Bianchi Infinito CV Carbon Road Bike : Ultegra : 7Z Black Mamba

Another season on and with the introduction of CV into their flagship Specialissima and Oltre XR4 models, Bianchi have also strengthened their Infinito CV endurance bike range. 

Bianchi have exclusive rights to Material Sciences Corporation’s CounterVail material. It is the material that has helped create the success of Bianchi’s Infinito endurance bikes. Originally developed for use by the US Military as a stealth technology and widely used in Helicopter and Aircraft cockpits, Countervail is a fibre reinforced visco-elastic material that substantially reduces vibrations. Countervail also helps to optimise the stiffness and weight of the Infinito. Traditional passive damping of the frame using superficial rubber inserts and isolators are only marginally effective compared to the integrated carbon Countervail system developed by Bianchi and proven in the extreme conditions of NASA aerospace operations.

With its patented carbon fiber architecture and viscoelastic material, Countervail carbon material is embedded within the unique Bianchi Infinito CV carbon layup to cancel vibration while increasing the stiffness and strength of the entire frame.

Scientific tests for single impulse force reaction has shown a 75% increased vibration cancelling capacity for a Bianchi C2C Infinito CV over a traditional carbon frame.

The video below is a simple visualisation of the vibration cancelling properties of Countervail and goes a long way in demonstrating how valuable the material is when applied to lightweight, stiff road bikes. It is the reason that Bianchi can maintain the larger rear stays without punishing the rider in terms of comfort or handling.

The Carbon monocoque Infinito CV, like many sportive or endurance bikes, is designed with a taller top tube and a longer chain stay to give a more relaxed fit and stable ride. The head tube is tapered and features 1¹/_⁸" to 1¹/_²" bearings for superb handling and durability, while the down tube is optimized for each frame size to give consistent feel and ride characteristics across the range. The Infinito CV utilises the ever popular PF30 bottom bracket system which lends incredible stiffness at the crank interface for maximum power transfer whilst remaining lightewight. Aero tube profiles and an aero fork shape combine with internal cable routing to minimise drag for a more efficient ride. The frame is capable of taking tyres up to 28mm so you can tune your ride feel depending on the circumstances.

Bianchi’s ability to maintain high stiffness in a super-smooth platform in the form of the Infinito, is not only the key to the bike’s impressive handling but also to the confidence it inspires in the rider and it is the latter that helps you go faster.

The smooth ride feel afforded by the Countervail material is a welcome bonus in a frame that is designed for endurance events and is ideal for the often poor surfaces we have to endure here in the UK. It not only helps reduce fatigue in the rider but serves to cancel out the small vibrations that can lead to the rear wheel leaving the ground. This ability of the rear of the Infinito CV to ‘track’ better creates a confidence in the handling that is immediately noticeable and highly beneficial.

Throw a bike into a corner, particularly when descending at speed, and you need to know that the bike beneath you is going to go where you point it. Under braking, you need the bike to be stable yet react to your movements to allow you the fastest line in and out of that corner. This is where the Bianchi Infinito comes into it’s own. The confidence you feel on the bike almost dares you to brake that bit later and the stability and smoothness afforded by the Countervail lends an incredible sure-footedness to the handling once you commit. You’ll be on the gas early too, feeling totally in control with no bike squirming beneath you.