tested - iCycling.gr

road
tested
r i d d e n & r at e d
Rapidis s
We test six Italian thoroughbreds to sort the stallions from the ponies
CYP249.biketest 60
Photography: Steve Behr
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ITALIAN SUPERBIKES
simo!
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italian bikes are the
perfect choice for
social climbers
ITALIAN ROAD BIKeS
F
£2200-£2975 › When you’re stepping up your spending, Italian style will turn your head
ew countries are as passionate about
their cycling as Italy, the land where great
champions of pasta-powered pedalling
have played their part in the sport’s
history. The romance of these legends
and the charismatic performance of the bikes
they rode have always made Italian stallions
extremely sought-after beasts – but can our six
modern classics compete with the best from the
rest of the world?
There are certainly some characteristic
touches that separate this half dozen from a
more multicultural selection. At the risk of
stepping on Italian ‘aquiline nose’ stereotypes,
the average stem length here is much longer
than on most bikes, with stubbornly straight-line
handling to match. Modern economic
manufacturing realities also mean that not all
‘Italian’ bikes are actually made in Italy, with
some now being manufactured and shipped in
from the Far east.
Also, it seems that wherever it’s actually built,
a prestige Italian bike is going to demand a
premium. In other words, that green, white and
red tricolour on your frame means you may well
have to put up with traditionally budget frame
touches such as blunt, riveted cable guides and a
specification comparable with cheaper global
mainstream brands.
If you can put that aside though, these have
certainly proved a characterful and diverse group
during testing. Our six pack covers every bike type
from the comfortable Gran Fondo cruiser, through
entertaining all-rounders to resolutely focused
competition bikes.
There’s certainly no shortage of technology on
display here either. Whether it’s the distinctive
curvy ‘lady leg’ fork legs, cloverleaf tube profiles,
press-fit bottom brackets or Kevlar vibrationdamping panels, there’s enough individuality and
ingenuity here to occupy a lot of cafe stops or
mid-ride chats.
There’s a broad range of equipment on offer
too, with surprisingly few of the manufacturers
choosing to stay totally patriotic and stick with
homegrown Campagnolo equipment – although
most offer it somewhere in their ranges.
Without giving too much away, these bikes
also deliver a broad enough range of
performances to prove that there’s more to
successful design than just the place of origin.
The best bikes here still have their own
distinctive character but they are certainly
competitive with their peers the world over and
won’t shrink from going shoulder to shoulder
when the hammer goes down.
Some of the others are definitely less
impressive ambassadors though, proving that
choosing an ice cream name doesn’t always
scoop you a full-cream performance.
wHAT THe rATinGS MeAn
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
exceptional
A genuine class leader
VeRY gooD
One of the best you can buy
gooD
It'll do the job and do it well
beloW aVeRage
Flawed in some way
pooR
Simply put, don't bother
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?
ItaLIaN sUPerBIKes
HOw we TeSTeD THeM
Obviously, we ride them. a lot. But
there’s more. every bike that we test
is given a thorough shakedown in
our workshop – these are our top
five critical checks. First we check
the overall build quality and final
assembly detail: are the welds tidy?
are there bits of old bladder and
strands of uncompacted carbon
fibre left in the frame? is the BB
correctly tightened and greased?
then we weigh the frame and
fork, and check alignment: dropout
Workshop manager
george Ramelkamp
deconstructing the
bicycle for you…
and rear triangle alignment are an
indicator of frame-build quality, and
whether the bike will track straight.
We weigh the wheels (with wheel,
tyre, tube and cassette included).
Knowing the rotating mass helps in
understanding the overall bike
weight, and when comparing bikes.
lastly we look at the component
list. is that bottom bracket genuine
shimano, or just a generic clone? is
that inner chainring cheap and
heavy steel, or lightweight alloy?
YOUr TeSTerS
guy keSteven
Guy has been lusting
after italian road
bikes since he was a
lad, and 25 years of
serious riding since then make him
qualified to lead the team testing
these italian dream machines.
george ramelkamp
Workshop manager George has
toiled away in bike shops since he
was 16. He also had a racing habit
which took him from california to
Belgium in search of glory.
CArBOn
MOnO
wHAT?
blaDeD
spoke or frame tube with a flat section
to reduce aerodynamic drag.
cutaWaY
Frame tube that’s been carved into to
create extra clearance.
inteRnal cable
Routing
Gear or brake (or both) cabling is
routed inside the frame tubes for at
least some of the way.
Monocoque
Generally used to describe premoulded frame pieces as opposed to
traditional tubular construction.
tapeReD
Fork steerer and frame head-tube with
a bigger lower bearing than the upper
one to increase stiffness.
