2022 Pinarello PRINCE DISC TiCR Bike : FORCE AXS 12 : White : 58cm

!! LAST ONE AVAILABLE : 58CM !!

Previously I have written, reasonably effusively, about the re-launch of the Pinarello Prince; with good reason. The Prince has been an iconic bike since it’s first Scandium iteration and its initial re-birth as a carbon model in 2008 and it garnered widespread praise from riders and critics. Offering an - at the time - novel interpretation of the ONDA fork it delivered the classic Pinarello ride so loved by anyone who has ridden one.

The 2019/20 Prince range was a platform derived from the Dogma F10 - a bike all will no doubt be familiar with. It was touted as a more comfortable ride for us proles and non-pros, courtesy of the use of different, slightly lower specification carbon (T900 in the now discontinued FX and T700 in the standard Prince). They were incredibly popular models, no doubt partly thanks to the more accessible price points and decidedly Dogma-esque profile.

For 2022, given the success of the previous models, Pinarello switched it up once more, this time with more consideration given to the likely end-user - you. Moreover, the reference point shifted too, with many of the technologies developed for the Dogma F12 flagship finding their way into the platform, modified to suit the intended user. For 2022, this incredible riding platform continues. In relative terms, it is better value than ever. While Pinarello have had to increase prices in the post Covid / Brexit era - with all that that entails, their rises have been slight when compared to most other brands'.

Rather than simply using the grade of carbon (with their inherent increase in flex as you descend the gradings) to deliver the compliance the real world rider may prefer, Pinarello have taken their time to revise geometries and homogenise sizing across their Prince and Paris platforms. Ultimately this has resulted in a condensed run of 9 sizes that eliminates the need for Easy-Fit geometries and concentrates on the traditional bell-curve distribution of rider profile and that standardises across the mid range. This approach better serves the rider population while remaining completely valid across genders and serving ‘outlying’ taller and shorter riders.

This may not sound like much of a feat but needs to be viewed in the context of a brand famed for the ‘feel’ of the ride that they create. Simply changing numbers can result in horrendous ride characteristics - something Pinarello absolutely will not compromise on.

The focus of the geometry changes has been in the - almost industry standard - of Stack and Reach. The 2020 Prince was near identical to the aggressive Dogma, while the new, revised geometries of the 2022 model are both shorter in reach and taller in stack. These Stack and Reach changes deliver enhanced comfort to riders less likely to be smashing out 150km+ stage races, day after day at the pinnacle of the sport! Using the 2020 Prince as a starting point and with the F12 as a reference, Pinarello have created a bike with geometries that deliver the racing heritage of the Dogma platform in a package better suited to the intended consumer. Pinarello have achieved a wide spread (and smoothly transitioning) range of stack and reach profiles, despite the smaller number of sizes, making finding the correct size a simpler affair.

I suggested before that simply changing the stack and reach alone, is not enough to guarantee a good ride. Indeed Pinarello have revised the rake on the front fork of the smaller sizes (from 47mm to 52mm) in order to standardise the ‘Trail’ of the front end; a key aspect when delivering a particular ‘feel’ or handling characteristic. This decision clearly implies a considerable logistical effort, which is justified precisely in the consistency of the trail dimension, which in turn translates into a consistent ride feeling between all sizes.

Fundamentally, the 2022 Prince bikes are characterised by a geometry that tempers the extreme road racing soul of the Dogma F12, from which they are derived.

It is reasonable to assume that if you are taking your design lead from the flagship model in a range, then much of that technology will be in evidence in the frame you subsequently create. This is very much the case with the new Prince range. I don’t want to get into the minutiae since much of the detail - for those that want it - can be found in the F12 descriptions, but I will touch on certain elements. Suffice to say that the aero shaping of the headtube, the associated front fork crown integration and fork flap are all in evidence, as is the asymmetry in the tubeset, eLink for groupset integration into the downtube and the increased capacity for 28mm tyres.

One of the key changes from the previous model comes in the down tube - and this is worth mentioning as it speaks not only to approach in achieving the goal of delivering a more compliant ride, but also to the technological skill involved. Pinarello have down-sized the downtube to deliver improved comfort to the ride of the Prince range.

So what?

