The 2023 Wilier GranTurismo SLR in review – Head to head in our all-road group test

Wilier take on the competition with an all-road bike that doesn’t quite fit into any particular category, the GranTurismo SLR. The bike can’t deny (and doesn’t want to) its road bike heritage, which is why it takes a different approach to the all-road genre. But does that make it less suitable than the rest?

This bike was tested as part of our 2023 all-road group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the featured bikes over here: The best all-road bike of 2023 – 10 all-road bikes in review

Wilier can do road bikes, that’s for sure – their bikes have never failed to impress in our previous tests. But how does the die-hard road bike brand fare once the going gets rough? Many brands are now trying to reintroduce all-road as a separate category in their portfolio, but race-focused Wilier are reluctant to follow suit. Classic Italian road bikes are fast, sleek, and optimised for racing, of course.
The GranTurismo is all about la dolce vita and leisurely cruising. However, in classic Italian fashion, Wilier do things their own way, providing a lot of flex at the rear and a lot of excitement in the test field – and not just with the captivating looks. But can the Mediterranean silver bullet hold its own on coastal Catalan roads?

Wilier GranTurismo SLR – Italian down to the finest detail

There’s almost no other country in the world that’s as strongly associated with design as Italy, and that’s evident in the GranTurismo SLR. The bike features a sleek, discreet white/silver finish and a fast, stylish road bike look. But the defining part of the GranTurismo sits further back. The conspicuously wide seat stays don’t end at the seat tube as usual. Instead, they’re connected to the top tube via an interchangeable elastomer. Wilier call this damping system ACTIFLEX 2.0. On the flagship models, the elastomer is 3D-printed and available in two different densities. In any case, the cleverly hidden mechanism uses four bearings to allow the seat stays to flex inwards.
The sporty look for an all-road and endurance bike is characterised by the aerodynamically optimised tube shapes. The head tube and the transition between the fork and frame are adapted accordingly. This is matched with a recess in the seat tube to hug the rear tire, along with a pronounced D-shaped seat post. With all those subtle details, it is only at second glance that you notice that the large Wilier lettering is green.

For € 10,300, the spec is consistent and convincing. Wilier rely on their in-house Zero Cockpit, which can also be found on their Filante SLR aero race bike. The beautifully finished handlebar has good ergonomics, and underlines the bike’s fast character. When it comes to the wheelset, the Italian brand don’t hold back, equipping the bike with their in-house Wilier Triestina SL38KC wheels. They look stunning with the visible carbon weave, shod with Continental GP 5000 tires – a very suitable tire choice for sporty all-road riding, which you will also find on the ROSE and MERIDA. However, the frame doesn’t accommodate anything more than sporty riding. The maximum tire clearance of 32 mm restricts the bike’s all-road capabilities significantly, and the Wilier GranTurismo SLR can’t keep up in this regard, especially given that some modern race bikes are capable of taking 34 mm tires. As for the groupset, Wilier spec the current Shimano DURA-ACE Di2, paired with an 11-30 t cassette and 50/34 t crankset. This puts shifting performance first, though it doesn’t offer enough gear range for relaxed all-road riding and steep climbs. But that isn’t the strong suit of the Wilier GranTurismo SLR anyway.

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Size	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL
Seat tube	438 mm	467 mm	486 mm	505 mm	524 mm	543 mm
Top tube	517 mm	532 mm	547 mm	558 mm	574 mm	592 mm
Head tube	117 mm	136 mm	157 mm	177 mm	196 mm	217 mm
Head angle	71.0°	71.5°	72.0°	72.5°	72.5°	72.5°
Seat angle	74.5°	74.0°	73.5°	73.5°	73.0°	72.5°
Chainstays	409 mm	409 mm	412 mm	412 mm	412 mm	414 mm
Wheelbase	977 mm	985 mm	995 mm	1,002 mm	1,013 mm	1,027 mm
Reach	369 mm	374 mm	379 mm	384 mm	389 mm	395 mm
Stack	527 mm	546 mm	566 mm	586 mm	604 mm	625 mm

Italy’s silver bullet – Wilier GranTurismo SLR

For Wilier, the objective is fast and fun riding, and it shows. No other all-road bike in our test is as much of a compromise between race bike feeling and all-road capability as the GranTurismo SLR, living up to its sporty paint job.
Above all, the bike is characterised by the aggressive yet comfortable riding position. In a direct comparison with the Wilier 0 SLR race bike, the Italian brand have toned the geometry down somewhat while remaining true to the road bike course. The biggest differences on the GranTurismo are a longer head tube, shorter reach, and slacker head angle.
While the gearing isn’t quite sufficient for relaxed climbing, the bike will let you gain altitude at a high pace, and it doesn’t shy away from fast mountain pass sprints. This makes it one of the few bikes in our all-road test field that genuinely craves speed and encourages you to push a little harder. It’s on the descents, however, that its need for speed comes to fruition: the GranTurismo SLR excels on a diet of high-speed corners, remaining composed and predictable at all times, and unafraid of poorly maintained roads. When the elevation profile flattens out, the bike doesn’t disappoint its forbearers either, showing what the future holds. The integrated elastomer in the rear end offers a pleasant level of compliance. It doesn’t just compensate for small bumps and vibrations, but also mitigates the impact of bigger hits.
With the GranTurismo, Wilier have managed to create a bike with big aspirations, that’s big on fun. The handling and ride feel are convincing, resulting in a precise, predictable, and incredibly fun bike. However, Wilier haven’t thrown all rationality out the window, designing the bike to offer an added level of comfort.

Trimmed for speed: The Wilier GranTurismo SLR is clearly the fastest bike on the test.

Who is the Wilier GranTurismo SLR for?

It’s clear that the Wilier GranTurismo isn’t interested in casual Sunday cruises, and it’s not the type to fall in at the back of the gruppetto. Sporty all-road riders and racers with a need for comfort will get their money’s worth with this bike. The handling and geometry are based on the 0 SLR, though it has been toned down slightly for more comfort. With that, Wilier are offering a true all-road bike, potentially being the one bike that many are looking for. In the modern all-road sense, however, it could do with increased tire clearance for added off-road capability, along with slightly more relaxed handling. It also lacks the necessary mounting points needed for all-road bikepacking, though they’d look out of place on a bike like this.

Tuning tip: Experiment with the different ACTIFLEX elastomers.

Conclusion on the Wilier GranTurismo SLR

With Wilier’s fast all-rounder, the GranTurismo SLR is a bike for sporty all-road riders that boasts incredible attention to detail, sophisticated solutions, and a surprisingly high level of comfort. The Italian brand clearly have a different take on all-road, seeing it more as a supplement to your race bike and not as a separate category. Unfortunately, it’s somewhat limited by the narrow tire clearance, though it’s a highly capable bike, nonetheless.

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You can find out more about at wilier.com

The testfield

This bike was tested as part of our 2023 all-road group test – you can find an overview of the group test and the featured bikes over here: The best all-road bike of 2023 – 10 all-road bikes in review

All bikes on review: Argon 18 Krypton (Click for review) | Merida Scultura Endurance 9000 (Click for review) | Parapera Atmos² (Click for review) | Pinarello X (Click for review) | Rondo Ratt CF (Click for review) | Rose Reveal Plus (Click for review) | Scott Solace eRide 10 (Click for review) | Specialized Roubaix Comp (Click for review) | Trek Domane SLR 7 AXS Gen 4 (Click for review) | Wilier Granturismo SLR

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Words: Calvin Zajac Photos: Jan Richter