The BIKeS ON TeST
colnago clx 2.0
ultegRa £2799.95
Colnago is ‘The Don’ of
1 Italian road brands, so
basso laguna
ultegRa £2599.99
Basso has done its
4 homework with a top
we’re hoping that the CLX 2.0
Ultegra will be a bike that
garners the necessary
respect from the upstarts of
the global cycling syndicate
quality frame feel – we find
out whether the ride
character of the whole bike
undermines or enhances its
underlying class
pinaRello fp
quattRo teaM
sKY ultegRa £2869
Rossin zenith
£2975
This long-established
2 brand, given a new
Rossin’s SRAM Red-
5 equipped racer looks
injection of fame from
Bradley and co, will be hoping
to prove that the Sky Ultegra
is the limit
great value on paper, but
does top kit for the cash
compromise the overall
charisma of this lightweight
all-rounder?
bianchi infinito
105 £2200
cinelli saetta
spRint athena
£2579.99
One of the classic
3 names and a
long-haul frame we’ve loved
before, but how does the
Infinito compare with its
peers when the pressure is
piled on?
Curvy lines flow right
6 through Cinelli’s
acronym-infested frameset,
with the ‘progressive flexion
control’ curve promising a
comfortable ride
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the rear section of
the frame is bonded
to the oversized bb at
the chainstays
the clx 2.0 shares
the stage-winning
cx-1’s signature
cloverleaf tubes
full italian riding kit
an optional extra
COLNAGO CLX 2.0 ULTeGRA
C
£2799.95 › Will the mid-range CLX 2.0 Ultegra live up to Colnago’s premium reputation?
olnago is probably the most
recognisable of all the Italian
bike brands, and the mid-range
CLX 2.0 is a very charismatic bike
with a premium feel and enough
details to ensure pride of ownership.
The Alfa carbon one-piece front triangle
shares a lot of similarities with the £2400
CX-1 frameset, including the signature
cloverleaf tubes. You get smoother-riding
leaf-shaped rather than rectangular
chainstays and external cable routing on
brakes and gears. Seven sizes and three
stock colour schemes (plus further
options) mean anatomic and aesthetic
tastes are very well catered for too.
From the off, the CLX 2.0 shows why
Colnago has the premium reputation it
does, with an immediately confident and
surefooted feel. A resolute but not jarring
connection through every contact point
we SAY...
highS Good
looking and great
riding bike with
superb high speed
poise and purposeful
power delivery.
Reasonable kit for a
cognoscentirespected brand too.
loWS Firmer ride
feel makes it more
Grand Prix than Gran
Fondo and you’re
paying a premium for
the name.
buy iF... You want a
bike that shows
exactly the poise,
purpose and collar
and cuffs styling that
makes Italian stallions
so sought after.
SPeCiFiCATiOn Weight 7.96kg Frame Carbon monocoque
Fork Carbon gearS Shimano Ultegra brakeS Colnago WheelS
Fulcrum Racing 5 highlightS Colnago bar, stem and aero seatpost
Despite a narrow bar and long stem, it’s
gives a sense of pedigree and purpose.
equally unfazed by wet, greasy corners.
The carbon FSA cranks deliver your power
This confidence soon translates into
directly through the deep section, multilobe chainstays to the tarmac. You can put tighter cornering, first-to-the-bottom
racing and a general bully boy attitude
down plenty of wattage without
whenever your ride dives into the
worrying about the bike jumping
wOrKSHOP
ballistic zone.
and kicking around, though, and
View...
The CLX 2.0’s top
This gung-ho feel does
it never shrank from the
carbon frame build
come at the expense of
inevitable village sign sprints.
quality is as smooth and
neatly finished on the
featherbed comfort, and while
Its rock-solid response and a
inside as it is on the
it’s
never uncomfortably harsh,
well-shaped bar meant we
outside
it’s definitely a more spartan,
were happy to spend a lot of
firm ride than the more cruisey
time in the drops, maximising speed
options here. The naturally predatory
gains from the bladed spokes and
position can become tiring on longer rides
cutaway aero seat-tube and seatpost that
if you’re not used to it, although anyone
Colnago has slipped into the mix.
Touches like the colour-coded and
looking for a charismatic competitor with
confidently powerful Colnago logo brakes
real pedigree will love the CLX 2.0.
and a top-quality Colnago/Prologo saddle
all add to the desirability and ride quality
VerDiCT the clX offers a
of the CLX 2.0. The Fulcrum Racing 5
surefooted and aggressive ride
wheels are relatively light and certainly
with neat componentry
don’t dull the CFX’s responsiveness when
rATinG ★★★★★
the gradient or riding pace goes up.
