With the Wilier Filante SLR, yet another bike with pro-tour experience stands ready at the start line of our group test. Do its low weight and optimised aerodynamics bring enough to the table for it to assert itself against its 14 competitors? You can find the answer here.
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best road bike of 2021 – 15 models in review
Understatement is one of those things – just not the thing for the Wilier Filante SLR. At the latest, that should be clear when you see its velvet red finish sparkling in the sun for the first time! It’s a bike that wants to be the centre of attention. Having managed that, the Italian racer reveals that it has more to offer than just looks and that it comprises a convincing package. Our test bike comes in the top-end spec and offers some interesting details. Individual areas of the frame are tailored to each frame size so that all sizes are claimed to offer the same relative comfort, stiffness and handling. In addition, the rear end and fork are constructed asymmetrically to better match the different forces and loads placed on them. At the rear, the drive side is reinforced and on the fork, the braking leg. Wilier rely on the proven services of a Shimano DURA-ACE Di2 drivetrain. The 50/34 t chainrings and 11–30 t cassette provide a good range to cover the range of applications of the Filante SLR: on fast sections, you can keep pedalling for longer and in hilly terrain, it retains enough reserves to get you up the climb. Nonetheless, road bike tourers and more leisurely riders would likely appreciate an extra bailout gear on long and steep ascents. Regarding the brakes, the rear DURA-ACE calliper looks good, bolted to the frame directly without the use of an adapter. That also saves some weight, though it is only compatible with a 140 mm rotor which is too small for long descents.
Wilier Filante SLR 2021
€ 11,500
Specifications
Seatpost Wilier 15 mm
Brakes Shimano DURA-ACE BR-R9170 160/140 mm
Drivetrain Shimano DURA-ACE Di2 R9150 2 x 11
Chainring 50/34
Stem Wilier Filante Bar 114 mm
Handlebar Wilier Filante Bar 420 mm
Wheelset DT Swiss PRC 1100 DICUT Mon Chasseral 12 x 100/12 x 142 mm Thru-Axle
Tires Vittoria Corsa Control Graphene 2.0 30-622 (700x30C) 30
Cranks Shimano DURA-ACE FC-R9100 172,5 mm
Cassette Shimano DURA-ACE CS-R9100 11–30
Technical Data
Size XS S M L XL XXL
Weight 6.82 kg
Specific Features
fully-integrated/no cables visible
3 bottle cage bosses on the down tube
large tire clearances
Mavic Speed Release thru-axle
The Filante SLR uses the one-piece Wilier Filante cockpit with a 114 mm stem and 420 mm wide bars that route cables internally – together with the MERIDA REACTO, the Filante shares first place when it comes to the cleanest looking bikes in the test. The stem is the longest in the test which, together with a reach of 391 mm, results in a stretched position that underlines the sporty nature of the bike. The only divergence from the series build is in the wheels. Wilier put the Filante SLR on the 1,266 g light DT Swiss PRC 1100 DICUT Mon Chasseral wheels, squeezing the weight of the size L bike down to 6.82 kg. It turns out it’s as though these wheels were made for the Wilier. The stock 25 mm tires were swapped for Vittoria Corsa Control Graphene 2.0 700 x 30C tires – an adjustment that increases the comfort of the bike to a level that’s surprisingly high for a race bike. The wheels are held in place by Mavic Speed Release axles that make quick swaps possible without having to remove the whole axle. Our test bike costs € 11,500.
Size | XS | S | M | L | XL | XXL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seat tube | 432 mm | 462 mm | 482 mm | 502 mm | 522 mm | 542 mm |
Top tube | 515 mm | 530 mm | 543 mm | 556 mm | 570 mm | 583 mm |
Head tube | 104 mm | 119 mm | 135 mm | 154 mm | 166 mm | 181 mm |
Head angle | 70.8° | 72.0° | 72.5° | 73.0° | 73.0° | 73.5° |
Seat angle | 75.2° | 74.5° | 74.0° | 73.5° | 73.0° | 72.5° |
Chainstays | 407 mm | 407 mm | 408 mm | 410 mm | 411 mm | 411 mm |
Wheeelbase | 981 mm | 984 mm | 990 mm | 997 mm | 1,002 mm | 1,006 mm |
Reach | 380 mm | 384 mm | 388 mm | 391 mm | 395 mm | 399 mm |
Stack | 505 mm | 521 mm | 538 mm | 555 mm | 571 mm | 587 mm |
The Wilier Filante SLR in review
The Wilier Filante SLR is an open book and won’t dish out any surprises – we mean that absolutely positively. It rides just as precisely as you’d expect and handles directly, nimbly and fast! That means it responds immediately to steering input and is always ready to launch itself into corners. It then goes on to carve through these like it’s on rails.
