Pinarello

Dogma F8 Road Frameset - 2017

While the overall excitement of this year's Tour is up for debate, nobody can argue with the moments of suspense and tactical genius deployed by Team Sky atop the 2017 Pinarello Dogma F8 Road Frameset. From screaming descents to last-minute breakaway time trials to mountaintop epics, this frame delivers speed and agility worthy of the best in the world. Borne from Pinarello's collaboration with Team Sky and Jaguar, the Dogma F8 comes with high-reaching claims of a 47% increase in aerodynamic efficiency and 12% more rigidity, as well as weighing in 120 less than its venerable predecessor, the Dogma 65.1. Its Onda 8 fork takes inspiration from the TT-specific Bolide with a convex stance that reduces the size of the air's wake as it flows over the fork blades for a smooth, fast ride.

The entirety of the Dogma F8 is constructed from carbon fiber sourced from Toray, long Pinarello’s favored carbon manufacturer and known for producing some of the most consistent, highest quality, and safest carbon in the world. The fibers are called Torayca T1100 1K Dream Carbon, and feature nano-alloy technology embedded within them to yield exceptional strength at equally impressive low weights. The savvy engineers at Pinarello and Jaguar didn't waste any of these properties, laying-up the carbon to precisely maximize the benefits of these penalty-free weight savings.

The partnership's engineering expertise also comes into play through the use of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). Using Pinarello's existing 65.1 Dogma as a baseline, the engineers plotted 70 frame configurations and 300 CFD analysis cycles to realize the most versatile aerodynamic tube shape, aptly dubbe FlatBack. A cross-sectional view reveals an ovalized face paired with an abruptly truncated back half, which manages the detachment of turbulent lamina at multiple yaw angles to reduce the drag effect of dead air in the tubes' wake.

As important as weight and aerodynamics have become in the conversation around top-end bikes, power transfer may still be the most important aspect of a race-bred machine, and the F8 does not disappoint. Pinarello's asymmetric design philosophy is ever-present in the Dogma F8, as its engineers again restudied the forces in action as a rider sprints on the pedals, pulls on the handlebars, and muscles the bike through corners. FEA (Finite Element Analysis) confirmed that the 65.1 Dogma's asymmetrical design was beneficial in leveling the variances in frame deflection from one side to the other, which is why the F8's tubes have been arranged in a similar, albeit more asymmetric (16% more), layup to better balance drive-side forces.

Aerodynamics and efficiency are combined with comfort in the rear triangle, where a pair of fat, asymmetric chainstays are matched with the Onda RS F8 seatstays. The seatstays are positioned low — meeting the seat tube farther down — and follow a subtle curve as they travel from the seat tube to the rear dropout. This rear triangle makes for increased rear stiffness and better power transfer without sacrificing vertical compliance. It also effectively hides the brake cluster and allows for repositioned seat tube water bottle cage bosses. The hidden brakes confer obvious aerodynamic advantages, and Pinarello claims that the lower bottle position also makes for less drag.

Pinarello finishes off the F8 with some rider-focused features indicative of the company’s long history of creating top-tier bicycles, staring with a classic, Italian threaded bottom bracket. The three water bottle bosses in the seat tube may seem like an odd number, but Pinarello found that placing the bottle lower in the frame reduced drag. Rather than force you to attempt on-bike yoga during training rides, though, it added a boss to mount your cage in a more traditional place. In addition, the Dogma F8 is compatible with all electronic and mechanical shifting systems. Just swap out the cable stops, and you’ll lose nothing to aesthetics or performance, regardless of your drivetrain choice.