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the head-tube
features a reinforcing
bulge and a tapered
headset
the rear seat and
chainstays share the
asymmetric design of
the top-end Dogma
PINAReLLO FP QUATTRO
W
£2869 › Its big brother is ridden by Mr Wiggins, but does the Quattro have all mod cons?
hether you like the Team
Sky paintwork option on
our test bike or prefer
one of the other palettes
available for the FP
Quattro, there’s no doubt that having
Wiggins and co aboard Pinarellos has
spread the recognition of this prestigious
brand beyond the tifosi, the Italian fans. Its
outstandingly surefooted and inspiring
ride proves that it’s well worth the
attention of more aggressive riders too.
The FP Quattro shares some design
elements – such as asymmetric offside/
driveside tube profiling – with the top end
team issue Dogma. Within a few metres
of clipping in, it’s obvious the ride is a rock
solid, maximum confidence platform to
base your riding or even racing ambitions
on too. While the relatively weighty
Pinarello sub-brand ‘Most’ componentry –
we SAY...
highS Superbly
surefooted and
confident handling,
muscular power
delivery and fine-fit
sizing options.
loWS heavy ownbrand wheels hold
back its full potential
on climbs and sprints,
and it’s a racer’s
machine so long ride
comfort suffers.
buy iF... You’re a
combative and
competitive rider who
doesn’t mind paying a
slight premium in
order to get a true
Italian thoroughbred
SPeCiFiCATiOn Weight 8.36kg Frame 30hM 12K carbon
monocoque Fork Carbon gearS Shimano Ultegra brakeS
Shimano Ult WheelS Most Wildcat highlightS Most bar & stem
particularly those with straight steerers –
particularly the wheels – make it the
swerved and wobbled as weather
heaviest bike here, actual chassis weight
is reasonable, and lighter wheels and tyres worsened or descents steepened, the FPQ
never flinched, with an inexorably planted,
are a simple upgrade.
focused feel wherever we took it.
The real value of the Pinarello comes
Through tight cornering the
from its passionate ride feel, not
wOrKSHOP
handling is outstanding too,
from weight and wallet-related
View...
The FPQ has a unique
dropping into decreasing
comparisons. Press on the
but inconvenient press-fit
radius turns without a trace of
pedals and the seriously
fork assembly, and an
unmistakably Italian
nerves. Its thuggish attitude to
oversized, muscularly shaped
36x24tpi by 70mm
conceding
sprints or getting
down-tube teams up with the
bottom bracket
knocked off line does have some
big, press-fit bottom bracket
impact on ride quality. It’s not
block and super thick chainstays to
enough to make you think about getting
quickly negate the weight. There’s enough
better padded shorts as soon as you set
give in the frame to keep the rear tyre
off, but you’ll be a lot more aware of the
glued down under hard kicks, and when it
came to mid-ride sprints we were always
road surface and accumulated miles than
be glad to be on the FP Quattro.
on the milder mannered bikes here.
The tapered front end with reinforcing
bulge around the 1¼in lower bearing and
VerDiCT the gladiatorial feel
the distinctive wavy-legged Onda fork,
makes the pinarello a dynamic
proven on Pinarello’s high-end Paris bike,
ride despite the heavy wheels
creates an equally surefooted feel up
rATinG ★★★★★
front. While other bikes in the test –
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ITALIAN SUPERBIKES
Within a few metres of
clipping in, it’s obvious
the ride offers a rock
solid, maximum
confidence platform
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cables are internally
routed throughout the
infinito’s main frame
Kevlar panels in the
seatstays dampen
vibration
the infinito’s flex
creates a comfortable
and fluid ride feel
BIANChI INFINITO 105
O
£2200 › Bianchi’s been building brilliant bikes for over 125 years – no pressure then
ne of the legendary names of
Italian bike building, Bianchi
has been peddling cycles since
1885. Italian greats such as
Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi,
Moreno Argentin, Gianni Bugno and Marco
Pantani have all raced the distinctive
celeste (turquoise) bikes, although the
Infinito is a more relaxed Gran Fondo bike
rather than a Grand Tour contender.
The frame has a correspondingly much
thinner and more graceful look than the
other bikes here, with the tall, 185mm
head-tube reinforcing the cruising intent
behind its ‘Coast to Coast’ decals. Tapering
tubes include Kevlar vibration-damping
panels in the fork blades and seatstay
ends. Bianchi fans may be disappointed
that the signature celeste colour is
restricted to a few frame swatches,
‘custom’ decal FSA finishing kit and anti-
we SAY...
highS effortlessly
relaxed and very
comfortable cruiser
with a matching high
rise position and
rattle-hoovering
components and
composite inserts.
loWS The softly
sprung feel and heavy
wheels dull dynamic
feel for more
aggressive riders. Kit
value is low too.
buy iF... You want a
legendary Italian
name on a super
comfortable ‘Coast 2
Coast’ cruiser rather
than a passionate
podium hunter.
