Since its reintroduction in 2009 and in the most successful professional partnership in the modern era with Team INEOS (né SKY) the Dogma has undergone multiple revisions and re-imaginings : 60.1 65.1 F8 F10 F12 and now the new F.
Why no number?
dogma | ˈdɒɡmə |
noun
a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true: the dogmas of faith
The Dogma F – according to Pinarello – is an icon that goes beyond superficial classifications. Rather it is a standard. The F is a link with the past, a symbol of the present and an identity for the future. It stands, in case you were wondering, for Fausto. But you knew that.
Compared with many manufacturers producing Pro level frames this evolution has occurred over twice as quickly – indeed, the DOGMA F is Pinarello’s 9th Road bike development project since the team’s genesis and this is largely driven by the huge input from the fastidious Pro Team in their quest for marginal gains.
Now in its sixth modern iteration the Pinarello Dogma remains the quintessential high-performance all-round road bike that Pros and amateurs alike appreciate.
Since the Dogma is widely lauded for its versatility and impeccable ride characteristics regardless of terrain, Pinarello have chosen to keep the fundamental elements of the F Series that define the Dogma, focusing their development on further improving stiffness and enhancing the critical area of aerodynamics.
The DOGMA has always represented the art of balance. Pinarello – like their Pro Team partner – believe the Dogma needs to be a bike that is as much valid for windy, fast, flat stages as it is for grueling mountainous terrain and queen stages. With significant revisions and improvement over the F12, the new Dogma F is the perfect balance of aero, stiffness, and weight, allowing INEOS to maintain their competitiveness in the Peloton.
As such, Pinarello first consider handling. While many consider weight as the key element to a bike, a reduction too far can have devastating effects on handling, comfort and responsiveness and consequently, confidence. A negative effect here will make you slower.
With that said – the DOGMA F is improved in all key metrics over the F12 yet retains the signature ride of the series. That ‘Pinarello Ride Feeling’
The key to the success of the latest Dogma project lies partly in the approach to development. For the first time both Disc and Rim brake frames have been approached independently – effectively developing 2 bikes concurrently. No compromise has been made on either. This dedication to performance is born out in the development of 2 ONDA Forks from scratch, so that both Rim and Disc models can be as fast as possible.
Before I get into the numbers and changes, it is important to note that the work done around integration in the F12 remains. The Talon Ultra handlebars while revised (and 40g lighter), have the same routing internally through the stem/bar and head tube, maintaining the front-end aero gains of the predecessor. Similarly, the frame is comprised of TORAY T1100 1K fibre with Nanoalloy tech, reserved for exclusive use with Pinarello and as found in top end cars and aircraft. In addition, the same attention to asymmetry is paid as it always has been . This key design philosophy of Pinarello balances the single sided drive forces so you pedal symmetrically with regard to power input.
What’s new….?
The significant changes have come in the design of the fork, seat post, and rear stay while the application of new technologies and materials have helped with reducing weight.
As with any new product, it is the aesthetic that invariably strikes us first. So we’ll start there.
There are two immediately noticeable changes with the new F over the F12. Firstly, the seat stays are mounted lower on the seat tube on the new Dogma F – and more so on the Disc version than on the rim brake. These lower mounted seat stays reduce the frontal area presented to the wind to reduce drag while stiffening the rear end. Secondly, when viewed end-on, it is apparent that the seat tube / Seat post are significantly narrower.
For 2021 the UCI announced changes to the regulations surrounding tube widths/ profiles. To this end Pinarello – like an F1 team – have focused on taking the new regulations to the limits to maximise all possible gains.
At the top tube junction, the seat tube is now just 20mm wide. This reduction in width reduces aerodynamic drag by a huge 30% over the F12 while simultaneously reducing weight.
The reduction in tube width brings with it an increase in potential torsion and flex through the frame and as a result the Bottom Bracket stiffness of the F was initially reduced by 2.1% over the F12. While this is a relatively small number, the bottom bracket is pivotal in overall ride quality and power delivery. Consequently, PinaLabs redesigned the profile of those lowered seat stays and rotated them 15mm clockwise. This counters the loss of BB stiffness and combined with new materials and layup leaves the rider with a frame that delivers improved BB stiffness but with dramatic weight and drag reductions.
The reduction of weight in the seat-tube is augmented by a narrower seat post that has also undergone revisions. Not only do Pinarello use new carbon technology to reduce the carbon weight but they have stripped a chunk of weight out of the one area of a seat post that always stresses me when I have a ‘superlight’ post in my hand – the top clamp! Historically the clamp assembly is the area that adds a significant amount of weight to a post – despite being largely made of aluminium. PinaLabs have chosen a Titanium assembly for the F that is refined using SLM : Selective Laser Melting (also known as 3D printing!). The overall result is a seat post that is 16% lighter than that of the F12.
The new Pinarello Seat post saves a significant 62g : 35g from the 3D Printed Titanium Seat Clamp and 27g from new materials.
While we are discussing the peripherals it seems wise to touch on the handlebar too. A significant element of both the F12 and the F is the Talon Ultra, since it is the first area of drag reduction and integrates all hoses and cabling through the frame. The same new carbon tech found in the seat post, combined with a new layup schedule for the bars has helped to remove 13% of the weight of the original. This is potentially contentious as it is a critical safety area – you definitely don’t want a bar failing on you. Pinarello have used their same rigorous testing protocol on the new bar to confirm that it remains as stiff as the first iteration and critically – as safe too.
