{"id":42345,"date":"2022-10-04T09:01:04","date_gmt":"2022-10-04T07:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=699072"},"modified":"2022-10-04T09:16:16","modified_gmt":"2022-10-04T07:16:16","slug":"cervelo-releases-its-first-ever-mountain-bike","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/cervelo-releases-its-first-ever-mountain-bike\/","title":{"rendered":"Cerv\u00e9lo releases its first-ever mountain bike"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Stan Portus\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 04 October 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Cerv\u00e9lo has moved into the mountain bike market with the ZHT-5, a cross-country mountain bike<\/a> that prioritises low weight and efficiency.<\/p>\n

Cerv\u00e9lo says the ZHT-5 is \u201cpurpose-built\u201d for XC racing<\/a> and it will make its race debut at the first round of the XCO World Cups in Valkenberg, Netherlands, next May.<\/p>\n

The hardtail<\/a> frame is designed around a 100mm-travel fork and 29in wheels.<\/p>\n

Cerv\u00e9lo says it has kept the geometry \u201crationally progressive\u201d with a 68.5-degree head tube angle.<\/p>\n

The ZHT-5 is currently available in two builds with electronic drivetrains<\/a> from SRAM, but Cerv\u00e9lo says it can also be built with mechanical mountain bike groupsets<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The lower-specced ZHT-5 costs \u00a35,000 \/ \u20ac5,299 and the higher-specced model costs \u00a38,500 \/ \u20ac9,999.<\/p>\n

Why has Cerv\u00e9lo released an XC mountain bike?<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Milan Cader\u2019s Cerv\u00e9lo ZHT-5 in Jumbo-Visma livery.<\/span><\/figcaption> Cerv\u00e9lo<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Cerv\u00e9lo has released the ZHT-5 XC mountain bike with the ambition to be a leader in what it describes as the \u201cemerging multi-discipline movement\u201d.<\/p>\n

The brand says it sees a \u201cshift towards multidisciplinary racing\u201d, where professionals such as Tom Pidcock<\/a>, Mathieu van der Poel and Marianne Vos compete on the road and in XC mountain bike racing.<\/p>\n

Team Jumbo-Visma, who Cerv\u00e9lo provides with bikes, has also signed Dutch cross-country champion Milan Vader and the ZHT-5 will be the bike he will race at the 2024 Olympics.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The bike has 100mm of travel.<\/span><\/figcaption> Cerv\u00e9lo<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Cerv\u00e9lo says its trajectory in 2022 has been \u2018positive\u2019 and releasing an XC bike will help it sustain brand loyalty and growth.<\/p>\n

Cerv\u00e9lo is owned by PON Holdings, which also owns Santa Cruz, putting the brand in prime position to branch into cross-country mountain biking.<\/p>\n

Low weight and avoiding the \u2018lunatic fringe\u2019<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Cerv\u00e9lo says the ZHT-5 is fast downhill.<\/span><\/figcaption> Cerv\u00e9lo<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The ZHT-5\u2019s carbon fibre frame weighs a claimed 870g (size medium). Cerv\u00e9lo says this is competitive with XC bikes from top brands.<\/p>\n

For context, the claimed weight of the ZHT-5 is less than 50g heavier than similar hardtail cross-country race bikes from Canyon<\/a> and Orbea<\/a> and a bit further off the sub-800g claimed weight of the Specialized 2020 Epic HT<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cerv\u00e9lo says it has aimed to balance the low weight of ZHT-5\u2019s frame with the ability to descend confidently and aggressively.<\/p>\n

Cerv\u00e9lo hasn\u2019t gone into great detail on how it has achieved this balance, but it does say the ZHT-5\u2019s geometry avoids the \u201clunatic fringe\u201d of ever longer and slacker bike design, instead settling on a geometry that, the brand claims, keeps your weight centred and stable instead.<\/p>\n

Frame details<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Fewer holes will probably mean less mud and water ingress.<\/span><\/figcaption> Cerv\u00e9lo<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The ZHT-5 routes hoses and cables internally. Cerv\u00e9lo says this is to reduce cable exposure, adding that reducing the number of holes in the frame keeps weight low, presumably because there are no cable guides or plugs required if holes are not used.<\/p>\n

Cables and hoses run into the frame through the headset cover. Cerv\u00e9lo provides different headset cover parts for a variety of setups, including electronic or mechanical 1x drivetrains<\/a> and dropper post<\/a> cabling.<\/p>\n

The bike uses a 73mm threaded BSA bottom bracket and SRAM\u2019s universal rear derailleur hanger standard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Cerv\u00e9lo ZHT-5 geometry<\/h2>\n
<\/colgroup>
\ufeffSize<\/th>S<\/th>M<\/th>L<\/th>XL<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Seat tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>74<\/td>74<\/td>74<\/td>74<\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>69<\/td>69<\/td>69<\/td>69<\/td> <\/tr>
Chainstay<\/b> (mm)<\/td>430<\/td>430<\/td>430<\/td>430<\/td> <\/tr>
Bottom bracket drop<\/b> (mm)<\/td>62<\/td>62<\/td>62<\/td>62<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>377<\/td>433<\/td>485<\/td>519<\/td> <\/tr>
Effective top tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>582<\/td>608<\/td>635<\/td>666<\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube<\/b> (mm)<\/td>89<\/td>95<\/td>107<\/td>121<\/td> <\/tr>
Wheelbase<\/b> (mm)<\/td>1,090<\/td>1,116<\/td>1,145<\/td>1,177<\/td> <\/tr>
Stack<\/b> (mm)<\/td>606<\/td>612<\/td>623<\/td>636<\/td> <\/tr>
Reach<\/b> (mm)<\/td>409<\/td>433<\/td>457<\/td>484<\/td> <\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>