SPeCiFiCATiOn Weight 7.43kg Frame Carbon monocoque
Fork K-vid carbon gearS Shimano 105 brakeS Sh 105 WheelS
Fulcrum Racing 7 highlightS Bianchi by FSA bar, stem & seatpost
laser accurate attitude to cornering and,
cable rub tubes – and we weren’t keen on
when you put the power down, there’s a
the big black and white ‘Star Wars
bouncy, soft carpet feel which isn’t helped
Stormtrooper’ cable adjuster blocks that
by the weighty Fulcrum Racing 7 wheels
interrupt the clean, internal cable routing.
and overall bike weight.
There’s nothing malevolent or
Once you’ve spun it up to speed
imperious about the ride of the
wOrKSHOP
though it’s the least likely to
Infinito though, with the organic
View...
All-internal cabling
rattle you out of your rhythm
looking tubes building into a
mercifully provided
or give you a bad back. As the
naturally sprung and
with removable access
panels, requiring a 2mm
flex is throughout the bike
compliant ride that places
Allen and a Phillips
rather
than from just one
comfort first. Fizik’s Aliante
screwdriver
element it’s a more balanced
saddle and an FSA carbon bar
and predictable ride than some of
noticeably reduce general vibration
the others here. That means once you’ve
levels over every ride surface, and the
learnt to trust it it’s perfectly happy
Infinito even took our sections of test
cobbles and cratered back road in its easy, swooping and swinging through country
stable-steering stride.
lanes all day long, aided by Shimano’s
If you’re used to a more direct,
105 transmission and FSA compact crank.
aluminium-framed ride or you like your
bikes sharp then the amount of fluidity
VerDiCT Bianchi delivers a
between tarmac and rider can create a
beautifully buoyant ride for more
slightly uneasy ‘icy road’ feel until you’re
relaxed, long distance riders
used to trusting the bike. The tall head,
rATinG ★★★★★
soft fork and long stem give it a less than
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the aero top, anatomic
drop bar split
testers’opinions
the huge down-tube
changes from a round
to a squarer cross
section at the bb
using a press-fit
bottom bracket
makes for a super
rigid structure
BASSO LAGUNA ULTeGRA
B
£2599.99 › Basso has a lower profile than other brands but is that about to change?
asso frames are nothing to do
with current Italian favourite
Ivan. They’re the work of Alcide
Basso, brother of 1972 World
Champion and multiple Grand
Tour stage winner Marino Basso.
There are no elaborate acronyms on the
carbon monocoque frame to hint at the
Basso’s ride, but it wears its character very
clearly on its sleeve as soon as you clip in.
A buoyant ride feel is obvious immediately
as it surges forwards on the pedals like
you’re surfing down the front of a wave.
The frame and wheels feel very light,
with hard and sharp feedback through the
pedals but surprising amounts of comfort
in the saddle. One tester accurately but
slightly incongruously described it as like a
meringue: light and fluffy in the centre
with just the right amount of crispiness
around the outside. The Ultegra-based
we SAY...
highS Lightweight
frame and fork with a
distinctively buoyant
yet responsive ride.
Comparatively decent
spec for the money.
loWS The flexy,
duck and dive front
end undermines the
enjoyable confidence
of the rest of the bike.
Several of our testers
would change the bar
straight away.
buy iF... You’re a
relaxed rather than
aggressive rider
looking for a light and
enjoyably floated
frame and fork
carrying a decent
component spec.
SPeCiFiCATiOn Weight 7.88kg Frame Carbon monocoque
Fork Carbon gearS Shimano Ultegra brakeS Sh Ult WheelS
Mavic Ksyrium equipe highlightS Microtech bar, stem & seatpost
transmission makes the Laguna one of the perfect wind conditions. It ducks and dives
a lot out of the saddle too, which can
better specced bikes here too.
create a really disconcerting weave at
Unfortunately the tall, straight-steerer
slow climbing speeds.
front end isn’t as sorted and sweet in feel.
While carbon fibre is a bonus in the
It soaks up bigger, more rounded lumps
cockpit compared with the other
and bumps very well, to the point
wOrKSHOP
bikes here, the pronounced aero
where we only knew we were
View...
Replacing a rear brake
top/anatomic drop handlebar
going over some speed bumps
cable? Break out the
because of the painted lines,
keyhole surgery tools, as no was definitely a love/hate item
internal guide or access
for our test team – stem
but the bar and fork chatter
ports have been
length
and bar shape are
badly over harsh, frostprovided
something you can change very
damaged surfaces, and lights
easily though. This means that if you
mounted on the bar shook
can sort out the front end, the splendid
noticeably on fast descents during
frame feel of the Laguna is certainly
nocturnal testing sessions.
