Cyclist
Double top: Pinarello Dogma F vs Dogma X
The name Pinarello is synonymous with race victories at the highest level. Seven of the past 11 Tours de France have been won on the Italian manufacturer’s range-topping Dogma – for 22 years the pinnacle of cycling performance – and Pinarello has won more Grand Tours than any other bike brand.
Now, with the introduction of the race-bred Dogma F alongside the brand’s similarly spectacular endurance-focussed Dogma X, we have a choice for the first time. Both are thoroughbreds and both feature Pinarello’s trademark asymmetrical frame design.
But which of these world-beating carbon road bikes is the right match for you, and what sets them apart from each other? Here’s how the pair stack up, and what each of them excels at…
Primary functions
The new Dogma F is the obvious choice for the speed-hungry road cyclist, applying new materials, weight-saving techniques and aero refinements learned from studying the bikes of the Ineos Grenadiers (formerly Team Sky) WorldTour team.
The Dogma X, on the other hand, employs Pinarello’s technical design prowess for maximum ride compliance, modern carbon technology for performance and unprecedented tyre clearance, and relaxed geometry for optimum comfort. The result is two distinct models, each built for the world’s most discerning riders.
Frame design
The aero-optimised frameset of the Dogma F is the result of Pinarello’s eye for detail and passion for computation fluid dynamics (CFD). A stack of refinements to the frame contribute to a CdA (coefficient of aerodynamic drag) that’s 0.2% lower than the outgoing model.
Up front, there’s a narrower, more steeply angled down tube and the steering tube has been rethought, now an elliptical design accommodating a headset that’s wider at the bottom than at the top (resulting in an 8mm narrower head tube). A slimmer design and 47mm (up from 43mm) rake to the Onda fork not only boosts aero effectiveness but also improves handling and speed on descents.
Further aero tweaks include a new integrated thru-axle design and a Talon Ultra Fast cockpit that’s lighter and presents less drag than before, designed with a natural twisted lever position to position riders in a safer aero tuck.
Where the Dogma X differs from its racier brother is in the world of practical touches applied to the frameset. Most strikingly, comfort is boosted using Pinarello’s X-Stays – crisscrossed ‘X’ configuration seatstays that absorb vibrations and boost lateral stiffness without increasing weight.
By doubling the attachment points, the top stays disperse forces on two points of the seat tube to further reduce vibration transfer, while longer chainstays inject a little more flex into the ride. Another crucial difference to the design of the Dogma X is the provision of 35mm tyre clearance (the Dogma F offers 30mm), allowing the use of high-volume, low-pressure tubeless tyres for superior roadholding and peerless comfort.
Geometry: race vs endurance
Perhaps the key signifier of the distinct applications for these two models is the use of differing frame geometry. The Dogma F (in a size 54) has an aggressive 73.4° head angle allied to a comparatively long reach measurement of 396.7mm and low stack of 584.8mm, which combine to get the rider into an attack-mode, aero position. The compact, performance-focussed rear frame triangle features 409mm chainstays for a shorter wheelbase and punchier acceleration.
As you’d expect of a bike with an endurance focus, the Dogma X has a shorter reach and longer stack, resulting in a bike that’s easier on the back and potentially more comfortable for more riders over longer distances. For a size 54, the stack is 17.6mm higher than that of the F, with a 5.9mm longer reach.
Those redesigned seatstays add 14mm to the dimensions of the Dogma F, while the chainstays are 13mm longer, aiding stability while adding flex and creating the Dogma X’s wider tyre clearance. At the front, a size 54 head tube angle is a fairly slack 72.8°, but with an added 4mm of fork rake, to keep the handling sharp enough for most.
Material differences
The Dogma F weighs 108g less than its predecessor, owing to the use of a new carbon-composite for the frameset – Toray M40X. Previously used exclusively in the gossamer-light, pro rider-only Dogma X-Light models, this is the first time ‘real’ riders can experience its exceptional lateral stiffness.
The Dogma F frame also resists side-to-side motion better than before for more direct fork performance and even more efficient energy transfer at the rear frame triangle. Although the chainstays are narrower, a new, larger bottom bracket mitigates any loss in stiffness. Rotating the down tube by 3.5° creates a keel shape that improves the aero performance of the BB area by 1.2%. Weight for a size 53 Dura-Ace Di2-equipped Dogma F is 6.77kg.
The Dogma X is not a race bike, but it retains enough of its performance DNA to ensure minimum compromise between speed, efficiency and comfort. Its frameset is constructed from high-tensile, high-modulus T1100 carbon-fibre, for good stiffness-to-weight ratio.
Combine this with the expanded tyre clearance on offer and easier-going geometry applied to the Dogma X, and you have a bike that demolishes a century ride like it’s nothing more than a trip to the shops. Weight for a size 54 Dura-Ace Di2-equipped Dogma X is 7.3kg.
Top-end spec options
The Pinarello Dogma F is available in a remarkable 11 frame sizes (all disc brake-equipped, for the first time), which makes finding the perfect fit simpler. Shimano options include a Dura-Ace Di2 and Di2 power meter-equipped Di2+PM; there is a SRAM Red AXS build (available with several wheel options); and for those who’d rather keep it an all-Italian affair, a Campagnolo Super Record WRL option completes the range. Prices for full builds start at £12,600, but you can also buy the frameset separately for £5,500.
The £13,300 Dogma X is also offered in 11 sizes, with Shimano Di2 electronic groupset, Princeton Grit wheelset and power meter. Or a frameset-only option for £5,500.
• Find out more about the Pinarello Dogma F range
• Find out more about the Pinarello Dogma X range
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