Pinarello has done it again: Just when we thought they’d already created the perfect bike, they innovate and bring out an even better version.
The new Pinarello Dogma F with SRAM RED AXS will make up the new fleet of bikes on inGamba tours, and this new model truly will make you float up the hills and rocket down the flat roads and descents. And while it pulls together the best technologies to make a light, fast bike, it still keeps rider comfort top of mind, so if you prefer a more casual cruise up a winding mountain climb so you can take in the Italian countryside, you’ll be amazed by how smooth and comfortable each switchback feels.
The Pinarello Dogma F—the same bike ridden by WorldTour team Ineos Grenadiers for the past 16 seasons—represents the absolute gold standard for road bikes. There is no other bike touring company in the world that offers this level of bike. On other tours, even the bikes offered at an additional fee are nowhere near the level of the Dogma F.
Here’s why we know you’ll love it:
Steeped in History
Pinarello was founded in 1953 in Treviso, Italy, by pro racer Giovanni “Nani” Pinarello, and the bikes quickly rose to prominence in the pro peloton. By the 1980s, Pinarello was the bike for the pros. The original Dogma was introduced as the best race bike on the market back in 2010, and Sir Bradley Wiggins rode it to victory in the Tour de France in 2012. Since then, the number of races won on a Dogma are nearly impossible to count, there are so many.
“As a kid, I had a replica of Alexi Grewal’s iconic red, white, yellow and blue Pinarello. It was the bike he used to win the 1984 Olympic Road Race in Los Angeles and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world,” says inGamba founder and former pro racer João Correia. “Years later, when I was racing myself, I had an incredible Magnesium Pinarello Dogma FP, and I thought the same thing. That bike was a combination of carbon rear stays and front fork and a magnesium alloy frame, and there was just nothing else like it.”
“The new Dogma F continues that tradition,” he adds. “It’s the eighth generation of Dogma that I’ve ridden in the last 20 years, and I honestly have no idea how they keep getting better. Just when I think they’ve reached the pinnacle, the guys in Treviso come up with something special to surprise me.”
Lighter and More Aero
Typically, when a bike is designed to be more aerodynamic, it ends up weighing more as a result. Not the case with the Dogma F. Instead, they shaved 265 grams off of the overall weight while improving the aerodynamics by tackling each individual component of the bike, from the cockpit to the thru axles to make the most marginal gains for a major upgrade.
The breakthrough for the Dogma F came thanks to countless hours of testing with a new carbon fiber lay-up—the same that’s used on the Ineos Grenadiers team bikes—that allows for more lateral stiffness without adding weight. The downtube is notably different on this model, with the surface area reduced in order to make the bike more aerodynamic while maintaining its structural integrity.
Every tiny detail has been dialed, even down to the thru-axles and seat post, which now are more integrated into the frame for a seamless appearance while minimizing drag and improving performance. The entire frame is an exercise in art and engineering, with unique shapes that minimize drag while looking like a museum-worthy piece.
But beyond just the lightness and the speed you’ll feel as you roll down a perfect stretch of straight road in the drops, enjoying the aero advantage, the Dogma F is one of the most responsive bikes we’ve ever ridden when it comes to handling. “The feel of the new bike is miles ahead of the competition,” says Correia.
“I’ve always thought that the Dogma was the best handling bike out there, but this model is lighter and they’ve managed to engineer some clever new aero upgrades—while still maintaining the ease of handling.”
Cycling News calls it a “serious superbike,” adding that “the Dogma F has been designed to race and it feels like a thoroughbred too, but not in the way you might think. It isn’t a hard bike to ride, it doesn’t feel like it needs to be kept in line or put in place…The Dogma F only has one job, to help you go as fast as you can… There is no shortage of excellent handling road bikes, but very few come close to the Dogma F’s telepathic cornering ability.”
The Flawless Componentry
It’s hard to beat the smoothness of the wireless electronic shifting provided by the SRAM RED AXS groupset. The RED AXS is the lightest electronic shifting on the market today, shaving 150 grams off the previous generation of componentry. SRAM has also dialed in the shifters to create the most low-effort braking—80 percent lower than previous models!—and comfortable ergonomics for the widest range of hand sizes. Shifting is done with the tap of a button, making it easy to do even in the most hectic riding conditions.
Want to check your power during your inGamba tour? We don’t blame you, since this bike will inspire you to hit at least one climb hard! That’s why the Dogma F is equipped with the Red AXS Powermeter in the crank. This model is SRAM’s lightest, stiffest, and most accurate power meter they’ve ever made, so you’ll know if you hit that new high 10-second sprint power. (We’re betting you will.)
The Overall Appeal
We have to be honest. Yes, we love a technical upgrade. Yes, we care about the weight and the aerodynamic advantages. Yes, we’re fascinated by the latest and greatest in shifting and braking technology, and by what can be done with carbon fiber these days. But we also care about aesthetics. We know that a good ride is made even better when you can look at your bike and think, ‘That is a work of art.’
The Pinarello Dogma F delivers. As Pinarello themselves admit, the form of the bike is as important as the function of it.
“For all the technical advantages of the new Dogma F, my favourite thing about it is just how good it looks,” admits Correia. “The beauty of the bike leaning against my hallway wall takes my breath away every time I walk by it. It looks fast standing still, and just begs you to ride it. And that’s the most important thing a bike can do.”