Flex in the fork legs and front end of the something worth working with as the
frame combined with the long stem make basis for a sharp-accelerating but smooththe steering remote and nervy too. The
cruising all-rounder.
tall front end reduces weight on the front
tyre, making traction feedback much more
VerDiCT Great potential but
vague than at the rear, despite the grippy
the front end doesn’t deliver as
Michelin Pro 3s, so it took us a while to
well as the rest of the frame
build up the nerve to unzip jackets and
rATinG ★★★★★
fish food out of pockets in less than
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ITALIAN SUPERBIKES
The frame and wheels
feel very light, with
sharp feedback through
the pedals but surprising
amounts of comfort
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Reinforcement where
the two main tubes
meet keeps the front
end tight
the 3t bar and stem
combo keeps the
italian theme
the zenith is a light
and responsive bike
with some great kit
on board
ROSSIN ZeNITh
M
£2975 › The most expensive bike here, but the Zenith is dripping with high end kit
ario Rossin started building
bikes back in 1973, and
with top riders like hennie
Kuiper, Roger De vlaeminck
and Moreno Argentin on
the roster, the company soon developed a
big presence on the race scene. The Zenith
is an impressive value all-rounder.
Although this is the most expensive of
the six bikes, the frame, at £930, is one of
the more affordable, and apart from the
external cable routing it’s well detailed.
Using a ‘bi-modular’ monocoque
technique, the front and rear halves are
moulded separately and then bonded
together. The geometrically shaped tubes
use reinforcing webs and buttresses at the
junctions and the top-tube wraps round
the seat-tube, while the fork blades and
rear stays are inwardly curved and deeply
indented. It’s available in white or red,
we SAY...
highS Neutral ride
won’t set your world
on fire but it won’t
burn you either.
Affordable frameset
means lots of top end
kit for a reasonable
price.
loWS Basic ride
feel means overall
character is adequate
rather than truly
aspirational.
buy iF... You want
to roll out some
Italian heritage
without sacrificing
component value for
money.
SPeCiFiCATiOn Weight 7.16kg Frame Rossin 12K carbon fibre
monocoque Fork Carbon gearS SRAM Red brakeS SRAM Red
WheelS Mavic R-Sys highlightS 3T bar/stem, Selle Italia saddle
sections, although there’s still a fair
although the external cable guides are a
amount of buzz coming through the
budget giveaway.
superlight SLR saddle and the alloy 3T bar.
The payback comes when you look at
The combination of very narrow
the spec options. The basic Zenith with
400mm bar and long 125mm stem is
Campagnolo veloce and Mavic Aksium
definitely an unwieldy one,
wheels comes in at £1475, but
wOrKSHOP
particularly if you get out of the
with full bling spec our Zenith is
View...
The Rossin’s seat-tube
saddle. even when we tried out
the priciest on test. SRAM Red
is internally sleeved
and Mavic R-Sys components
with an aluminium insert, a shorter stem, we still
which adds durability
couldn’t shake off the
carve a huge chunk off the bike
to a popular carbon
conclusion
that while the
weight to make this the
trouble spot
chassis is an affable and
featheriest of our six by far.
enjoyable all-rounder, it’s essentially
The difference in responsiveness
an average bike wearing aspirational kit.
is palpable too, with a very encouraging
There are plenty of riders happy to take
eagerness when you up the ante, and an
that tack though, and for them this is
aggressive attitude to altitude gain as
well. It’s stiff enough to make good use of
clearly the best value component
the wattage you supply and it tracks
clotheshorse here.
accurately enough to keep you connected
and informed as to what the tyres are
VerDiCT Good value, light and
doing. Classic 73° parallel geometry
responsive but ultimately a
makes for a balanced base ride, and the
modest frame with lots of bling
hollow carbon spokes of the R-Sys wheels
rATinG ★★★★★
take some of the sting out of rougher road
Middle pic – 3t bar
the ita
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Machined slots in the
dropouts reduce
weight
the cinelli gets a tall
head-tube and
columbus fork
CINeLLI SAeTTA SPRINT
S
£2579.99 › Sprinkled with techy sounding words, but does the Sprint live up to the talk?
pawned by pro rider Cino Cinelli
in the immediate post-war
period, Cinelli has always been
among the most iconic and
pioneering of Italian bike brands.
The curvaceous Saetta proves that it’s still
among the best, even if its Sprint moniker
is marred by wheel choice.
