Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

TECH NEWS

New Bianchi Specialissima spotted at Flèche Wallone?

Something new anyway, and the UCI-approved list suggests it's a new look for an old name

What's this? A new Bianchi, looks like. Team Lotto NL-Jumbo posted this pic to their facebook page of the bike, bearing the number 132, which is Robert Gesink's number for the Flèche Wallone.

A quick peek at the UCI approved frames list suggests it's the new Bianchi Specialissima CV. Specialissima isn't a new name for Bianchi; Fausto Coppi could be found astride one as long ago as the 1950s. But this looks like a re-imagining of that classic steel race frame in carbon.

Gone (mostly) are the shaped tubes and flowing lines of the Oltre; you can see how different the bike looks compared to Tom Leezer's Oltre XR2 just behind. It's a pretty classic-looking diamond frame but up-to-date in terms of tech: the CV in the name refers to Bianchi's CounterVail technology which is a special layer within the carbon layup which Bianchi claim aids vibration damping to combat fatigue. We've tried a few of Bianchi's CV-equipped bikes and the experience has been very positive. Here's a helpful graph:

That's all we know for now, really. Although clearly that's no reason for us not to speculate. "It looks very traditional alongside the Oltre. Almost like a Legend or Parlee tube-to-tube design", says road.cc tech ed Dave Arthur. His suggestion is that the Specialissima will be going for light weight. Other road.cc tech ed Mat Brett is inclined to agree, "It looks like an ultra-light design: the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, after all".

The Specialissima also foregoes the aero seatpost; that, and the round-tubed design, means that the Oltre XR2 effectively becomes Bianchi's aero road platform. For all the talk of aero being the big thing these days it's interesting that bike manufacturers do seem to be moving away from it a bit, or at least offering more traditional alternatives. Trek did something similar with the Émonda.

When Bianchi let us know some more details of the new frame we'll be sure to pass them on to you.

Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.

Add new comment

12 comments

Avatar
pistardo | 9 years ago
0 likes

It´s Specialissima CV indeed. Stated frame weight is 780 grams for 55cm and it´s gonna cost a fortune...

Avatar
truffy | 9 years ago
0 likes

It looks boring. Or 'classic' as the hipsters might say.

TBH, I prefer the look of the Oltre. If I could only afford one...

Avatar
Quince replied to truffy | 9 years ago
0 likes
truffy wrote:

It looks boring. Or 'classic' as the hipsters might say.

TBH, I prefer the look of the Oltre. If I could only afford one...

It's a modern take on a classic design; it's 'Néo-Classiqué'.

Or alternatively, 'Néo-Boring'.

Avatar
Nick T | 9 years ago
0 likes

Straight lines might be shorter, not on that head tube though. Bloody massive.

Avatar
auke | 9 years ago
0 likes

This also directs the whole aero-thing in roadracing down the drain  103 Now put the green back on and it's ready.

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to auke | 9 years ago
0 likes
auke wrote:

This also directs the whole aero-thing in roadracing down the drain  103

Errrr no, really no it doesn't. What a jolly silly thing to say.

Avatar
Kestevan | 9 years ago
0 likes

Me like that.

Avatar
Iamnot Wiggins | 9 years ago
0 likes

This is the first Bianchi I've ever liked the look of!

Avatar
RobD | 9 years ago
0 likes

waiting for a comment about it being the wrong colour...

Avatar
glynr36 replied to RobD | 9 years ago
0 likes
RobD wrote:

waiting for a comment about it being the wrong colour...

Wrong colour, and Shimano on it!
I nearly choked on my San Pellegrino

Avatar
evo-playa replied to glynr36 | 9 years ago
0 likes
glynr36 wrote:
RobD wrote:

waiting for a comment about it being the wrong colour...

Wrong colour, and Shimano on it!
I nearly choked on my San Pellegrino

 41 Got to love San Pellegrino!

Avatar
fukawitribe | 9 years ago
0 likes

I am strangely drawn to this...

Latest Comments