Downsizing can be risky unless you have a clear understanding of the structural behaviour of a bike in all riding situations : uphill, downhill, cornering, braking safely, out-of-the-saddle pedaling position etc) so striking the necessary balance between compliance and stiffness, while maintaining both stability and a desired ride characteristic, is no small task. The Prince features a 3mm lower profile than the F12 yet retains the Dogma’s tube width. This yields the target compliance for the platform while retaining the lateral rigidity that helps deliver performance.



To further refine the ride, the new Prince also shares the deeper, more square shaped chainstays of the F12 yet retains the same profile of seat-stay as the previous Prince. This delivers much the same effect as the down-tube refinement in that the comfort is not compromised, but power delivery improves, specifically by creating a responsive but stable back end when delivering power out of the saddle.

Further to these changes, Pinarello wanted to ensure stability under braking but with more forgiving behaviour than the F12. This has been achieved through a change in design of the front fork - notably an enlarged left blade cross section. It’s a similar story on the rear, with the left hand chainstay benefiting from an increased cross-section as well as a slight upturn to better position the caliper to counter braking forces. At the same time, the famous ONDA shaping in both areas ensures that the compliance is not compromised and road vibration is deftly dealt with before the bulk of it destroys both the handling and your body. While not necessarily germain to the above issues of forces and compliance, it is a nice touch that Pinarello have used a full carbon left hand drop-out at the rear and demonstrates - once again - their commitment to the Prince platform.

Another key change comes in the form of integration. Like the F12 from which it is derived, the new Prince platforms now feature a much larger front end and utilse the same 1-1/2” to 1-1/2” headset configuration as the flagship. The introduction of the “TiCR” system (Total internal Cable Routing), which allows all cabling and hoses to be routed through a suitable bar and stem, yields an aero saving of 85% of the cable and wire drag. The remaining 15% being the result of the short housing portions exposed externally on the frame and necessary for connections with the brake and disc calipers.

In addition the new Prince bikes are fully compatible with all groupsets both mechanical and electronic. While this is not new, the TiCR integration allows for more functionality across more groupsets. Derived from the F10 Di2 down tube junction box opening, the new eLink is areal control center of all groupsets.

With the TiCR system, the level of integration increases, and the eLink™ has now evolved to be compatible with all electronic groupsets and - as a bit of a coup since internal routing removes the possibility of an external cable adjuster for the front derailleur - even mechanical groupsets can be adjusted through it. A dedicated adjuster has been developed to be placed into the eLink™ slot, allowing adjustment of the front derailleur cable simply through an Allen key screw.



All UK models come fitted with the new MOST Tiger ALU TiCR stem and compatible Jaguar XA ALU TiCR handlebar which conceal the cables internally offering cost effective aero gains and a clear upgrade path for those looking to indulge in a £750 Most Talon ULTRA integrated bar and stem. Interestingly, the use of TiCR in combination with all the other refinements, makes (to my mind at least) the new Prince FX a better proposition than an F10 and is set to make the Prince an incredibly popular platform in coming seasons.




Succinctly, all of the developments discussed above (and some that are not) have been deployed to perfectly balance both compliance and stiffness and to yield a family of pure, racing bikes that deliver the feel of a pro bike but without the aggressive positional and physical aspects associated with it.

The Range:

In the UK, the 2022 range is comprised entirely of DISC models.

The bulk of the Prince models are available in either Ultegra 11 speed mechanical or new Ultegra Di2 12-Speed builds, finished with Fulcrum Racing 500 DB wheels and featuring Aluminium MOST Tiger TiCR stem and Jaguar TiCR handlebars for integrated cable and hose routing.

There is also the addition of a new 12 speed Ultegra Di2 model that uses Most's new carbon Ultra Fast wheelset, though colourways will likely be limited. Both Fulcrum shod Ultegra Mechanical and Ultegra Di2 bikes are available from UK stocks in 3 colours : BOB, White and Red (Red / Black)

**This particular model is an extremely limited run. Equipped with SRAM’s 12-speed wireless electronic groupset with near-instantaneous gear changes at just a light touch of the paddles. The Fulcrum Racing 500 disc wheelset is a good match to the frame in terms of performance, with the shallow rim providing plenty of performance without suffering from the excess weight and handling issues that deeper wheels can suffer from.

As with all manufacturers, stocks of these extremely popular bikes will be limited this year, with little or no opportunity to order additional bikes from Italy once UK stocks are exhausted.


NB : IMAGE IS FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY AND ACTUAL SPECIFICATION MAY VARY FROM THAT SHOWN. Please check description for specification.