Review: Pinarello Dogma F8

When Pinarello’s last road frame debuted in 2012, the Italian company highlighted Toray’s 65HM1K carbon fibre for the stiffness it lent to the Dogma 65.1 Think 2. For Pinarello’s latest frame, the Dogma F8, the fibre is again part of the story. Toray, which makes composites for the airline industry as well as bikes, has given Pinarello exclusive use of the T11001K carbon fibre for this frame. The latest composite, Pinarello says, could save 80 g on the old frame.

Weight savings play a role with the new Dogma, which marks the company’s first foray with an aero road frame. Generally, the tube shapes of an aero road frame mean slightly more weight. The new carbon fibre allowed designers to create a frame 120 g lighter than the Dogma 65.1, if you are looking at a Size 54 Dogma F8 without paint and hardware.

To get better air flow around the new frame, which debuted in May, Pinarello went with tubes that use a truncatedairfoil shape, which it calls FlatBack. You can see this shape on the fork, down tube, seat tube and chainstays. The company says the new Onda F8 fork reduces drag by 40 per cent compared to the previous Onda 2.

The Italian company is still looking to asymmetrical frame design to manage the imbalanced forces that stem from having the rings, chain and cogs on the right side of the bike. Pinarello says the F8 is 16 per cent more balanced via its asymmetry when compared to the previous Dogma. Esthetically, the new frame features fewer visual frills, such as the wavy forks and seatstays of the 65.1. The Onda F8 does have a noticeable forward bend to its forks.

To keep things sleek at the top of the seat tube, designers use what they call the TwinForce integrated seatpost clamp. You snug the seatpost in place via two 2.5-mm Allen head bolts. While the system worked well, the purchase you get with a tiny 2.5-mm hex head key on the bolts is pretty meagre. It’s probably best to dial in the seatpost height once and avoid fussing with the bolts, lest you strip them.

I found the power transfer on the Dogma F8 stunning.

On my test rides, I found the power transfer on the Dogma F8 stunning. It reacted quickly when I spun up the pedals on a climb or jumped into a sprint. I didn’t know what to make of the steering at first. It’s very responsive, but stops just short of twitchy. I felt it needed a bit more focus at first as I got used to its quick reflexes. But, ultimately, it’s a well-behaved machine. When I rode with my hands off the bars, it tracked well.

With the Dogma F8’s new material and design, Pinarello has improved on a frame that was already a top performer. It will be interesting to see where the company can take things from here.