Pinarello

Gan S Ultegra Road Bike - 2018

Unmistakable Italian flair and trickle down tech from its bigger brother, the Dogma, are alive and well on the Pinarello Gan S Ultegra Complete Road Bike. The pricing positions it at a point that is realistic for most of us and the performance is surprisingly close to what you'll find under the WorldTour juggernaut also known as Team Sky. The Gan S takes the beautiful aesthetics and performance that we have come to expect from Pinarello and kits out the frameset with Shimano's race-worthy Ultegra components. The new Ultegra works so well and is an excellent match for the Gan and pack value that very few bikes can match. We truly feel the functionality of Ultegra is as good as Dura-Ace and unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket so you can drop a little more weight, you'll be best served with the Ultegra.

Visually the Gan S looks very similar to the Dogma with its curvy tube shaping and aerodynamic features making the bike look like its poised for a 40mph group sprint while sitting still. Differentiating the frames is the material used in the layup. While the Dogma uses top-end Toray T1100 1K Dream Carbon with Nanoalloy Technology, the Gan S uses a more compliant T700 carbon so the frame is actually a little more comfortable and able to reach a more attainable price point. The byproduct is a smidge more in the grams department. We think this bike would be perfect if you enjoy pushing the pace on group rides and the occasional race, but comfortable enough that you don't feel like you've been repeatedly punched in the kidneys after a century ride.

Just like the Dogma, this frame incorporates Pinarello's signature asymmetrical design for improvements in both power transfer and comfort. The asymmetry in the Gan S seatstays is slightly less extreme than on the Dogma. You'll still get a comfortable ride and enjoy the added stiffness of the rear end for razor sharp handling and excellent power transfer. The rear brake is anchored at a wishbone at the top of the stays, tucking it out of the way from the wind and providing a stiff mounting point to disperse braking loads.

Proving that the Gan's S DNA doesn't stray far from that of the Dogma, Pinarello includes similar Flatback technology including the signature oval-front and flattened-back tubing on the frame and fork, creating an aerodynamic profile that reduces drag without creating a tube shape that would lead to a harsh ride or weigh the bike down. The integrated seat clamp and aero seatpost further aid in cheating the wind and help you go well on your way to racking up KOM's on your favorite rides.