Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Pinarello recently dropped their latest superbike, the Dogma F10, to rave reviews. We wanted to spend some time in the saddle before proudly showing off our new fleet, and having crushed the Coast Ride on these brand new machines, we’re delighted to say that somehow our friends in Treviso have managed to improve on what was already the best racing frame that we’d ever seen.
At first glance, the F10 looks very similar to the old model. It’s all about evolution, rather than revolution. The familiar appearance belies some real improvements, however, and the new bike is stiffer, lighter and more aerodynamic than the bike that Chris Froome rode to victory in the 2016 Tour de France. Team Sky won 90 races with the F8, and it was the best-selling frame in Pinarello’s history, so it makes sense that they tweaked such a potent package, rather than opting for a dramatic departure.
“To the casual rider, the ride varies little from the F8—and that’s a good thing,” says Bicycling Magazine Mike Yozell. “The F8 was, and still is, one of the most excellent pure ProTour bikes available to the masses. Like the F8, the F10 has crisp (but not particular) steering, and an uncanny ability to slightly smooth the road.”
“The F8 was an incredible bike,” according to inGamba’s head honcho, João Correia. “We’ve ridden it all over the world, in all kinds of conditions, and it never failed to impress. It didn’t matter if you were an ex-pro or a novice rider, you could rely on its solid handling and depend on it being fast and fun.”
“Having just used the F10 on the Coast Ride with my buddy Ted King and a few guests, I was blown away with the way that Pinarello have somehow managed to make what I thought was the perfect frame even better. Now I can’t wait to get these things to Europe and see what it can do in the Dolomites.”
There’s high praise too from the ever-enthusiatic Eros Poli. “I love it! I already loved the F8. It was a great bike. A super bike. But now the F10 is fantastica. It is amazing how Pinarello, every time, can do better. I’m still climbing a little slow, but that’s not the bike’s fault! It’s so fast descending. I trusted this bike right away. Amazing. I’m very proud that this is from Italy, like me. And the Pinarello family are friends of mine, so I am super happy for them too.”
Perhaps the most notable change can be seen on the downtube, which is a lot chunkier on the F10, and borrows some ideas from the company’s lightening-quick Bolide TT frame. The increased diameter improves airflow around the water bottle cage, according to engineers, which is now slightly recessed into the frame. As a result, Pinarello claim an impressive 12.6% reduction in drag on the downtube, which is now lower than the F8, increasing stiffness by 7%. The F10 also takes some cues from Bradley Wiggins’ Hour Record bike, adding flaps behind the front dropouts to improve aerodynamics further by negating drag created by the wheel’s quick release. Overall weight is down 6%, and for those of you who enjoy running more rubber, you’ll be pleased to hear that the forks have been widened to make it easier to use larger tires.
Our fleet is armed with SRAM’s wireless eTap groupset – which looks and performs awesomely, FYI – and the company’s WiFLi rear set-up that accommodates a wider range of gears than a standard short-cage derailleur, offering the mountain-goat type of gear options normally only available on an unsightly triple chainring setup, but doing it in an elegant way that provides faster shifts and makes even the most gruelling mountain an achievable goal.
Couple that with wheels and finishing kit from Zipp, and the unbeatable grip of Vittoria’s beautifully handmade Corsa tires and you’ve got the ultimate road bike and the perfect companion for you on an unforgettable inGamba adventure. We cannot wait for the season to start!
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