CerveloZHT-5
road
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Origin
The ZHT-5 is Cervelo's first-ever mountain bike, announced in 2022. The brand best known for WorldTour road and triathlon bikes applied its aero-carbon engineering from the R5 to create a World Cup XC hardtail. The "squared maintubes" borrowed from the R5 climbing bike translate aerodynamic efficiency into XC stiffness-to-weight. Post-mount brakes, internal headset routing, and lifetime frame+wheel warranty mark it as a premium product aimed squarely at the World Cup XC grid.
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Specifications
- Frame
- Carbon fiber; squared maintubes derived from R5 road frame; pencil-thin seatstays for compliance; frame weight 907 g (size M), 810 g (S) to 895 g (XL)
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS 12-speed wireless; 32T chainring; 10–52T cassette; DUB threaded bottom bracket (top build); GX Eagle AXS on lower build
- Brakes
- SRAM Level Ultimate 2-piston hydraulic disc; 160 mm rotors front and rear
- Wheels
- Reserve 28 XC carbon wheels; 29"; Industry Nine 1/1 hubs (XX1 build); Reserve XC28 rims ~385 g each
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The verdict
+Strengths
- Frame weight of 907 g (medium) is class-competitive for a carbon XC hardtail at this price
- Road-derived tube stiffness translates into exceptional power transfer — sprinting feels direct and immediate
- Reserve XC28 carbon wheels are a serious performance asset, saving rotational weight on every pedal stroke
−Weaknesses
- No dropper post included (only routing) — a notable omission as XC racing increasingly embraces dropper standards
- Fixed-height carbon seatpost limits on-course flexibility in technical terrain
- Premium price puts it in direct competition with established XC specialists (Trek Supercaliber, Scott Spark RC) where Cervelo lacks MTB heritage
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Tags
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