A noticeably sprung feel is the first
obvious trait from the frame, thanks to the
‘progressive flexion control’ curve that
forms a leaf spring effect through the toptube and wishbone seatstay. This doesn’t
just smooth out road shock, it also creates
a difficult to describe but plain to feel
sensation of momentum surge between
accelerations, like a slight tailwind/
downhill. Despite the spindly retro looks of
the chainset, the octagonal down-tube,
big bottom bracket and chainstays mean
the bike still climbs and accelerates
we SAY...
highS Columbus
carbon fibre frame
manages to be both
buoyantly sprung and
power efficient, with a
light but enjoyable
handling character.
loWS heavy
wheels dull its
responsiveness, and
frame fixtures and
some components
are disappointing for
the money.
buy iF... Overall
ride quality and
aesthetic appeal
matter more than
detail and you don’t
mind upgrading to
release the bike’s full
potential.
SPeCiFiCATiOn Weight 8.2kg Frame Columbus carbon
monocoque Fork Columbus Solida carbon gearS Campagnolo
Athena brakeS Campag Athena WheelS Campag vento Reaction
favourite descents, however wet and
enthusiastically. heavy wheels mean it’s
greasy they got.
not as sharp and firm in its progress as
While blunt, riveted guides for the
the most solid bikes here when torque
rises and cadence drops, but it’s no noodle external cable routing don’t exactly purr
‘premium product’, the sleek lines drew
either, whether you’re spinning in-theadmiring comments, and there
saddle or stomping and
wOrKSHOP
was a lot of praise for the
shouldering a big ratio over the
View...
Features clever
Campagnolo Athena groupset
top of a climb.
removable slotted
While the tall head-tube
external cable guides. New too, particularly among those
Power Torque crank arms
old enough to have grown up
and straight-steerer Columbus
require a special new
gazing
lustfully at Cinelli’s
fork mean it’s not anchored to
tool… of course!
radical 1980s Low Pro frames.
the ground like the Colnago and
It would definitely benefit from a
Pinarello, overall balance is good
smoother shifting genuine Campagnolo
and there’s enough feedback to foster
cassette than the Miche one here though,
trust. As a result it definitely doesn’t feel
and it’s gagging for a lighter set of wheels
as nervous as some of the other bikes
here when turning into corners or hitting
to set free its underlying acceleration and
muddy, post-flood sections on back roads.
altitude gain potential.
Despite average rather than high
traction tyres, the light feel never strayed
VerDiCT smooth charisma
the wrong side of the vague line either,
and spirited performance with
and our confidence increased steadily as
plenty of upgrade potential
we spent more time riding it, until we
rATinG ★★★★★
were happily diving and duelling on our
74 | June 2011 | CYCLING PLUS
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ITALIAN SUPERBIKES
A noticeably sprung feel
is the first obvious trait
from the frame, thanks
to the ‘progressive
flexion control’ curve
CYCLING PLUS | June 2011 | 75
CYP249.biketest 75
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road
tested
r i d d e n & r at e d
The Cinelli is as charming
as the smoothest-tongued
waiter and as full blooded
and powerful as a chianti
the verdict
winner › cinelli saetta sprint A beautifully buoyant and effortlessly sprung ride
A
nyone with an appreciation for
the history of bike racing will
understand the real sense of
excitement we felt about
testing these bikes – and most
of them did the illustrious palmares of
their ancestors proud.
The Basso has real potential in its light
and lively frame feel, and for more relaxed
riders it’s a really enjoyable ride. Start
pushing it hard though and the supercomfy front end starts to feel worryingly
vague. The Rossin is well equipped
enough to stand alongside most
mainstream brands in a Top Trumps kit
comparison, but the neutral ride is much
less charismatic than the other bikes here,
so you’d be choosing it for gear not glory.
When it comes to character the Bianchi
is more of a Latin lover than a gladiator,
with a smooth, springy feel to the ride.
The relaxed attitude is obvious in the
pedalling and handling, and it is the least
expensive here – although that’s because
it has the most modest kit list. If you’re
after a more combative Roman to roam
on, both the Colnago and Pinarello are
extremely similar in their surefooted,
muscular and confident character, making
them an absolute pleasure to ride,
particularly when the pace goes up or the
road goes down. Despite a weight and
wheel penalty it was always the Pinarello
FPQ that pipped the Colnago CLX as our
testers’ pick whenever a flat-out sprinting
tear-up was on the cards.
One bike here managed to be as
charming as the smoothest-tongued
waiter and as full blooded and powerful
as a rich chianti. Cinelli’s Saetta Sprint is a
beautifully buoyant and effortlessly
sprung ride that’ll take mile after mile in
its stride. If you’re in the mood, though,
it’ll still play silly buggers on the descents
and contest impromptu sprints with
entertaining enthusiasm. You’re getting a
genuine slice of what makes Italian bikes
great, and it’s well worth upgrading too.
