Cervélo's NEW P3

First, let me apologize about the lack of quality pictures. I'm having camera issues but it will be resolved soon. 

Why didn't Cervélo name the New P3 the P4? Or the P3.5? It shares nothing with the previous model except the 3T Aura handlebars. And to make life a little more difficult for dealers, the original P3 is still in production. Two completely different bikes, at two different price points, under the same badge. WTF? I presume the old P3 will be fazed out, but what about the interim?

Not like the name matters or anything. The New P3 is an excellent bicycle, the best time trial bike in the Cervélo line (yes better than the P5, as I will elaborate on later) which makes it one of the best time trial bikes in the world.

The initial build:
One of the reasons I say the New P3 is better than the P5 is that it is easier to build and maintain. What I like about most of the Cervélo bikes is that they use regular, standardized parts and put them in normal places. None of this "hide the rear brake under the seat stays" or "make a custom proprietary bottom bracket style" -oh wait, they did do that with the R and S series, but the Ps are still safe. Bikes like the P5 and Trek's TTX, however, use a lot of proprietary parts that require specialized knowledge and a lot of time to service.  I see no legitimate advantage to the extra engineering. If you want a wacky front end with all the imagined aero advantages of wind-tunnel testing just get a simple 2 piece Bayonet system like on the Felt DA series, or a bolt-on fairing like the Giant Trinity. (Though I honestly believe the Felt Bayonet 3 is the simplest and best option when it comes to stupid front-end redesigns.)

Cervélo loves internal cabling, which a lot of mechanics dislike. But once you have the tools and know-how internal cabling takes hardly any extra time to re-do. (My shop uses dentist tools to peer into small frame holes and grab cables with little hooks. Magnets come in handy too.) I also like how the housing runs the whole length of the frame. On the P2 and original P3 there is a risk of crossing cables in the darkness of the inner frame, resulting in awkward shifting when in the big ring. With housing running the length of the downtube I can criss-cross cables all day and it will hardly make a difference. The ports where the cables enter the frame are well thought-out, more so than on many other frames out there. The cables go plop down a little square in the top-tube and emerge by the bottom bracket with no interference when you turn the handlebars. Good job on that one, guys.

The matte finished paint does a good job of hiding scratches, but I'm not a fan. Matte finishes are hard to clean and show grease and oil. The best way to clean a Matte finish is with dish soap and water, though be careful not to get the suds in the bottom bracket or headset bearings. For grease stains you can use rubbing alcohol.

All Cervélos come to the shop in pieces. It's up to the mechanic to ensure the bike gets put together correctly. Always buy your Cervélo from a dealer with skilled mechanics you can trust.

Components:
What's Cervélo's obsession with hydraulic rim brakes? The P5 has them and now the New P3 has them and soon the other high-end bikes will probably have them. I love stupid brakes, and I would totally rock a pair of Maguras on any of my bikes, but that's because I'm a professional mechanic with unlimited free access to tools and parts. For the average consumer it seems like an unnecessary complication. That said, the Magura brakes are everything they promise to be -pieces of metal that squeeze pieces of rubber against something else to make you slow down and eventually stop, using the power of fluids instead of cables. The hydraulic Magura brakes lines are nearly impossible to get through the 3T Aura bars and I would not be surprised if the sharp edges at the access ports cut into the housing over time. If the brake lines ever have to be replaced I'd just assume spend $200 to get all new brakes with a traditional cable system or buy handlebars with bigger access ports.

The new 11-speed Dura-Ace 9000 on the model I tested is magical. Actually it feels just like the old stuff, but with an extra gear. Still, I like the old stuff and the new derailleurs look cooler so there you go. The new 9000 front derailleur has variable cable placement securing options based on frame interface; I was a little disappointed that Cervélo didn't include the cable guide tool, but by trial and error I figured out how to set the cable. Good stuff. No issues with Shimano.

The wheels are whatever. Mavic Cosmics are fine wheels. Nothing great about them but they'll last years and they're cheap to replace. For some reason Cervélo spec'ed Vittoria Rubinos instead of the free Mavic brand tires that come with Mavic wheels. I assume there was some dealings at the corporate level and there is no functional reason for the change -both tires are good options in my experience.

The Rotor crank is heavy and feels cheap, even though it retails for $400+. I don't care what the marketing scientists say about oblong chainrings. It's all biopace to me. The cranks on the P3 I tested didn't even have the elliptical "Q rings" so what's the point of spec'ing Rotors? If it were up to me I'd probably put a Quarq or SRM down there.

The Adamo saddle the P3 comes with is the best selling saddle at my shop, Triathletes of all levels love it. I don't, but I guess I have a weird butt or something.

The ride:

I'll be honest. I've ridden nearly every time trial bike out there and they all feel exactly the same to me, excluding variables like tire and saddle choice. The New P3 has a short head tube, though not as short as the old P3, which allows the rider to bend way over. Great for Sprint Triathlons and 20k's, but probably not my first Ironman choice unless I added some spacers or was exceptionally flexible.

My one issue is that the molded

fork fairing bottoms out on the frame and limits the turning radius of the bike. This won't be an issue 99% of the time but in a race with a very tight switchback you might have to unclip a foot. However, the turning radius is better than the P5 and many other time trial bikes out there.

Overall:
The P3 is a fine bike. Is it $5400 fine? I don't know. I personally am quite fond of the $2600 P2 or Guru's $2800 CR-301. Fifty-four hundred dollars is a lot, especially considering that for $600 more you can get the P5, which on paper seems like a better bike. But if you're looking to stay UCI legal and still have a top-of-the-line machine, the P3 is my top choice.