There is probably no manufacturer in the world that can present its new top model with more flowery words than Pinarello. At the official presentation at the foot of the Gardena Pass in South Tyrol, the Italians naturally put the technical updates of the new Dogma F in the spotlight. However, the traditional brand also emphasised that a racing bike should embody more. "The Dogma F combines aesthetic perfection with incredible performance and cutting-edge technology," says Fausto Pinarello, son of company founder Giovanni Pinarello: "Elegance is part of our DNA."
Pinarello Dogma F: The most important facts
- Weight of complete wheel: 6.6 to 6.9 kilograms (size 53, depending on equipment)
- Aerodynamics: 0.2 per cent less CdA than its predecessor
- Stack/Reach/STR: 562/389 millimetres/1.44
- Frame sizes: 43/46,5/50/51,5/53/54/55/56/57,5/59,5/62
- Prices: from 14500 Euro
Like its predecessor, the new racing machine looks as if it has been cast from a single mould. The trademark, the curved fork, remains largely unchanged, as do almost all components. At least at first glance. Only in a direct comparison of the two bikes do you notice minimal adjustments to the frameset: The fork and down tube have been slimmed down, the bottom bracket is now reminiscent of a ship's keel and the "nose" on the head tube is more delicate. The aim of the fine-tuning? Improved aerodynamics, of course.
According to the manufacturer, however, the drag coefficient (CdA) only improves by 0.2 per cent. This has hardly any effect on the aero performance in watts, which TOUR calculates on the basis of comparable CdA values. Compared to the predecessor, the performance "improves" by around 0.4 watts. The old model required 208 watts in the setup with 50 millimetre high carbon wheels from DT Swiss to overcome its own air resistance at 45 km/h.
The progress in terms of weight is somewhat greater. The frame set (frame, fork, handlebars) should weigh 108 grams less. According to Pinarello, the new carbon cockpit called Talon Ultra Fast alone saves 40 grams. In the lightest configuration and small frame size, the Dogma F should therefore be just under the UCI weight limit. The predecessor in frame size 55 weighed in at seven kilograms on the TOUR scales, with the frame weighing just under 990 grams and the fork 410 grams. The Italo racer thus remains true to its orientation as an all-rounder that is competitive in many racing situations.
Further details such as closed dropouts on the fork and rear triangle, a fully integrated seatpost clamp and new cable routing on the headset round off the discreet update of the Dogma F.
Test drive on the Sella Ronda
In addition to the presentation in the middle of the Dolomites, we naturally didn't miss the opportunity to test the new bike for the first time. On the Sella Ronda Bike Day course (53 km, 1650 metres in altitude), the Pinarello had to prove its climbing and downhill qualities. Temperatures around freezing point and rain-soaked roads were not the ideal conditions. However, the tour over the Campolongo, Pordoi, Sella and Gardena Passes confirmed the first impression. The new Dogma F rides like the old one: powerful and agile.
Uphill, our test rider never had the feeling that a lightweight specialist would perform noticeably better. The Pinarello accelerated excellently on the few flat sections. The steering behaviour is pleasantly balanced and somewhat more agile than the old Dogma F. At high speeds, however, the front felt a little nervous. Whether this is due to the influence of the wheels (Princeton Peak 4550) or weaknesses in the front stiffness will have to be clarified by a test in the TOUR laboratory. New carbon fibres (M40X) from the Japanese specialist Toray should actually result in a stiffer chassis, according to the Italians.
Despite the supple Continental tyres (5000 S TR, 28 millimetres), the suspension comfort is not the best, but it is decent compared to other competition bikes. The riding position remains race-like. Strong back and neck muscles won't hurt if you want to stay pain-free on long rides.
Pinarello Dogma F: Equipment and prices
The new racing machine is now available in seven equipment variants. The drivetrain options include the top groupsets from Campagnolo (Super Record WRL), Shimano (Dura-Ace Di2) and SRAM (Red AXS). Depending on the drivetrain, there are wheels from Campagnolo (Bora WTO 45), DT Swiss (ARC 1400) or Princeton (Peak 4550) in the frameset. The variety of sizes in fine increments from 43 to 62 is remarkable, but the prices are unfortunately astronomical. According to Pinarello, the "cheapest" complete bike is priced at 14500 euros, the frameset is offered for 6700 euros. The Italians did not provide a detailed price and equipment list.
Julian Schultz
Editor
