The Wilier Adlar is designed to take you further off the beaten track in your bikepacking adventures than ever before.
With massive clearance for 52mm tyres and a reinforced carbon frame capable of carrying up to 35kg, this bike is designed for extended exploration over challenging off-road terrain.
Up to this point Wilier’s wildest gravel bike was the Jena, which has clearance for 44mm tyres and a racing-comfort geometry that’s closer to that of the Italian brand’s road bikes.
The Adlar is a different animal altogether. Its geometry is inherited directly from mountain bikes. A pronounced reach allows for a shorter stem and a more open head tube angle of 70° so that when it’s fully loaded the Adlar’s stability will be uncompromised, yet the handling will remain responsive.
(Image credit: Wilier)
For those who want even more volume when higher comfort levels and maximum grip are the priority, as well as being able to accommodate 700c tyres up to 52mm the Adlar can also run a 29x2in setup.
Its carbon frame, which weighs just 1,100g and is available in five sizes, has been designed for extra-long fork blades. This makes it possible to install a suspension fork with a maximum travel of 40mm without changing the frame geometry.
Additionally, an opening on the fork's right leg allows the internal routing of a dynamo hub cable.
(Image credit: Wilier)
Couple this with a standard 27.2mm seatpost, and you could retrofit a dropper seatpost which would really push the Adlar’s ride characteristics toward the trail end of the spectrum.
Bikepacking bags are great for riders who want to easily fit more luggage onto a bike that isn't necessarily made for it but seasoned bikepackers will tell you that for longer trips on rougher terrain, rigid mounting options are much more secure.
(Image credit: Wilier)
Wilier has designed the front and rear racks to load the weight onto the front and rear thru-axles. Carbon frames are inherently less strong than a steel or alloy alternative but with this setup, bikepackers can still enjoy the compliance and stiffness of a carbon frame with no compromise to luggage capacity.
(Image credit: Wilier)
Of course the Adlar is fitted with the full complement of bosses for frame bags and bottle cages too. A third bottle cage can be stowed under the down tube, and there are additional top-tube bag mounting points.
(Image credit: Wilier)
The Adlar is exclusively a single-chainring bike. Going down the 1x road has made it possible to free up space around the bottom of the seat tube. With no front derailleur to worry about, Wilier has designed a neat integrated mudguard to fit where the seat tube hugs the rear wheel, supplying a little bit of extra splash protection.
The Adlar is compatible with full-length mudguards and Wilier has collaborated with Miss Grape to offer a set of four quick-hook bags.
As Wilier points out, it's the journey that counts not the destination - and the Adlar is a bike that's all set for some of the most challenging and rewarding trips on two wheels ever.
The new Wilier Adlar is available in a total of five different build options. Prices start from €3,700 with the Shimano 1x11 GRX spec, followed by €4,000 for the 1x12 GRX setup. A SRAM Rival XPLR AXS build is also available for €4,800.
The top four builds roll on Miche Graff XL wheels, while the lowest priced has Miche Contact. All come with Pirelli Cinturato Adventure 700x45 tyres.
There's the choice of a full backpacking-equipped model for both the SRAM Rival XPLR AXS and the new Shimano 1x12 GRX iterations, two racks - and required additional thru axles - and four bags by Miss Grape, for an additional €600.
Simon Smythe is a hugely experienced cycling tech writer, who has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2003. Until recently he was our senior tech writer. In his cycling career Simon has mostly focused on time trialling with a national medal, a few open wins and his club's 30-mile record in his palmares. These days he spends most of his time testing road bikes, or on a tandem doing the school run with his younger son.
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