The benchmark for all race bikes – that’s what the Pinarello DOGMA F wants to be. To this end, the Italians have reduced the weight and improved the aerodynamics. Both is to be reflected in absolute speed and outstanding handling. Does it work? The brand new Pinarello DOGMA F on test.

Pinarello DOGMA – probably no other bike stands for such a consistent race bike history. The seventh generation, the DOGMA F12 (to the test), currently wrote Giro history with Egan Bernal. The brand-new eighth generation does without the numerical name suffix and is simply called DOGMA F. The reason for this, according to Pinarello, is that the DOGMA, no matter in which bike generation, was the benchmark for all other bikes. An icon of the respective time and for many the dream bike par excellence, so the manufacturer. The F without numbering is thus intended to carry on the connection to the legacy of the predecessors and at the same time stand for the future. And this legacy is huge: seven Tour de France victories in the last ten years!

Pinarello DOGMA F | 7.00 kg | € N/A | Manufacturer’s website

So the footprints are big – and the DOGMA F is not only meant to fill them, but to make them even bigger. Pinarello remain true to its line and continue to rely on the same frame for all purposes – whether on mountain stages or sprint finishes. A line on which Specialized have now also swung with the Tarmac SL7 (to the test). Pinarello try with the DOGMA F to find the optimal balance of aerodynamics, weight, geometry, tube profiles and material selection to further improve the balanced handling of the previous model F12 – while saving weight (265 g for the frameset in size 53), improving aerodynamics (4.8% for the disc model) and adding stiffness to the bottom bracket (12%). Yes, you have read the brackets in the previous sentence correctly: The DOGMA F will be available as a disc and rim brake model. The bike with rim brakes should be lighter, but generate a little more drag. In addition to the better braking performance of discs in terms of modulation and wet braking behavior, you should consider this point in your purchase decision.

Pinarello itself assume that the disc variant will find greater appeal. The pre-orders of the dealers point according to their own statement in the same direction. Nevertheless, Pinarello want to give every rider – whether pro or not – the opportunity to choose their own brake setup. Eleven frame sizes are available with various spec options from Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo. Color-wise, you have the choice between Plutonium Flash, Eruption Red and Black on Black. We were able to test the Pinarello DOGMA F in Plutonium Flash with the SRAM RED eTap AXS groupset for you before the official launch. Our test bike in size 56 weighs a smooth 7.00 kg. The official price is not yet confirmed at the time of launch. We will provide it as soon as possible.

Helmet MET Manta MIPS | Glasses Alba Optics ANVMA | Jersey Void Vent | Bibs Void Bib Shorts 2.0 | Shoes Dromarti Race Carbon Terra | Base layer Void Mesh Base Layer Sleev

The new Pinarello DOGMA F in detail

The Pinarello DOGMA F remains true to the curved lines of its predecessors and is thus immediately recognizable as DOGMA. Overall, the lines are a bit more aggressive than before with the F12, which is also reflected in the very low seat stays on the disc version, and should provide improved aerodynamics. An example is the recess in the down tube, in which the front bottle cage finds its place. Where the down tube was lowered in the DOGMA F12 below the bottle cage, it now rises in the DOGMA F. This is to improve the wind flow around both water bottles.

Pinarello compare the iconic design of the DOGMA F with the Porsche 911. The design of the bike develops with every generation but it is clear from the first look: this is a DOGMA!

The tube profiles of the bike are designed so that they are not only wind slippery, but according to Pinarello even generate propulsion in crosswinds. In our first test, we could not prove this empirically, but the bike is damn fast in changing wind conditions and diffuse gusts. The SRAM RED eTap AXS groupset shifts as quickly and precisely as usual and brakes excellently with 160 mm rotors at the front and rear. With a ratio of 46/33 T on the chainring and 10-33 on the cassette, there is enough bandwidth to not get into trouble even on long steep climbs. It is roughly equivalent to a traditional compact crank with 50/34 T at the front and a 11-32 T cassette at the rear. Ambitious riders should choose a larger chainring for high-speed passages, competitions and KOM descents, however. The DT Swiss ARC 1400 DICUT DB wheels with 50 mm deep carbon rims do their job on the DOGMA F flawlessly. They offer a good compromise between aerodynamics and weight, but look a bit pale on the very extroverted Pinarello. In addition, the missing power meter leaves a clear desire of the ambitious target group.

The DOGMA F comes like its predecessor with a threaded bottom bracket. With the Tarmac SL7 it is one of the few high-end bikes that does so. We like it!

