The Cervélo P3 is not a new platform for Cervélo. The P3 Frameset has been around the world, and has killed wherever it has gone. It has stormed the Olympics, won at the Tour, the Giro,
Ironman, and so on. Its redesign is much better.
Cervélo reworked it with the help of their P5. Technologies they introduced, like BBright and a 1 1/8" to 1 3/8" tapered steerer made it easy to stiffen up the bike for more efficient power
transfer and better cornering. The wind-tunnel lessons learned from the P5 also translated easily, like the greater integration of the fork crown with the frame, the dropped down tube, and the
extended shielding behind the seat tube. Some of these changes are small, some are profound, but they add up to big differences.
The tapered steerer means better tracking through turns. It's easier to set a line and hold it, and this adds both speed and confidence to the ride. The BBright standard is one Cervélo
created, and it allows the carbon-fiber material to be shaped wider, which is a boon to both aerodynamics and stiffness.
The area behind the fork crown is one of the messiest, aerodynamically speaking. So Cervélo fills it in. They also shape the fork to smooth out the airflow over the front brake. The down tube
has been likewise dropped for better aerodynamics, and the seat tube cutout has been extended upward all the way to the top tube. By filling in this area, they clean up the airflow and minimize the
penalty that comes with the convenience of mounting a brake on the seat stays.
Cervélo also shaped the down tube for a water bottle and cage. This shouldn't be a big deal in itself, but it's not as common as one would think.
Getting comfortable on your time trial rig is important. And Cervélo addressed this in two ways. First, by better calculating stack and reach dimensions to make it so that each frame fits a
wider range of body types and it's easier to find a frame that fits—no longer should top tube dictate what frame you get. The second big thing is the aero seat post with a Ritchey one-bolt seat
clamp that allows for 75mm of fore-aft adjustment. You can slam the saddle back, push it aggressively forward, and slide it everywhere in between.
Cervélo also wanted the bike to be a tool for the ages, if you desire. Their aero integrated cable routing can work with mechanical shifting and braking, electronic shifting, and hydraulic
braking. One of their tricks to accomplish this is their single-bend bottom bracket guide, which accommodates both mechanical and electronic shifting. A complete set of fitments ship with each
frame for the entry and exit points. There are battery mounts on the underside of the down tube, but you can get creative here.
And knowing the creativity of triathletes when it comes to strapping on accessories to their bikes, they supplemented the traditional down tube bottle bosses with bosses on the top tube for a
bottle or bento box or who knows. And, there's a single bottle bolt threaded into the top of the bottom bracket juncture. This is an invitation and goad to designers to find a use.
The frameset comes delivered with a seat post and internal headset in addition to the bolts and fitments.
The Cervélo P3 Frameset is a convenient kind of fast, allowing you to specify your brakes and bars and making travel a snap.