Pinarello Carbon Prince Frameset £2699.00

The last incarnation of the Pinarello Prince almost had mythical status amongst those who owned one. The ride quality was fantastic, so when the demise came of this top-flight machine, was it a case of the Prince is dead and long live the Paris?

Thankfully the boys from Treviso have used all their know-how in making the successor to the vacant throne. Enter the new Prince Carbon. The weight for the new frame is staggering as the frame and fork is said to come in around the 900g mark. Part of this weight reduction has occurred by using a 1k weave over the 3k version used on the Paris. Combined with what is quickly becoming the new standard on top end racing bikes the 1½’ lower headset is another helping hand in the sveltness of the frameset. Currently only a Record equipped bicycle will be available, due at the end of July. Price for the frame and fork is £2699.00, which is similar to other sub 1kilo frames; due date for the frame-only option will be in the autumn.

The lines of the new frame and fork flow more organically through the whole of the bicycle and the Onda fork and stays have come to a new stage in their evolution. The Onda fork was first conceived in 2003, going through an extensive two-year testing period. Using Finite Element Analysis to find the desired perfect balance between lateral stiffness and vertical compliance is how Pinarello ended up with this shape. Using a double S shape resulted in an overall 5% increase in stiffness, while at the same time reducing road shock. This may not sound a lot, but as they say when you add up all the 1% it will make a big difference overall. Many bike companies have used the same principal of curving the stays to increase comfort, while at the same time not reducing the stiffness of the bike. Pinarello were the first to incorporate this into the front fork and the rear stays.

Many of you may have seen Valverde using the new Prince at the Dauphine recently, which caught the attention of many a lustful camera lens. Who better to receive the first Prince Carbons in the UK than Recycling.co.uk team captain Chris Newton and the eternal racer himself, Malcolm Elliott. So far both riders have come back with positive comments for their new frames. You will be able to see them in action on the weekend of July 14th at the Blackpool round of the Premier Calendar series.