Some of the best road bike designs have, and continue to, come out of the country that is so in love with la bicicleta
Italy is home to many of the finer things in life. But it’s not all good food, delectable wines and high culture. Italy also makes some rather lovely bikes.
From classic steel frames to cutting-edge superbikes, there is an Italian road bike for every cycling fan.
So, with the Giro d’Italia now under way, here are five of the dreamiest Italian superbikes, starting with the latest in a long line of classics.
Colnago C68
While Tadej Pogačar chooses the lightweight aero V4Rs for road-racing duties, Colnago’s classic C Series range continues with the C68.
The C Series has been around since the radical C35 of 1989 and has seen eight iterations in the three decades since.
What’s most interesting about Colnago’s C Series road bikes is the construction method. The carbon frame uses a lugged design, which is pretty rare these days. The V4Rs and most other road bikes use a monocoque frame, but Colnago is still developing this carbon take on the traditional method for making steel bikes.
Whereas Colnago used to build its C Series frames with separate lugs joining each of the individual tubes, the C68’s new design is comprised primarily of a top tube that runs into the upper part of the head tube, a down tube that includes the main part of the head tube, a seat tube that now incorporates the bottom bracket shell and the rear triangle.
The design enables Colnago to offer tunable stack and reach figures for riders, or if that isn’t enough, you can go for fully customisable geometry, where 3D-printed titanium lugs are used instead.
As for prices, this is, unsurprisingly, in serious superbike territory, with the full-carbon frame priced at €5,650, the carbon/titanium frame costing €6,600 and complete bikes starting at €13,260.
Bianchi Specialissima RC
Bianchi’s latest Specialissima RC is a bike we’re very familiar with at BikeRadar, having recently reviewed the top-spec Dura-Ace version, complete with a video.
We think this is a bike that shows Bianchi refuses to be stuck in the past, making it one to watch.
The Specialissima used to be about skinny tubes and low weight, yet the last two editions have seen it transform into an aero-meets-lightweight road racer.
Many of the tube shapes resemble those of Bianchi’s dedicated aero bike, the Oltre RC. However, these have slimmed down and it’s clear the intention here is to be an all-rounder.
Eyes are drawn instantly to some of the bike’s features: the top tube that flows down then up; the head tube that hangs awkwardly over the top of the fork.
Bianchi also eschews the norm, splitting the down tube decals to include the usual brand name on the driveside. ‘Reparto Corse’ – the name for its racing department – is then splashed in big letters down the non-driveside.
The frameset is constructed, Bianchi says, from high-modulus carbon fibre. No details, however, are given about the frameset’s makeup.
The outgoing model used a slightly sloping top tube that flowed directly into the seatstays. Now though, the top tube weaves its way to the seat tube, where there is a drop before the angular seatstays connect.
There has been plenty of work done on the down tube too, with subtle aero channelling on the upper part of the forks.
Above this, you’ll find Bianchi has moved from FSA’s ACR headset system to Acros’ IS52 ICR design. Complementing the new front end is Bianchi’s own Reparto Corse carbon-integrated handlebar.
Bianchi claims this adds up to a UCI-illegal 6.6kg bike weight. It does, however, note a ＋/- 5 per cent tolerance to account for the range of frame sizes.
Our 55cm test bike, complete with bottle cages and an out-front mount came in at 6.75kg – pretty light.
So, will Bianchi’s latest lightweight race bike prove popular with the masses? We think it’s a brilliant bike to ride, but let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Wilier Superleggera
From the ultra-modern to what may be the prettiest bike available on the market today.
The steel Superleggera is a celebration of Wilier’s heritage, combining a classic Italian aesthetic with modern technology. But the first thing to catch our eyes was the incredible paint.
From the 1940s to the 1980s, when steel was real in the racing world, the Ramato finish was a signature feature of Wilier’s bikes.
To get this polished-copper effect, the frame has to be mirror-polished and then fully chromed, before a translucent paint layer is added. If that sounds complicated, it is. But in our eyes it’s worth the effort.
The Columbus SL Niobium steel frameset is handmade in Italy. It has a threaded steerer for the authentic old-school look, while the threaded bottom bracket offers modern compatibility.
The modern design continues with a choice of Campagnolo’s Centaur, Chorus or Record mechanical groupsets.
You can get the Superleggera as a frameset for your own build, but don’t you dare put anything other than Campagnolo on it or you’ll be drummed out of the espresso stop.
Record and Chorus bikes come with Campagnolo’s excellent Zonda wheels and 25mm Vittoria Zaffiro Pro 4 tyres.
Our suggestion for a truly beautiful build, however, would be to pair a set of Ambrosio Nemesis rims with Record hubs and tanwall FMB tubular tyres. Magnifico.
And, of course, this one is only available with rim brakes – ain’t that lovely.
Weight is hardly the primary concern of this bike, but the Superleggera is still impressively light. Our complete bike, in size 58cm as shown, weighs 8.92kg.
We’ll say it again, you can’t beat this bike for looks, but do you agree? If you think modern bikes are nicer to look at, then Wilier has a brilliant option, which we’ll come to in just a moment.
Pinarello Dogma F
First, though, we need to look at one of the most successful bike models in the world, that might be due an upgrade soon.
The Dogma F is a fully integrated design with cables almost entirely hidden from view and a one-piece proprietary cockpit that sits on an exceptionally beefy, straight 1.5in fork steerer.
At the back end, the seatstays extend away from the seat tube before heading towards the rear axle, rather than taking a direct line.
This is all to do with the aerodynamic development Pinarello has carried out. The brand says that while the F12 was already pretty aero, the F makes further savings, with the disc and rim brake models being 4.8 per cent and 3.2 per cent more aero than their respective predecessors.
For the Dogma F Disc, this translates to a 1.3-watt saving at 40km/h and a 2.6-watt saving at 50km/h.
While Pinarello is keen to stress that responsiveness and comfort matter more than shaving off a few grams, weight savings get a lot of attention. After all, weight savings are so deeply embedded in the cycling psyche, they are hard to ignore.
Pinarello says the Dogma F Disc’s frame kit (frame, fork, seatpost, cockpit) is 265g lighter in total, with key savings at the seatpost, headset and fork.
The Dogma F is one of the few top-end race bikes that is still available with rim brakes. But whether down to a genuine preference for the latest tech or sponsor pressures, the Ineos team made the switch to disc brakes a few years ago and hasn’t looked back.
We almost feel sorry for the bike that ends up under Filippo Ganna. The Ineos rouleur is one of Italy’s best riders, but man alive he can put out some power. Imagine how many chains he chews through each season.
To deal with pro power like Ganna’s, Pinarello says it made the bottom bracket 12 per cent stiffer than the Dogma F12.
But seeing as it was launched in 2021, we suspect a new version could be on its way soon. A big question looms over any new bike, however. The current model was still available with rim brakes, but will this choice be available to consumers going forward?
Wilier Filante SLR
While Wilier has heritage covered, it also has a fabulous race bike in the form of the Filante SLR.
But keep an eye on the bike of Mark Cavendish, because this one is another that’s due an update.
Released in late 2020, the Filante SLR is of the lightweight aero mould that we see so much of in today’s market.
A fully integrated front end means there isn’t a cable to be seen and aerodynamic tube shapes can be found throughout.
But Wilier never released any specific aero claims when it launched the bike, only promising it’s very fast both in the wind tunnel and the real world. You’ll just have to take Wilier’s word for it.
Should Cavendish get his hands in the air just once more, he’ll have surpassed the legendary Eddy Merckx for the all-time most Tour de France stage victories.
What a piece of history that would be for Wilier to be a part of.