The HB18 cockpit makes its debut on the R5. The geometry of the HB18 matches the same +4 design that is found on the S5, meaning if your hood width is 38cm, the drops will measure at 42cm. This keeps thing ergonomic and comfortable in the hoods while keeping you stable and giving you leverage while in the drops. It's also 134 grams lighter than the HB13/ST31 combo found on the last generation R5.

The R5's frame was slimmed down from predecessor. The tubing sizes were reduced resulting in a 46 gram weight savings. The fork also saw some updates to reduce its weight, the front brake was changed to a direct mount to save the weight of a brake adapter and the a new shape helps the fork saves 27 gram.

Cervélo's goal for the R5 was to make it the lightest, so every parts was met with scrutiny. The top cap, the seatpost, the seat post clamp, the saddle cradle, the derailleur hanger, the compression plug, the headset bearing caps, and more all we slimmed down to save as much weight as possible.