Italian road bikes: these are the test models
Short and sweet
Although there is currently not a single Italian team in the World Tour, five teams are travelling with equipment from Italy. No nation has more equipment suppliers. In addition to Bianchi, Colnago, Pinarello and Wilier, De Rosa is also represented at this year's Giro d'Italia. The former Cofidis sponsor is equipping a second-class team that was invited to the first race highlight of the season as a wildcard.
Italian road bikes: The test field
They still make it. Italian racing bikes still exude a special grandeur in 2024. Many cyclists and cycling fans associate the racing models of the major brands with far more than just a means of transport or professional work equipment. A Bianchi, Colnago, Pinarello or Wilier stands for tradition, passion and beauty. They are status symbols. Bicycle instead of Ferrari! But are the bikes technically up to date? On the occasion of the 107th edition of the Giro d'Italia, we looked into this question and scrutinised the current professional equipment from bella Italia. The bikes correspond to the work equipment of the five World Tour teams that are riding Italo racers this season.
While Colnago with the V4Rs and Pinarello with the Dogma F only have one versatile bike in their range and equip the teams UAE Emirates around exceptional rider Tadej Pogacar and Ineos Grenadiers around former star Geraint Thomas, Arkea-B&B Hotels, Astana Qazaqstan and Groupama-FDJ each have two alternatives from Bianchi and Wilier at their disposal. Although the Arkea pros mainly rely on the aerodynamically superior Oltre RC for racing, we sent the lightweight Specialissima RC to the test, as Bianchi was unable to honour our test invitation.
Wilier supplied an original FDJ team version of the fast Filante SLR. All bikes underwent our tests in the laboratory, wind tunnel and on the road. However, due to the unequal conditions, we have decided not to give a TOUR grade and instead categorise the professional bikes according to their strengths in racing: Which model is predestined for long solo escapes? Which bike is best at putting the horsepower on the tarmac in sprints? Which bike offers advantages in the mountains? Which bike offers the greatest comfort on long race days?
Italian road bikes: all-rounders vs. specialists
The four candidates are close to each other in terms of their capabilities, although the bikes of the stars naturally have different priorities. The gap is widest in terms of aerodynamic quality: the Pinarello comes out on top in this core discipline with 208 watts, clearly outperforming the Bianchi and Colnago bikes. The Arkea and UAE pros have to pedal almost 15 watts more to overcome the air resistance of the Specialissima or V4R. A clear material disadvantage that the faster Oltre should mitigate. But for Pogacar, this means significantly more work in almost all racing situations. The weak aero performance of the V4R cannot be ignored, especially during sprints or long solo rides.
A mortgage that Pogacar will have to make up for with his explosive riding style and tactical flair if he wants to achieve the double triumph at the Giro and Tour this year. To be honest, it must be admitted that the Slovenian has not found this particularly difficult in the first races of the season. Nevertheless, the shortcoming is also evident when compared to the bikes of other World Tour teams: the aerodynamically optimised Cervélo S5 of Jonas Vingegaard, who will not be racing in the Giro and is fully focused on the triple in the Tour of France, even saves 20 watts at race pace.
As the big tours are decided in the mountains, the weight of the bikes naturally also plays a role in competitiveness. Unsurprisingly, the Bianchi (6660 grams) comes out on top in this category. The test version without pedals and bottle cage is the only Italian racer to undercut the UCI weight limit; the Specialissima should weigh around seven kilograms ready to ride. In the age of disc brakes and electronic shifting, it could hardly be lighter.
Defects in torsional rigidity
Remarkable: The Wilier (6850 grams) is within striking distance despite its focus on aerodynamics, and the Pinarello (7030 grams) also achieves a good value. In the peloton, the Factor O2 VAM and the brand new Giant TCR Advanced SL are among the lightest mountain specialists. However, these models also remain predominantly on the support bikes, as they are lighter than the Ostro VAM and Propel Advanced SL lag behind aerodynamically.
Almost all four professional bikes share one weakness: they are not particularly torsionally stiff, as our measurements and comparisons with the competition showed. The Bianchi is also not particularly powerful. Lightweight contenders for overall victory on the tour will notice this less than sprinting speedsters, who have over 100 km/h on the speedometer on fast descents and might wish for more directional stability. Hobby riders rarely reach these limits, but depending on their body weight, they may be better off with more robust, torsion-resistant and more stable wheels.
Comfort and price
The Colnago is the only bike that stands out slightly in terms of comfort, which is not necessarily a strong point of bikes trimmed for speed. The comparatively filigree seat post noticeably minimises vibrations, allowing Pogi & Co. to stay fresh for longer and transfer power to the pedals more efficiently. There are no surprises when it comes to the riding position; the frame geometry and the long stems of some of the integrated cockpits stretch the upper body in a racing style. There are more comfortable alternatives for amateur athletes and more maintenance-friendly alternatives for amateur mechanics.
Despite all the "emotione" of the Italo racers, the bottom line is that they can't quite keep up with the high-end bolides of the competition. Not a major drawback in itself. After all, the circle of absolute top models is small. However, the extreme prices charged by the quartet for the competition bikes are worth discussing. Other well-known manufacturers also hang price tags on their racers that leave normal earners baffled and cannot be based solely on high development costs or exclusive materials.
In the case of the "Big Four" from Italy, however, there is a suspicion that they are deliberately playing with the myth of the traditional houses in order to make a profit. In any case, you will look in vain for clear unique selling points. As with the competition, the carbon framesets are manufactured in Asia, mainly in Taiwan. It is true that Bianchi, Colnago, Pinarello and Wilier are endeavouring to provide cheaper alternatives. Almost all manufacturers offer modified basic models for around half the price. However, these versions do not come close to the riding characteristics of the top models - and they are also comparatively expensive in their respective competitive environment.
Julian Schultz
Editor
