Pinarello Dogma F12 Disk Frameset: Pinarello has always been synonymous with innovation and performance. In every area and segment, the DNA Pinarello leads to research the technical solutions that best interpret the rider’s needs. With this same philosophy, the project to create a new weapon for World Tour races was approached. It took almost 2 years of research and development, but PinaLab is proud to present our new project… the DOGMA F12.
Since May 2014, the year of introducing the Dogma F8, all Pinarello models identified by the initial “F” are recognized as the most famous and winning bikes in the world. Team Sky, riding the F8, won more than 90 races in 3 years and with the F10 has won 4 out of 6 Grand Tours in just 2 seasons. Everyone can still remember Chris Froome winning the Tour, Vuelta, and Giro all in a row between the 2017 and 2018 season.
All of these victories have been won on all types of routes: mountain, breakaway and sprint finish stages. This highlights the “all-round” characteristic of the fantastic Pinarello Dogma F8 and F10. The same characteristic has been used as the baseline to develop the new F12, with a certainty that the tradition of victories for the Dogma "F" family will continue.
Having created two of the most successful bicycles in recent cycling history, Pinarello was able to draw on a very broad technical know-how to develop this new project. In fact, the Dogma F12 is the outcome of a complex study that merges Pinarello’s leading structural and aerodynamic knowledge with an accurate investigation of rider needs to enhance their riding experience. Riders needs are now distinctly different in comparison to previous years. We are facing a situation in which on one hand, there is the natural evolution of the cyclists needs towards disc brakes due to their safety and constant performance. On the other hand, there are those who still prefer a bicycle with traditional rim brakes due to weight savings.
While creating the Dogma F12 we decided to develop two different projects together, a version with disc brakes: the Dogma F12 Disk and one with traditional brakes: the Dogma F12. This way we were able to apply common improvements, but at the same time study specific and dedicated technical solutions for each model.
One of the main targets of the new Dogma F12 was also to maintain the “all-around” characteristic, which means a stiff and light bike, with excellent aerodynamic balance. A combination allowing the unique “Pinarello feeling”, synonymous for agility and precision through every corner. The Dogma F12 is the result of the perfect tool to enhance the rider performance for every route.
AERODYNAMICS DESIGN
Aerodynamics is a complex area of study because of the interaction between the airflow with all bike components as well as the rider. The optimization of the parts done one by one could cause worsening of the overall performance because it does not consider the interaction between each of the parts. Because of this, Pinarello for years has used CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) technology for aerodynamic studies and development. This allows us to optimize every single frame component and provide proof of the improvement in a full model that includes human dummy.
The aerodynamic analysis completed to develop the Bolide TT, Bolide HR and Dogma F10 was used as a baseline to improve aero performance of the Dogma F12. The fact that those bikes were considered the benchmark in aerodynamics and including the needed consideration for restrictive UCI rules, make the task of reducing drag far from simple. However, we know it is always possible find room for improvement and the PinaLab focused on the possibility of eliminating drag coming from external cables.
Strategizing how to hide cable housings into the bike frame is complicated in order to guarantee the primary function of the cables: ensuring the correct brake and shift functionality. In fact, a poor integration design can lead to extreme cable housing bends that reduce brake and shift quality. The PinaLab developed a specific handlebar and headset design that enables the correct cable functionality and allows integration of all possible brake & gear combinations (disc or rim; mechanical or electronic).
CFD analysis proves a reduction of 85% of cable drag. The remaining 15% is due to the short housing portions exposed externally on the frame. These are necessary for connections with the brake and disk.
REDESIGNED FORK
Like the handlebar, the fork is one of the most important part of the bike in terms of aerodynamics. In fact, it is not only interacting with the airflow, but it is also driving the airflow along the rest of the frame and the rider’s legs as well.
However, the primary function of the fork is to ensure the rideability and stability of the bicycle. Following this need, all Pinarello forks are designed with the ONDA (Italian for wave) shape that helps to absorb vibrations coming from the ground.
The new F12 fork has been developed keeping close consideration for these two principles, therefore the ONDA shape has been maintained but the lateral surface has been enlarged in order to improve the air flow and reduce drag.
NEW HANDLEBAR: MOST TALON ULTRA
The frontal area of the handlebar is more than 20% of the total bikes frontal exposed surface, given its prominent position it constantly interacts with airflow. Since the first integrated Talon handlebar in 2015, Pinarello and Most understood the importance of an aero shaped handlebar to optimize the aerodynamics of the overall bike. The 2015 Talon was able to reduce the air drag by 28% versus a standard round bar and stem system. With the regular Pinarello product development mentality, the Talon Aero was introduced in 2017, where a deep aerodynamic study achieved a drag reduction by 2% compared to the first Talon in 2015. The Talon Aero is now re-designed again with the clear goal to hide cables from airflow. Resulting in the new Talon Ultra.
The main handlebar geometries, (reach, drop) were maintained to guarantee the same rider position. The lower side of the handlebar is now completely re-developed to allow internal cable routing. The main visible difference is that the Talon Aero 2017 had clips to retains the cable, the new Talon Ultra has an integrated channel.
The rear part of the stem is also re-designed in the Talon Ultra. The handlebar must accommodate both the steering tube and the exit holes for the cables towards the brakes and the gearbox without compromise of performance. This led to a wider handlebar section which was harmonically shaped granting the best aerodynamic efficiency.
FRAME ENHANCEMENTS
The aesthetics of a Pinarello frame are always a heavily considered aspect of development, however every aesthetic improvement must be validated by a clear aerodynamic advantage. Developing the Dogma F12 frame we started from a design concept that could pursue the Pinarello’s tradition as style icon but then every aesthetic element was analyzed and modified until it guaranteed a significant aerodynamic or structural improvement.
The result is a frame that from the aesthetic point of view shows a remarkable leap forward from previous generations but at the same time, it achieves the best aerodynamic efficiency values of any Dogma model to date.
The areas where concentrated efforts were made to guarantee aerodynamic improvements were:
• Down tube: the junction area nearby the headtube is designed to integrate the fork head. This way there is better airflow control around the tube. The Flat Back profile was also slightly modified reducing the lateral width in the back area. The Concave down tube was maintained as it has given proof of its efficiency.
• Head tube: due to the cable routing integration the upper area was enlarged to assemble a 1” ˝ bearing. This extra space allowed us to redesign the cross section with a more efficient aerodynamic shape.
• Bottom Bracket: from an aerodynamic point of view, one of the most penalizing components is the water bottle. The concavity of the DT already hides the DT bottle from the air and partially the ST bottle as well. Understanding that if the ST bottle could be positioned lower its surface exposed to air is also reduced, thus improving aerodynamic efficiency. For this reason the BB area has been designed with an updated special shape that allows the ST bottle position to be lowered by 5mm.
RESULTS
Through the efficiencies covered in the previous paragraphs, there is evidence of deep attention to detail on all aerodynamic aspects when developing the new Dogma F12. This constant research for drag reduction led to the following results.
On average there is an improvement in aerodynamic efficiency by 7.3%. The improvement is even more effective when increasing the yaw angle (lateral wind).
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