Pinarello has just overhauled its road range. Gone are the Prince (fast road) and Paris (endurance) models, replaced by the new F and X series. The F is there to cater to what Pinarello is dubbing its ‘Beat’ target market (as in beating other riders; competitive riding), while the X is there for ‘Play’ (as in… uh… play; playing). Head to our new-Pinarello news piece to see all the inner machinations of both the new ranges.
I was lucky enough to escape the appalling January weather in the UK and head to Spain to see the full range in the flesh, and spend some time aboard an F7, kitted out with the Shimano Ultegra Di2 build.
I will, in time, have a full review to regale you all with, but after 80 lumpy, demi-mountainous kilometres, plus another 20 cruising along the seafront marinas (when in Rome…), I’m ready to share my first impressions of a bike aimed squarely at the best road bikes segment.
Specifications: Pinarello F7
Price: £7,000 / $8,800 / €8,850
Frame: Pinarello F
Size: 56cm
Weight: Unspecified
Groupset: Shimano Ultegra Di2
Wheels: Most Ultrafast 40
Brakes: Shimano Ultegra
Bar/stem: Talon Ultra Light
Seatpost: Pinarello F
Saddle: Most Aircross
Design and aesthetics
I’ve never come across a company so openly devoted to the pursuit of aesthetic perfection. Sure, other companies make a point that they think its bikes are eye-catching and appealing, but this is the first time I’ve had a brand lead with the aesthetics. It is, according to the company’s Chief Marketing Officer, of equal importance to performance. That’s quite the claim for a company with such a stacked trophy cabinet. However, this is a new bike, and should be judged on its own merits, not on that of its forebears.
Still though, it’s a good-looking bike, right?
I get that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but even discounting the paint there’s something about the F frameset. In a world where many bikes are beginning to look the same, it’s charming to be presented with a distinctive silhouette. I will admit that it bears a striking resemblance to the Dogma F, but I also think it cuts a more refined figure too. The indent halfway down the downtube is gone, replaced by a neater ramp to a flat section. The fork and stays are more or less visually identical, but the seatpost blends much more into the frame thanks to the seatpost being flush with the seat tube at the…
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