The Wilier Filante SLR left us besotted – and that’s not just because it had the same colour as our Campari from the previous evening. It screams for speed, always wants to attack and rewards your efforts with insane acceleration.
Despite its high level of agility, it remains sufficiently calm and its playful handling secures a place at the top of the test field. Coming out of the corner, it’s time to accelerate – a further strength of the Filante SLR. Its low weight and stiff frame mean it nimbly leaps forwards and responds to your input. On top of that, it climbs very efficiently while keeping the speed high on the flats with its good aerodynamics. It’s a true speed all-rounder and rides at the front of the pack in all speed disciplines. With the bike doing what you expect of it and its always predictable character, you’re able to build up a high level of trust, particularly on good surfaces. However, on poor, bumpy surfaces or hardpack, it needs a guiding hand. It doesn’t become petulant, but nor does it match the security of the S-Works Aethos. In general, the Filante SLR is a bike that will feel happier in the hands of experienced pilots with its agility and speed than it will with beginners and leisure riders. In the end, it leaves you with just one small surprise. Despite its stiff nature and race geometry, it damps vibrations very well and delivers good comfort for a race bike, putting it in the front third of the test field here. That’s primarily thanks to the damping of the tires and the frame as well as the shallow rims of the wheelset.
Tuning tip: the bike is 100% coherent in terms of what it is and we wouldn’t change anything. We just wouldn’t use it for the white gravel roads of Tuscany, but an epic attack on Monte Zoncolan!
Riding Characteristics
4Agility
- cumbersome
- playful
Stability
- nervous
- confident
Handling
- demanding
- balanced
Fun factor
- boring
- lively
Comfort
- firm
- comfortable
Value for money
- terrible
- very good
Conclusion
The Wilier Filante SLR enthuses with speed and acceleration in any situation. Its climbing abilities make it a bike for everyone who has ever wanted to finish the Ötztaler Marathon. However, the wider 30 mm tires aren’t sufficient to imbue the bike with enough all-road reserves. As such, anyone who wants to spend long periods of time away from perfect asphalt should look elsewhere. We’ll top up our Campari, survey the Filante SLR and dream of Monte Zoncolan.
Tops
- light-footed acceleration
- sporty and direct handling
- quick wheel changes thanks to Mavic Speed Release thru-axles
- beguiling look
Flops
- area of application ends soon after the asphalt runs out
- 140 mm rotor at the rear is too small for long alpine descents
For more information head to wilier.com
The test field
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best road bike of 2021 – 15 models in review
All bikes in test: BMC Roadmachine 01 ONE (Click for review) | Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD Disc Ultegra (Click for review) | Canyon Grail CF SLX 8 eTap (Click for review) | Cervélo Caledonia-5 Dura Ace Di2 Disc (Click for review) | Mason Resolution Ekar (Click for review) | MERIDA REACTO TEAM-E CUSTOM (Click for review) | MERIDA SCULTURA ENDURANCE CUSTOM (Click for review) | OPEN MIN.D. (Click for review) | Orbea Gain M20i (Click for review) | ROSE REVEAL FOUR DISC Ultegra Di2 (Click for review) | SCOTT Addict eRIDE Premium (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Aethos (Click for review) | Storck Fascenario.3 Comp Disc Ultegra (Click for review) | Trek Domane+ LT 9 (Click for review) | Wilier Filante SLR
No, it’s not about perfect race tracks, it’s about efficiency. Fast, fleet-footed and efficient – those who want to speed along high-speed passages need a defined and spritely bike that accelerates with ease and efficiency. Nevertheless, reliable components are important too. We interpret “Smooth tarmac” bikes as follows: Hard efforts at high speeds with a maximum efficient bike on a consistently well-paved road. Effort-joy ratio: 80:30 (not everything has to be 100%!)↩
… also known as bike riding. Broken-up roads in the hinterland, deadlocked gravel roads, loose surfaces – sometimes muddy, sometimes bone-dry. For this, it takes bikes with super all-round, handling and wearing qualities uphill and downhill. Effort-joy ratio: 50:50↩
If you want to use your bike almost every day, you usually do not need an extremely tuned racing machine. Solid components, which are able to cope with the rigours of continuous usage in any kind of weather, are part of the basic equipment. At the same time, the bike should have practicable details: integrated fenders/assembly options, luggage racks/attachment points and a light system or at least the option of installing bike lights. The position on the bike should be rather relaxed, the overall comfort high, so that the Afterwork Ride becomes a cure and not a curse. Effort-joy ratio: 30:70↩
You can find more info about our rating system in this article: Click here! ↩
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Words: Photos: Valentin Rühl