Still safe! The revised Talon Ultra (fast) use new materials and techniques in their production and shave 40 whole grams from their weight.
More pronounced changes have been made to the fork(s) of the Dogma F. As alluded to, these have been developed independently in order to deliver maximum benefits to both rim and disc brake models. Like the bars and seat post, new carbon fibre tech and structural layup has helped to reduce the overall weight of the forks by 16% – again with no impact on safety. More important than the weight reduction though, is the redevelopment of the fork(s) from an aerodynamic perspective.
While the new carbon tech has allowed for a reduction in frontal area and shape, more fundamental design changes have been made to take into consideration the position of the disc caliper (Disc version obviously) and the relationship of the fork legs with the Rim and spokes of a wheel.
This has been no small task. PinaLabs looked at 750 configurations (4 parameters and 3 yaw angles) of fork leg in order to optimise its profile in relation to the disc caliper and the same number of iterations to optimise the relationship with the rim/spokes. The results speak for themselves. With regards to the distance from the rim, the new fork yields a massive 25% drag reduction (both rim and disc brake variants. With regards to overall drag across the entire fork design, the Disc fork sees a 12% drag reduction while the rim brake fork an 8% reduction.
These fork numbers speak to a larger picture of overall drag reduction and specifically the difference in the aero numbers for the Disc Vs Rim brake frame sets – but we’ll get to that!
The final major improvement – again, largely down to UCI regs and the new carbon tech Pinarello are guardedly employing, has been the development of the down tube. Revised for the F10 and again for the F12, the new Dogma F has seen 30 further configurations tested to drive a 12% saving in aerodynamic drag – not to mention weight savings.
The crux of all of these revisions and developments is lower weight, improved aerodynamics and greater stiffness while maintaining overall ride feel.
Taking the frame and fork alone and comparing directly with the F12, the new DOGMA F delivers an average (over disc and rim variants) 9% weight saving. To put this in context, the total bike weight at launch in the following build : DOGMA F DISC size 53 – SRAM RED ETAP AXS – DT SWISS ARC1400, weighs just 6.9kg without pedals. A rim brake build would easily be below the UCI weight limit.
Further to the above weight comparison, the overall drag reduction vs the F12 is impressive: -8.7% for the disc and -7.5% for rim. What is perhaps surprising though is the Dogma F Disc vs Rim comparison – the disc brake version is now more aero with a -7.3% drag saving over the rim brake frame.
Both the disc and non-disc models are available in 11 revised size options and combined with 16 handlebar sizes and 2 set-back options on the seat post, help ensure every rider has a bike that fits without compromise. Furthermore, each frame size is engineered to deliver the SAME ride feel. Every single detail of the DOGMA F has been conceived organically, to preserve the specific characteristics of the frame regardless of size. Pinarello want to ensure everyone experiences the same unique performance qualities of the DOGMA F.
One major change to usage with the Dogma F is the dedication to electronic groupsets. The DOGMA F is ELECTRONIC ONLY accepting Shimano Di2, Sram eTap AXS and Campagnolo EPS groupsets.
Aside from all the improvements, Pinarello continue to deliver aesthetically. It is always their desire to produce a good looking bike – as with most things Italian, style is requisite! They are, to quote them “the most beautiful bike” – with obsessive care taken by the design and paint departments in Italy, to deliver as bike as truly distinctive to view as it is to ride.
The DOGMA F retains the more angular look of the F12 with a kinked toptube and a more racy, aggressive countenance that belies its slightly more accommodating geometries and incredible “All-Round” abilities. The typical Dogma performance that has been the defining characteristic of the ride since the Fassa Botolo era; that “Pinarello feeling” synonymous with agility and precision through every corner, remains and will enhance the ride experience of every rider on any route they choose
The DOGMA F in Numbers:
- – 265 GRAMS (complete disc frame kit in size 53)
- + 12% STIFFNESS at the bottom bracket
- + 3.2% MORE AERODYNAMIC (F rim vs F12 rim)
- + 4.8% MORE AERODYNAMIC (F Disc vs F12 disc)
- + 1.3W SAVED at 40 Km/h / 2.6W SAVED at 50 Km/h
Pinarello are masters in the art to finding the right equilibrium between the elements that go into creating the ultimate all-round machine. The new DOGMA F is the purest expression yet of that dedication
The reason that many non-pros choose the Dogma for their mount, is that is a bike that is perfect for every type of rider and every terrain.
Real-world riders aren’t specialised.
We need a bike that can climb and descend with equal flair, attack every corner and make every watt count on the finishing straight. The DOGMA F is designed to do just that, no matter the circumstances.
PLEASE NOTE:
At launch on the 24th June 2021 the new DOGMA F is released in complete bike form only and only in DISC BRAKE.
Availability will be for pre-order, with bikes being delivered from mid September onwards. Specifications are as per the website and limited to the launch colours : BoB, Plutonium Flash and Eruption Red
Frames will be available from 2022 with Rim brake options introduced at a later date.
See the launch collection here
