New Pinarello F, New Carbon, Goes Narrow For More Aero Gains

Le Tour must be around the corner as we have more and more new bike tech offiicially announced. Today, it is the new Pinarello Dogma F, the brand’s premier race bike that we will see under the INEOS Grenadiers team. The new frame sees updates not only in design, but also in the carbon used in the layup.

In traditional Italian fashion, Pinarello combines performance and technology with a certain flowing beauty to the design. For 22 years, this has been the benchmark of the Dogma line, with the latest Dogma F as the ultimate balance of form and function.

A New Level Of Carbon

Starting from the material, Pinarello uses a new M40X carbon fiber from Japanese supplier Toray. This new material is exceptionally stiff, improving lateral stiffness over the T1100G1K aerospace carbon that was used in previous models. This allows Pinarello to create a stiff platform for efficient power transfer while keeping the frame light, dropping 108g over the previous model. Depending on the build kit, Pinarello claims weights of 6.63kg to 6.88kg for a size 53.

The New All-Arounder

While many brands chase trends to create bikes for specific situations, Pinarello goes all in on a bike that can climb in the mountains and fly on the flats. Look at the Tour for example. A stage is never just a climb up a mountain, riders still need to race through the valleys and down the descents. And on flatter stages, adding the light weight of a climbing bike, combined with an aerodynamic design means less work to to propel yourself forward.

When you look at this over the course of a ride, the INEOS Grenadiers’ performance team found that improvement in drag (CdA) were actually more important than weight savings. In reviewing Geraint Thomas’s performance data from the 2022 Tour de France, the used the average energy he was expending to look for improvements that could be made across different riding situations, like climbing, descending, and the flats. By improving aerodynamic drag of the frame by as little as 0.2%, it was the equivalent of dropping an additional 175g of weight. While that might not sound like much, incremental gains that are added up over time, help to create larger gains.

These gains were created by making small changes in the design of the frame. Pinarello started by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to test various changes before taking them to the wind tunnel to validate.

Narrow is Aero

From the front to the back, Pinarello reshaped the frame to give it a more narrow profile. While in the past, this could lead to flex in the frame, the M40X carbon helps to stiffen things up.

Starting at the head tube, they were able to trim the width by 8mm, helping to reduce frontal area. One of the ways they were able to do this is by changing the design of their internally routed headset. Previous editions of the Dogma F saw cable routing go to the side of the steerer tube. The new design brings cable routing forward to the front, allowing them to slim down the spacers as well. New bearings were also used, slimmer at the top, larger at the bottom. The headset and top cap assembly is also shorter, allowing for a lower possible position.

Moving back in the frame, the down tube has been redesigned to noticeably reduce its thickness, improving the frontal aerodynamic performance of the frame and reducing overall drag. At the bottom, the junction at the bottom bracket has been extended to create a keel effect, similar to on a boat. Pinarello claims this change alone improved aerodynamic performance of the bottom bracket area by 1.2% over the previous version.

The junction at the seat tube sees a slight change, a little less material at the junction, while the seat stays have also been slimmed down and smoothed out a bit compared to some of the wavy stays we have seen in the past. Pinarello sticks with their Asymmetric design though, accounting for the higher forces on the drive side.

The internal seat clamp has been moved to the back of the seat tube to help smooth out and slim down the junction of the seat and top tubes. The new design features two bolts on the seat tube, and helps to reduce weight. It also helps to reduce the amount of dust and moisture that can get into the frame.

The fork also sees changes, including slimming down, smoothing out, and flush mounted thru-axles. Following the design of the frame, the fork slims down to reduce frontal area. The distinctive ONDA fork has been straightened out just a touch and the rake has been increased from 43mm to 47mm to improve high speed handling. The threaded side of the fork has been smoothed out instead of seeing the end of the thru-axle poking through (also done one the frame). While this improves aerodynamics, it’s also an aesthetic touch. The fork also keeps the tabs at the bottom to improve the trailing edge at the axle.

The new Dogma F also uses a new Talon FAST bar and stem combination. The integrated cockpit is lighter and more aerodynamic, while also improving ergonomics. It allows riders to naturally run their levers turned slightly in for a safer aero position. Bars will be available in two configurations, Ultra FAST and Ultra Light. FAST will be available in 80-140mm stem lengths with 400-460mm widths from outside to outside at the drops. They are 60mm narrower at the levers with a 7 degree flare. Reach is 80mm and drop 125mm. Light will be available in 80-140 lengths and 420-460mm widths (with some exclusions). Lever widths are 40mm less with a 4 degree flare.

Builds

The Dogma F will be available in four different builds, and three total wheelsets. For a bike like this, you would expect nothing but premium groupsets, and that’s what you get. Two versions of Shimano Dura Ace Di2 will be offered, one with a power meter, the other a stock crankset. For SRAM, the latest Red AXS is used, while Campagnolo gets their Super Record Wireless. For wheels, all Shimano and SRAM options are available with DT Swiss ARC 1400 or Princeton CarbonWorks Peak 4550 wheelsets. The Campagnolo build is only available with their Bora WTO 45 wheelset.

I will say, if you need a small or large frame, Pinarello gives you plenty of options with sizes running from 42.5CM up to 60CM. Six colors will also be available, Luxter Red Gold, Edge Christal White, Luxter Venice, Luxter Blue, Black on Black, And Aurik Yellow.

The new Dogma F is available to order now through your local Pinarello dealer, and watch the INEOS Grenadiers team to see if it can help elevate them to success at the Tour de France.

www.pinarello.com