Roman roads not
required to enjoy
these machines
76 | June 2011 | CYCLING PLUS
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ITALIAN SUPERBIKES
colnago clx
2.0 ultegra
pinarello
fp quattro
bianchi
infinito 105
basso laguna
ultegra
rossin zenith
cinelli saetta
sprint
£2799.95
www.windwave.co.uk
£2869
www.yellow-limited.com
£2200
www.bianchi.com
£2599.99
www.bassouk.com
£2975
www.grupettoitalia.co.uk
£2579.99
www.chickencycles.co.uk
Size tested
52cm
56cm
57cm
58cm
L
L
Sizes available
42, 45, 50, 52, 54 ,57,
59cm
42, 44, 46.5, 50, 51.5, 53,
54, 55, 56, 57.5, 59.5,
62cm
47, 50, 53, 57, 59, 61cm
45, 48, 51, 53, 56, 58,
61cm
S, M, L, XL
XS, S, M, L, XL
Weight as tested
7.96kg/17.5lb
8.360kg/18.4lb no pedals
7.43kg/16.4lb no pedals
7.88kg/17.4lb no pedals
7.16kg/15.8lbno pedals
8.20kg/18.1lb no pedals
Frame weight
1165g/2.6lb
1310g/2.9lb
1150g/2.5lb
1346g/3.0lb
1310g/2.9lb
1210g/2.7lb
Fork weight
380g/0.8lb
540g/1.2lb
377g/0.8lb
385g/0.8lb
330g/0.7lb
400g/0.9lb
Frame/fork
Full carbon monocoque,
replaceable gear hanger.
Full carbon fork blades &
crown, 1 1/8in steerer
30HM 12K carbon fibre
monocoque, replaceable
gear hanger. Carbon fork,
1 1/8-1 1/4in steerer
Carbon fibre monocoque
Infinito K-Vid, replaceable
gear hanger. FF 35 K-Vid
carbon fork, 1 1/8in steerer
Full carbon B-Race
monocoque, replaceable
gear hanger. Carbon fork,
1 1/8in steerer
Rossin 12K carbon fibre
monocoque, replaceable
gear hanger. Carbon fork,
1 1/8in steerer
Carbon fibre monocoque,
replaceable gear hanger.
Columbus Solida carbon
fork, 1 1/8in steerer
frame
alignment
Good, head-tube perfect
Perfect head-tube, rear
triangle good, fork fair:
slight dropout
misalignment
Perfect
Perfect, rear triangle good
Perfect, fork good
Perfect, rear triangle good
Chainset
Colnago CKT1 compact
carbon by FSA, 172.5mm
arms, 50t/34t alloy rings
Shimano Ultegra 2-piece
compact 172.5mm arms,
50/34t alloy rings
FSA Gossamer Mega Exo
compact, 172.5mm arms,
50/34t alloy rings
Shimano Ultegra alloy
compact, 175mm arms,
50/34t alloy rings
SRAM Red 2-piece,
172.5mm carbon arms,
50/34t alloy rings
Campagnolo Athena
Power Torque 2-piece
compact, 50/34t rings
Bottom bracket
FSA external cups, sealed
cartridges
Shimano Ultegra external
cups, sealed cartridges
FSA Mega Exo external
cups, sealed cartridges
Shimano Ultegra external
cups, sealed cartridges
SRAM Red external alloy
cups, sealed cartridges
Campag Athena external
cups, sealed cartridges
Freewheel
Shimano Ultegra 12-25
10spd, steel cogs
Shimano Ultegra 12-25
10spd, steel cogs
Shimano 105 12-25
10spd
Shimano Ultegra 11-28
10spd, steel cogs
SRAM Red 11-23t 10spd
Miche 12-25 11spd
Chain brand
Shimano Ultegra 10spd
Shimano Ultegra 10spd
KMC DX10SC
Shimano Ultegra 10spd
SRAM 1090 10spd
Campagnolo Athena
Derailleurs
Shimano Ultegra short
cage, braze-on front
Shimano Ultegra short
cage, braze-on front
Shimano 105 short cage,
34.9mm clamp
Shimano Ultegra short
cage, braze-on front
SRAM Red, braze-on with
34.9mm clamp
Campagnolo Athena,
braze-on front
Gear levers
Shimano Ultegra STI
10spd, carbon lever
Shimano Ultegra STI
10spd, carbon levers
Shimano 105 STI 10spd
Shimano Ultegra STI
10spd, carbon levers
SRAM Red Double Tap
carbon integrated
Campagnolo Athena
Ergopower 11spd
Front & Rear
Fulcrum Racing 5, 20
radial spokes front, 24
2-cross radial rear
Most Wildcat, 20 radial
spokes front, 27 3-cross/
radial rear
Fulcrum Racing 7, 20
