You can now own a new Pinarello race bike for just £3000 - so what's the catch?
Pinarello's new F1 retails for just £3000/$3500 - has the Italian superbike manufacturer just become a value brand?
Today, Pinarello has announced the expansion of the renowned F series line-up with the all-new Pinarello F1.
The new bike completes the brand's race bike lineup, which until now had a starting price of £4,500. Instead, the illustrious Italian brand's race bike line-up has a starting price of a much more reasonable £3,000/$3,500, aligning with rival brands more synonymous with value.
Alongside the release, Pinarello has also updated the colourways across the whole of the F series line-up, completing a full refresh for the 2025 range.
Same frameset, but cheaper
While this particular build and wallet-friendly price tag are both new to the Pinarello F series line-up, the frameset has been around for some time already - sort of. Pinarello first launched the new F series back in Feburary of 2023, which at the time relaced the now-extinct Pinarello Prince.
The frameset features geometry which is 'based closely' on the brand's headline Dogma F race bike, but does feature a slightly higher stack height, and shorter reach, making it a little bit more comfortable than its aggressive racing sibling.
While the geometry remains uniform across the F series range, the carbon layup differs between models. The F7 and F9 use Toray T900 carbon fiber, while the F5 is constructed from the slightly heavier T700, resulting in a weight difference of 40g for an unpainted size 53 frame - 990g compared to 950g.
The new F1 further lowers costs by using T600 carbon fiber, which adds a bit more weight but ensures a more accessible price point. At the top of the range, the Dogma F employs premium T1100 carbon fiber, showcasing a clear progression in material performance across the lineup.
Is it really good value?
As you might expect, the F1's specification is where the majority of price saving measures have been made. Prior to this bike's release, Pinarello's race bike lineup was solely comprised of bikes featuring electronic shifting (from a Shimano 105 level and up), which of course had an implication on price.
The F1 on the other hand, has gone back to basics, and features a full Shimano 105 mechanical 12 speed groupset.
Cable routing has remained fully internal despite a move away from the Most Talon carbon fiber one-piece handlebar and stem combination. It's a case of alloy too for the wheelset, with Pinarello opting for Shimano's WH RS-171 hoops on the F1.
So how does the F1's build stack up against the competition? Well, let me throw in a couple of comparisons for context. First up is the Specialized Tarmac SL8 Sport. Also specced with Shimano 105 mechanical shifting and alloy wheels, the Sport retails at £3,250 - so just a touch more than the new F1.
Pinarello doesn't quite have the likes of Canyon beat, with the Ultimate CF SL 7 retailing for just £2,349, but Pinarello has certainly made a big effort to be competitive among the big names at the value end of the market.
All in all its an interesting move from the Italian bike giant, and one we think should be very much welcomed. A solid, reliable build coupled with an already proven frame geometry leaves us with a high expectation, and a bike that we are very much looking forward to testing in the coming weeks.
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Joe is Cycling Weekly's tech writer. He's always had a love for bikes, since first riding a two wheeled steed before the age of four. Years down the line, Joe began racing at 16, and enjoyed great experiences internationally, racing in Italy, Spain and Belgium to name a few locations. Always interested in tech, Joe even piloted his Frankenstein hill climb bike to a Junior National Title in 2018. After taking a step back from elite level racing in April 2022, Joe joined our team as a freelancer, before becoming Tech Writer in May 2023.
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