Garmin-Cervelo sprinter Tyler Farrar has made the move to an aero road bike with his new Cervelo S3.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
3T provides its ARX-Team stem to the Garmin-Cervelo team.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) has started his 2011 season with a bang, winning the field sprint at the Trofeo Palma de Mallorca.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Tyler Farrar's (Garmin-Cervelo) training setup includes Mavic's Ksyrium Elite aluminum clinchers and Yksion tires.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
No surprises here: Garmin's Edge 800 occupies prime real estate atop the 3T stem.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Cervelo's S3 isn't the lightest bike in the lineup but the company contends it's the fastest in most road racing conditions.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
The team version of SRAM's Red DoubleTap levers sport a bigger logo than usual - presumably for finish line photos.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Even top pros don't ride top-end stuff all the time.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
The chunky chain stays on Cervelo's S3 help maintain good power transmission.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Cables are fed into the frame at the top tube just behind the stem where the air is already turbulent.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Cervelo sticks with a standard 1 1/8" steerer tube on the S3 to keep the frontal area low.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Rotor provides the team with its 3D hollow-machined cranks and chainrings while the SRM spider provides power data.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) is on a new bike this year but has kept his beloved fi'zi:k Pavé saddle.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
SRAM Red calipers handle stopping duties at both ends.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
The wishbone-style seat stays on the Cervelo S3 have an impressively slender profile.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
A red-anodized Rotor chain watcher provides a bit of insurance.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Camelbak continues to provide the team with bottles.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Like most SRAM-sponsored pro riders, Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) has opted for the quieter-running PG-1070 cassette.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) sticks with Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-SL pedals but upgrades to the carbon model for 2011.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
The removable rear stop makes it easier to feed the rear brake cable through the top tube.(Image credit: Daniel Benson/Cyclingnews.com)
Bicycle manufacturers' encouraging claims about their frames' aero performance often fall on deaf ears as far as the general cycling public is concerned – after all, ten seconds here or there over 40km probably won't have much impact on whether or not you get home by dark.
But for a top sprinter like Tyler Farrar, small differences in aerodynamic drag can have a major impact when traveling at top speeds of around 70km/h (43.5mph). At that rate, aerodynamic drag is the most significant force opposing forward motion and half a wheel comprises a time difference of just 0.002s or so – or in other words, the difference between winning and second place, which to him is obviously a very big deal.
Farrar had passed over Felt's aero road bike option last season but has made the transition in 2011 with the switch to Cervélo bikes. An evolution of the earlier Soloist Carbon and SLC-SL machines, Farrar's new Cervélo S3 looks to offer the slippery profile to cut through the wind but also the stiffness required to harness the American's considerable power.
In many ways, Farrar's new S3 is somewhat of a hybrid of Cervélo's R-series and aero platforms, blending aero-profile shapes in the head tube, seat tube, down tube, and seat stays along with the excellent drivetrain efficiency and comfort of the R.
To keep frontal area low, though, the S3 sticks with a straight 1 1/8" steerer and hourglass-profile head tube. Clever internal cable routing feeds the derailleur lines into the top tube behind the stem where the air is already turbulent.
Despite all that surface area, claimed frame weight is still just 1,050g.
The recent team sponsor reshuffling also finds Farrar on SRAM instead of Shimano componentry, including the company's top-end Red group, with team-issue graphics on the carbon fibre DoubleTap levers and a steel cage on the front derailleur instead of the standard titanium one.
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As do most pro road riders we've seen, Farrar is also using the quieter-running PG-1070 cassette instead of SRAM's lighter – and tricker – PG-1090 PowerDome model. Rotor steps in with its meaty 3D machined alloy crank and round chainrings though, and both are connected with an SRM power measuring chainring spider.
Aside from the new brake hoods however, the rest of the 'touch points' on the bike are conveniently carried over from Farrar's previous setups. Still present are the fi'zi:k Pavé saddle, 3T bar and stem, and Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-SL pedals (albeit the new carbon fibre ones). Mavic continues on as the team wheel sponsor, too.
Camelbak and Arundel again provide the water bottles and cages respectively, and of course, Garmin's latest Edge 800 touchscreen GPS computer is perched atop the stem.
Total weight as pictured – and as quoted by team mechanic Kris Withington – is 6.80kg (14.99lb) on the nose.
Complete bike specifications
Frame: Cervélo S3, 56cm Fork: 3T Funda Team Headset: FSA Orbit IS-2 Carbon Stem: 3T ARX-Team, 120mm x -6° Handlebars: 3T Ergonova Pro Tape/grips: 3T Front brake: SRAM Red Rear brake: SRAM Red Brake levers: SRAM Red DoubleTap Front derailleur: SRAM Red w/ steel cage Rear derailleur: SRAM Red Shift levers: SRAM Red DoubleTap Cassette: SRAM PG-1070 Chain: SRAM PC-1091 Crankset: SRM PowerMeter Rotor 3D Standard, 53/39T Bottom bracket: Rotor Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-SL PD-7900 Wheelset: Mavic Ksyrium Elite Front tyre: Mavic Yksion Powerlink, 700x23c Rear tyre: Mavic Yksion Powerlink, 700x23c Saddle: fi'zi:k Pavé CX Seat post: Cervélo Aero SL Bottle cages: Arundel Mandible Computer: Garmin Edge 800 Other accessories: Rotor Chain Catcher
Critical measurements
Rider's height: 1.83m (6'0") Rider's weight: 74kg (163lb) Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 765mm Saddle setback (ask mechanic): 70mm Seat tube length, c-t: 535mm Seat tube length, c-c: 475mm Tip of saddle nose to C of bars (next to stem): 750mm Saddle-to-bar drop (vertical): 90mm Head tube length: 160mm Top tube length: 565mm Total bicycle weight: 6.80kg (14.99lb) as quoted by mechanic