radial spokes front, 24
3-cross radial rear
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe, 18
radial spokes front, 20
2-cross/radial rear
Mavic R-Sys, 16 radial
spokes front, 20 radial
2-cross rear
Campagnolo Vento
Reaction, 24 radial front,
27 3-cross radial rear
Tyres
Michelin Lithion 2,
700x23
Continental/Pinarello
Special Edition Ultra Sport,
700x23
Vittoria Zaffiro Pro,
700x23
Michelin Pro 3 Light
Service Course, 700x23
Vittoria Rubino Pro,
700x23
Vittoria Zaffiro 700x23
Wheel weight
components
F 1140g R 1625g
F 1170g R 1680g
F 1225g R 1695g
F 1130g R 1540g
F 915g R 1320g
F 1320g R 1818g
Stem
Colnago Celsius SL by FSA,
120mm, O/S bar clamp
Most Tiger Ultra, 125mm,
O/S bar clamp
Bianchi by FSA OS-190LX,
12cm, O/S bar clamp
Microtech XL forged alloy,
120mm, O/S bar clamp
3T ARX-Pro, 12.5cm, O/S
bar clamp
Cinelli Graphis, 12cm, O/S
bar clamp
handleBar
Colnago Farenheit by FSA
carbon 42cm c-c
Most Xylon aluminium
42cm c-c
Bianchi by FSA SL-K
carbon 44cm c-c
Microtech XL 330 carbon
anatomic, 42cm c-c
3T Ergonova Pro shallow
anatomic, 42cm c-c
Cinelli Graphis alloy
shallow drop, 42cm c-c
Headset
Colnago integrated
1 1/8in aheadset
Integrated differential
1 1/8-1 1/4in aheadset,
sealed cartridges
FSA fully integrated
1 1/8in cartridges
Microtech integrated
1 1/8in aheadset
FSA integrated 1 1/8in
aheadset
Integrated 1 1/8in
aheadset
Saddle
Prologo Colnago Z3 T 2.0,
hollow steel rails
Most Ocelot, Ti rails
Fizik Aliante Delta,
manganese/steel rails
San Marco Ponza, steel
rails
Selle Italia SLR, vanox
steel rails
Selle Italia SL, hollow
manganese rails
Seatpost
Colnago carbon, aero
teardrop shape, 340mm
Most Tail C carbon & alu
31.6x300mm
Bianchi by FSA carbon
31.6x350mm
Microtech XL carbon
31.6x350mm
Rossin carbon
31.6x350mm
Cinelli Graphis
31.6x350mm aluminium
Brakes
Colnago X-Brake One
Shimano Ultegra
Shimano 105
Shimano Ultegra
SRAM Red
Campagnolo Athena
Skeleton
Accessories
None
None
Bottle and cage
None
None
None
Transmission
Wheels
Cockpit 69.5cm
Fork offset
4.5cm
BB height 27.5cm
41.2cm
Trail
6cm
100cm
49cm
Fork offset
4.5cm
BB height 26cm
41cm
100.5cm
52cm
40.8cm
Mounts:
2 bottle
Fork offset
4.5cm
BB height 26.5cm
99cm
Mounts:
2 bottle
49cm
Fork offset
4.5cm
BB height 25.5cm
40.6cm
Trail
6cm
73˚
73.5˚
53cm
40.6cm
Mounts:
2 bottle
Fork offset
4.5cm
BB height 26.5cm
100cm
Trail
6cm
99.5cm
Cockpit 72.5cm
Standover 82.0cm
57.5cm
Bike dimensions
73˚
73˚
73˚
Cockpit 73cm
basso laguna
Bike dimensions
pinarello fpQ
Cockpit 71.5cm
Standover 80.5cm
56.5cm
73˚
Trail
6.3cm
Bike dimensions
Mounts:
2 bottle
Six ultimate
sportive bikes,
one winner!
Standover 78.5cm
56cm
Trail
5.7cm
Standover 78cm
55cm
Bike dimensions
49cm
73.5˚
rossin zenith
Mounts:
2 bottle
72.5˚
cinelli saetta
73.5˚
NEXT MONTH
Cockpit 72cm
Standover 79cm
56cm
Bike dimensions
73˚
Bianchi infinito
Bike dimensions
colnago clx
Cockpit 71cm
Standover 78.5cm
54.7cm
73˚
73˚
46cm
40.8cm
Mounts:
2 bottle
Fork offset
4.5cm
BB height 26.2cm
98.5cm
Trail
6cm
We’re taking six fantastic
race-bred sportive
machines to the hills for
next month’s big bike test.
As our benchmark we’ve
got the classic and brilliant
£1700 Specialized
Roubaix, and we’re pitting
it against five great bikes
we think can rival it. Next
issue, find out which is the
fastest and most
comfortable ride for your
big day out.
CYCLING PLUS | June 2011 | 77
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