Pinarello's Prince gets aero front end alongside comfort focused updates

Pinarello has updated the Prince road bike, the price-conscious machine which aims to bring the Tour de France worthy Dogma to a larger audience, whilst also re-introducing the 'Paris', comfort-orientated bike.

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Updates to the Prince model seek to improve its aerodynamic credentials, as well as frame strength and ride quality. The model now features integrated cable routing, and space for tyres up to 28mm wide - an increase on the previous 25mm limit. The brand has made this a four bike family, with two rim and two disc versions (one standard and one 'FX' lightweight with higher grade carbon), but UK availability is for the disc options only.

In a white paper released alongside the launch, Pinarello notes that the intended user is a "demanding cyclist" looking for a pure race bike that's not as extreme as the Dogma F12. To cater for this, the reach has dropped down and the stack has increased, whilst standardisation has also been put in place across the nine frame sizes to "better cover the rider population and gender distinction."

In order to increase comfort, Pinarello made changes including reducing the size of the downtube. However, it maintained the seatstays and increased the diameter of the chianstays, creating a reported 10 per cent increase in lateral stiffness.

Increasing the surface area of the left fork leg and chainstay also targets better braking performance when pulling hard on the disc stoppers.

When it comes to aerodynamics, the Prince takes notes from the CFD analysis which informed the Dogma F12. The bike now enjoys the 'Total Internal Cable Routing' (TICR) system previously only available on the top end race machine.

Accommodating this means the headtube has had to be enlarged, and the design team took this opportunity to update the frontal area, too. Split spacers have been introduced, to allow riders to drop the front end with ease, and the system is compatible with the Most Talon Bar, though it's not specced as standard.

The bike also enjoys Pinarello's 'Onda' asymmetric tech, with an update to the fork shape and addition of the 'Fork Flaps' seen on the Dogma F12, and the bottle cage mounts have been dropped by 5mm whilst use of the 'eLink' system hides a Di2 junction box in the downtube.

The Prince will be available in an 'FX' frame (from £5,000), featuring T900 carbon, which is lighter and stiffer, or a standard model with T700 carbon (from £4000).

The Paris builds on the comfort orientated Gan K. The geometry is focused around stability, and Pinarello has afforded space for 30mm tyres.

The same approach to standardization among the size ranges has been applied, and the brand says it also increased the fork rake on the three smallest sizes, in order to keep the trail consistent and provide comparable handling.

The tubing is downsized, vs the Dogma F12, to provide a more comfortable ride, but with the chunky 'Onda' seatstays used to promote power transfer.

Aerodynamics haven't been forgotten, with the inclusion of the Dogma F12 'Fork Flaps', and the eLink systems is also embedded into downtube, though the integrated stem seen on the Prince is not included.

These models use lower grade T600 carbon, but a Shimano 105 specced build comes in at £3,000.

Prices and specs

Prince FX Disk TiCR

• Fulcrum Racing 500 wheelset, Ultegra Di2 11spd – £ 5,700.00 RRP
• Fulcrum Racing 500 wheelset, Ultegra 11spd – £ 5,000.00 RRP
• Colourways available: 234 Orange

Prince Disk TiCR

• Fulcrum Racing 500 wheelset, Ultegra Di2 11spd – £ 4,700.00 RRP
• Fulcrum Racing 500 wheelset, Ultegra 11s – £ 4,000.00 RRP
• Colourways available: 211 BoB (Black on Black), 212 Red, 214 White

Paris

• Fulcrum Racing 600 wheelset, 105 11spd – £ 3,000.00 RRP
• Colourways available: 101 BoB (Black on Black), 102 Blue, 103 Orange