If the all-new F-Series race bikes aren’t your style, the new Pinarello X-Series all-road bikes should open up new paths with its more relaxed geometry and wider tire clearance. Make no mistake, it’s still a Pinarello, and it’s still a performance bike, it’s just a little more fun.
Until now, Pinarello’s 700c bikes have either fallen into a “Performance” or “Gravel” bucket. Now there’s a new “Endurance” bucket, and the X-Series is the first drop in it…
The front end is familiar, borrowing their 1.5″-to-1.5″ headset with internal cable routing to keep things clean. A slight bend in the top tube, rounded nub at the nose, and shaped transition from the fork crown into the downtube all come over from their racing bikes.
Any endurance bike should have a nod toward aerodynamics, and their flat-ish downtube helps tuck a water bottle out of the wind and provides a truncated airfoil shape elsewhere.
The X-series gets 32mm tire clearance. That’s only 2mm more than the new F-series race bikes, so a bigger part of the long-distance comfort comes from a more relaxed geometry. Reach is ~13mm shorter and stack is ~33mm taller than the F-series (size 53, differences will vary depending which of the nine frame sizes you choose).
Why only 32mm? They say the last two Paris-Roubaix races were won on regular road bikes running 32s, so it seemed to be the right combination of performance, weight, grip, and comfort for a “performance” all-road bike like this.
The biggest difference comes at the rear. While not quite as dramatic as the Grevil gravel bike’s rear end, swoopy chainstays use pronounced curves to add flex points. T600 carbon is less stiff than the T900 and T700 used on the race frames, giving the X-series a combination of vertical flex and better vibration damping.
Pinarello has experimented with electronically controlled, mechanically damped micro-suspension designs before, particularly leading up to races like Paris-Roubaix. But they say this new design is simpler and lighter, and definitely more affordable.
It also gets the new seatpost wedge that saves 36g and makes for a slimmer seatpost, seat tube, and top tube.
The fork has a less dramatic bend and curve, similar to what’s on their Crossista cyclocross bike, and also uses the T600 fibers to provide a more comfortable ride.
The 2023 Pinarello X3 comes in Keen Red and Deep (matte) Black and is available with Shimano 105 Di2 or SRAM Rival AXS, both with Fulcrum Racing 800 DB wheels.
The X1 gets Shimano 105 mechanical and comes in gloss white or black, with Shimano WH RS-171 alloy wheels. Cockpits on all bikes are Pinarello’s Jaguar house brand with cables and hoses integrated into the stem for full internal routing.
