In 2016, Cervélo wowed the triathalon world with the reveal of the , an all-carbon speed machine that turned conventional bike design on its head. With internal cabling, a one-piece frame, built-in storage compartments, and an exceptionally high level of adjustability, it looks and—supposedly—rides different from any other triathalon bike on the market. It also costs quite a bit more. The Shimano build goes for $11,000 and the SRAM eTap build goes for $15,000.
Now, customers will now be able to purchase an even more expensive version of the P5X: a limited created in partnership with Lamborghini. The special-edition P5X is the same as its predecessor, but with a flashy yellow paint job designed by Lamborghini’s Centro Stile, the design lab that created the Huracán and the Aventador. The company made just 25 of these bikes, which will each retail for $20,000.
This is not the first time a bike company and a high-end car company have paired up to create some grotesquely expensive, flashy ride. Maclaren and Specialized teamed up in 2011 to create the ($20,000), and again in 2015 to create the McLaren Specialized S-Works Tarmac. In 2012, Factor Bikes collaborated with Aston Martin on the ($35,000).
Some of these collaborations led to real innovation. The Special-edition Tarmac was than its non-collab predecessor; and, at the time it was launched, the Aston Martin One-77 had one of the highest-tech of any bike on the market. As for the new Lambo bike, it’s seems not much is different besides the paint job, which boasts the car company’s signature Y-shaped logo. “This project unites brands that are passionate about world-class products and performance,” said Robert de Jonge, Cervélo’s managing director, in a press release. “Our triathletes lead the charge when it comes to racing, and now they can stand out from the crowd even more emphatically.” We reached out to Cervélo to learn more about the vision behind the new special-edition bike: is there a functional aspect to the collaboration or are the changes purely cosmetic? They didn't immediately respond to our questions.
If only bright colors and fast-looking logo could actually make you ride faster.