Pinarello have introduced the Dogma F8 Disk – a bike we expect to see Team Sky using in some capacity this year. They’ve been busy over in Italy and have also unveiled a complete line-up of machines based on the Dogma F8, but at a more affordable price.
The Dogma F8 is Pinarello’s flagship race bike, brought into the range in May 2014 and used by Team Sky since then. It replaced the Dogma 65.1, which was available in a disc-equipped version, and Pinarello have stayed true to form by adding the Dogma F8 Disk to the range.
It’s no surprise, given the growth of the disc market over the past year or so, but, even more pertinently, given the UCI’s semi-legalisation of the use of disc brakes in road races. Top-level teams will be able to test disc brakes in two events of their choice in August and September of this year, with a full test scheduled through the 2016 season ahead of the expected legalisation of disc brakes in 2017.
It makes sense, then, that those bike brands who sponsor a WorldTour team have at least one disc-equipped, race-worthy bikes in their range and the Dogma F8 Disk is Pinarello’s. The Italian maestros say the key characteristics of the bike remain the same, namely the geometry, frame material, aerodynamics and stiffness, but is able to accept hydraulic disc brakes using Shimano’s FlatMount standard, while adapters can be used to make it compatible with other systems.
Other than that, details are thin on the ground, but Pinarello also used the announcement of the Dogma F8 Disk to unveil the Gan RS, Gan S, Gan and Gan Disk.
The Gan family is modeled on the Dogma F8, using the same aero-inspired tube profiles as the top-of-the-range machine, but with a lower grade of carbon fibre to drop the price. While the Dogma F8 is made from Toray 11001K carbon fibre, which contributes to the low claimed weight of 860g and a claimed 12 per cent improvement in rigidity over the Dogma 65.1, the Gan RS is made from T900 carbon, the Gan S uses T700 carbon and the Gan is the entry-level machine, crafted from T600 carbon.
By dropping the grade of carbon fibre, Pinarello will sacrifice the stiffness-to-weight ratio, but, on the flip side, it will lower the price. By how much, we don’t know, but we’ve asked Pinarello for more details. Either way, the Gan RS, Gan S and Gan all use the truncated ‘FlatBack’ aero tube profiles developed for the Dogma F8, get internal cable routing and share the hidden ‘Frontal Seat Clamp’. All three frames are UCI approved.
Finally, the Gan Disk is effectively a more affordable of the Dogma F8 Disk. Again, it shares the same tube profiles and uses Shimano’s FlatMount disc standard, but is made from T600 carbon fibre.
All this follows the launch of the Pinarello Dogma K8-S ahead of the Tour of Flanders. Cast your mind back and you may remember Sir Bradley Wiggins and co using the new machine, which has a micro-suspension systems built into the seatstays in bid to improve comfort. Like the Dogma F8, the 990g frame is made from Toray 11001K carbon fibre, and adopts similar aero tube profiles, but comes with a claimed 50 per cent improvement in ride comfort over Pinarello’s previous ‘endurance’ bike, the DogmaK.
Website: Pinarello