Pinarello DOGMA F 2022

€ 0

Specifications

Brakes SRAM RED AXS 160/160 mm
Drivetrain SRAM RED eTap AXS 2 x 12
Chainring 46/33
Stem MOST Ultra Talon 110 mm
Handlebar MOST Ultra Talon 420 mm
Wheelset DT Swiss ARC 1400 DICUT DB12 x 100/12 x 142 mm Thru-Axle
Tires Pirelli P ZERO Race 26-622 (700x26C)
Cranks SRAM RED 172.5 mm
Cassette SRAM RED CS-XG-1290-D1 10–33

Technical Data

Size 43 46.5 50 51.5 53 54 55 56 57.5 59.5 62
Weight 7.00 kg

The geometry of the new road bike from Pinarello

The Pinarello DOGMA F comes in eleven frame sizes from 43 to 62, plus 16 size options on the brand new and completely redesigned MOST Talon Ultra-Aero cockpit and two different offset options on the seatpost. That adds up to 352 ways to find the perfect size and geometry for every rider. Even if some combinations might not make much sense – for example, the smallest frame with the longest stem and the widest handlebar – we like the many size options. Our size 56 test bike came with a 42 cm wide handlebar and a 110 mm stem. Together with 3 cm spacers under the cockpit, our 185 cm tall test rider with a stride length of 91 cm was able to find a sporty low, but not uncomfortably overstretched seating position on it. All sizes and geometry data can be found in the table below.

Size 43 46.5 50 51.5 53 54 55 56 57.5 59.5 62
Seat tube 425 mm 450 mm 465 mm 485 mm 500 mm 510 mm 520 mm 525 mm 540 mm 560 mm 600 mm
Top tube 500 mm 515 mm 525 mm 535 mm 545 mm 550 mm 557 mm 565 mm 575 mm 587 mm 620 mm
Head tube 97 mm 104 mm 109 mm 114 mm 123 mm 131 mm 142 mm 149.5 mm 163 mm 199 mm 239 mm
Head angle 69.5° 70.5° 71.4° 72.0° 72.5° 72.8° 72.8° 73.2° 73.7° 73.4° 73.4°
Seat angle 74.4° 74.4° 74.0° 73.7° 73.7° 73.4° 73.4° 73.0° 73.0° 72.4° 72.0°
Chain stays 406 mm 406 mm 406 mm 406 mm 406 mm 408 mm 408 mm 408 mm 408 mm 408 mm 411 mm
BB Drop 67 mm 72 mm 72 mm 72 mm 72 mm 72 mm 72 mm 72 mm 72 mm 67 mm 67 mm
Reach 351.4 mm 364.8 mm 372.1 mm 378 mm 383.3 mm 385 mm 388.8 mm 390.7 mm 396.7 mm 393.3 mm 410.1 mm
Stack 502.4 mm 517.6 mm 525.4 mm 532.3 mm 542.6 mm 551.2 mm 561.6 mm 570.2 mm 584.8 mm 613.3 mm 651.7 mm
No force in the legs but still want to have fun riding? Fausto Pinarello himself hints that there might be a chance to see an e-bike version of the DOGMA F.

The Pinarello race bike on test

When you think of the Tour de France, the Pinarello DOGMA inevitably comes to mind. No other bike has shaped the race in the last decade in the same way. The DOGMA F is designed to win races and it’s no secret that the bike is a thoroughbred racing machine. So there are also few surprises in the test: Handling and speed are at top level. The bike is balancedly agile and aggressively direct, without an annoying tendency to nervousness, and hits the chosen line precisely at any speed. The bike’s direct turn-in behavior requires the rider to know exactly what he is doing. The bike immediately acknowledges driving errors and inconsistent steering impulses and is therefore not recommended for beginners. Experienced cyclists will appreciate the high precision in the hunt for KOMs and can further explore their limits through the very honest handling with a lot of feedback.

Due to the high stiffness and good aerodynamics, the Pinarello accelerates easily from any situation and keeps the speed efficiently high on the flat. With this bike you want and can go fast – whether uphill, downhill or on the flat. In addition to the balanced handling, the powerful and easy to modulate SRAM RED brakes also contribute to the feeling of safety on the bike. There is one surprise, however: the comfort. Sure, the DOGMA F is far from being a comfort wonder, but for this type of bike it dampens vibrations and small impacts extremely gently. Only coarse blows and broken-up asphalt come through to the driver noticeably. Thus, the Pinarello DOGMA F remains a racing machine consistently trimmed for speed and with limited all-round properties. It might be a bit uncomfortable for relaxed rider types but ambitious athletes who like to go fast will appreciate the relatively good damping behavior.

Conclusion

The Pinarello DOGMA F has everything to take on the legacy of its very successful predecessors in the WorldTour. It wants to build up speed in every situation and then convinces with tremendous race performance. Ambitious riders looking for absolute speed while still appreciating some damping comfort will find what they are looking for here. Comfort-oriented all-round pilots should look elsewhere, though.

Tops

  • maximum speed in every situation
  • balanced handling - direct and precise
  • good damping for a high-end race bike

Flops

  • limited all-round capabilities

For more information visit pinarello.com.

We have travelled to Italy to find the roots of the Pinarello bikes in Treviso. Read what we have discovered in the Pinarello factory here.


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Words: Photos: Philipp Schwab