughly enjoy riding the first time out and one you want to continue to ride.  I keep commenting to others that there is just something special about the ride of the Soloist Team, but I can’t quite pinpoint what it is.  Just take it from me that no one could be disappointed in riding this bike even if they just got off something as brilliant as the R3 SL (like I did).

If you want to know how and why Cervelo makes and shapes the Team's tubes, then you can learn that directly from those who designed and built it by clicking this link - Soloist Team.  If you’ve been looking for that perfect bike that will perform double duty as a road and tri bike, that will be fast enough for competitive events and comfortable enough for long distance rides, that comes with a lifetime warranty and can be purchased without the need for a home equity loan, than this is it.  The Soloist Team frameset retails for $1,300.00 (’07 price) and the Ultegra equipped bike will be only $2,000.00 in 2008. 

KDG