Cervelo R3 Frameset - 2009

Two wins at Paris-Roubaix, one second. That’s the Cervelo R3’s unparalleled record in the world’s toughest bike race. But to the pro team mechanics, more incredible than the victories is the fact there has never been any mechanical issue with an R3, even though it is the lightest frame to be used in that race. In a race where every manufacturer lies awake worrying the night before, that’s simply unheard of. Yet the R3 is much more than just a Paris-Roubaix frame.
 
Carlos Sastre (not exactly your prototypical Paris-Roubaix rider) uses it for most of the season as well. There is perhaps no better proof of the R3’s extraordinary performance than the speed with which several other bike companies try to copy its looks. But of course, the R3’s performance is more than paint-deep, and its superiority is safely stowed away in all its small details and proprietary lay-up designs.