Made for all day: Pinarello Dogma X

This article was produced in association with Pinarello

The Romans didn’t invent the arch, but they were the first to recognise that it could be used to create incredible structures and magical vaulted spaces that weren’t feasible with the more traditional post-and-lintel style.

Similarly, the triangle has been used in bicycle frame design since the advent of the safety bicycle 150 years ago. However, with the new Dogma X, Pinarello goes beyond simply using it for guaranteed strength as inventor James Starley did for his first bicycle in the 1880s. Treviso’s new flagship endurance bike has a radical new seatstay design called X-Stays, which deploys multiple smaller triangles at the rear that, paired with carefully chosen carbon-fibre layup patterns, is designed to dampen vibrations without the need for a heavy and cumbersome suspension system. At the same time, says Pinarello, the X-Stays increase lateral stiffness to compensate for the elongation of the chainstays – longer for extra stability and to allow clearance for 35mm tyres.

According to the Italian brand, most of the current endurance bikes are based on outdated concepts from a time when tyres were skinny and tubed – but, Pinarello points out, the last two editions of Paris-Roubaix were won on standard road frames with 32mm tubeless tyres. 

With this in mind, Pinarello focused on frame design, carbon technology and tyre clearance for the Dogma X to obtain the highest levels of comfort without sacrificing performance or gaining unnecessary weight with complicated springs and dampers. Along with a new, unique geometry that’s aimed at big days in the saddle, this is a bike designed to strike the perfect balance of speed and comfort – and it’s for everyday riders rather than pros.

Material gains

Pinarello continues to collaborate with Toray: the Japanese carbon-fibre producer supplies T1100 1K carbon for the Dogma X frame, the same material used in the Dogma F, Ineos Grenadiers’ race bike. This, says Pinarello, offers the ultimate stiffness-to-weight ratio.

Whereas the new X-Stays are hot out of the autoclave, there are other elements of the Dogma X that are tried, tested, traditional and in Pinarello’s DNA. Most obvious is the asymmetry. 

Pinarello understood back in 2009 that while the thrust applied to both pedals is the same, the pull of the chain is applied to the right side only. As with the Romans and their arches, asymmetry had been done before, but it was Pinarello who proved and even normalised the idea, optimising the frame – most visibly at the chainstays – to redress the balance.

Like the Dogma F, the Dogma X is available in 11 sizes to ensure that every rider can achieve as close to a custom fit as possible. The new geometry designed specifically for the Dogma X is called simply ‘Endurance’, whereas the Dogma F and F Series race-designated bikes have ‘Competition’ geometry. 

Across the sizes the reach is slightly shorter and the stack slightly higher for a more comfortable position suitable for long, mountainous rides. For example, the Dogma X in a size 540 has a reach of 391mm and a stack of 602mm while a 540 Dogma F has a reach of 397mm and stack of 585mm.

For the Pinarello’s top endurance bike there’s a choice of three fittingly high-end builds: Campagnolo Super Record WRL, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 or SRAM Red eTap AXS.

Expanded X

Although the Dogma X is the first and only Pinarello – so far – with X-stays, it wasn’t the first X model. To continue the comparison with Pinarello’s ancestors 500 kilometres to the south, Rome wasn’t built in a day. In 2023 Pinarello launched the X3 and X1 and now, sitting between these bikes and the flagship Dogma X, are the X9, X7 and X5.

Like the F Series bikes to the Dogma F, these new bikes are designed to complement the Dogma X. They also offer increased rider comfort and vibration absorption compared with the F Series bikes, but are more affordable than the Dogma X.

The X9, X7 and X5 use a similar principle to the Dogma X with their X-Stay seatstay arrangement, except they don’t use the X-shaped reinforcement between the stays of the Dogma X. But, like the X-Stays, this is a new technology designed to absorb vibration, while guaranteeing a lightweight, high-performance frame. Two different carbon layups are used in the stays, with the top stays curved and having a slimmer diameter in order to flex vertically on rougher terrain.

As with the Dogma X, the double attachment of the seatstays means that the X-Series frames can better disperse forces on the seat tube with the aim of reducing vibration transfer to the rider.

The new X-Series bikes also come with 35m tyres – according to Pinarello the right size for a perfect balance of comfort and speed.

There’s also Pinarello’s signature asymmetric frame construction to even up the extra pull on the right side of the bike.

The X9 and X7 frames are made from Toray T900 which, according to Pinarello, blends performance, lightness and vibration mitigation while the X5 uses T700, prioritising maximum vibration absorption with minimal weight increase, in Pinarello’s words.

There are nine sizes on offer – two fewer than the Dogma X but still more than most brands’ flagship bikes – and a geometry called Endurance+, which is already used in the X3 and X1 models. In a size 540, an X-Series Pinarello has a reach of 380mm and stack of 602mm. Compared to an equivalent Dogma X, the reach is 11mm shorter while the stack is the same.

Pinarello says this allows bike fitters to accurately fit all kinds of cyclists to the X-Series without resorting to excessive use of spacer or upsizing frames.

The X9 is available with either Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 or SRAM Red eTap AXS, while for the X7 you can choose Shimano Ultegra Di2 or SRAM Force eTap AXS. The X5 gets a single Shimano 105 Di2 build while X3 comes with 105 Di2 or SRAM Force eTap AXS. The X1 is the only mechanical-shifting bike in the range with the latest 12-speed 105.

There are six bikes available in various builds to suit all budgets and riding styles. Just one more and the new range would equal the number of hills in ancient Rome. Now that would be perfect symmetry.

For more information and prices go to www.pinarello.com.