London Bike Show 2013 - Kinky Pinarellos

Kinky Top Tube

I said it last year, I am saying it again this year and I know I'll be repeating it next year.

Why is a straight line not good enough for Pinarello?

Why do they insist on disrupting every possible straight line with a kink or a curve on so many models?

To me, the best bike design is about clean lines.

London Bike Show 2013 - Team Sky Pinarello Graal TT Bike

Displayed next to the Pinarello Matt Track Bike, this was the only item on the Pinarello stand to make the 10 Grand fixie seem cheap.

The Team Sky liveried Graal comes in at a jaw dropping £14,000.

Featuring a 60HM1K carbon monocoque frame (1100g in 53cm) and matching fork, this Graal is equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2.

Available in a range of sizes from 45cm to 57.5cm, Pinarello were anxious to emphasise that your £14,000 bike will come complete with basebar, stem and bars.

Phew.

If you prefer a non-trade team liveried bike, there was also a tasty looking red and white number, equipped with Campag Super Record and Corima Disc for the bargain basement rate of just £9,499.

Phew again.

London Bike Show 2013 - The Ten Grand Fixie - Pinarello Matt Track



The Pinarello Matt 2013



Ladies and Gentlemen; here it is - the ten grand fixie!

Well, its the Pinarello Matt 2013 track bike at the London Bike Show.

As pictured, running Campagnolo Record, complete with Corima 4 Spoke front and Disc rear, this little beauty will set you back £9,999.

If you prefer to simply pick up the carbon 30 HM12K monocoque frame, forks and bars it can be yours for as little as £7,699.

The frame comes in 42.5, 46, 51.5, 53, 55 and 58cm, the 53cm example weighing in at 1200g.

It is certainly an amazing looking bike - I particularly loved the bars, but 10K?

Go on, treat yourself!

2012 London Bike Show - Cervelo S5 Team Issue

Bikes can have beautiful, flowing lines, some bikes' beauty can be in their obvious functionality and then there are plain ugly bikes.

I'll be honest - I really don't know where the Cervelo S5 sits for me. There is a beauty about it but its way at the end of the functional end of the scale. This bike just looks like it will do a job. And that job will be done with the maximum of aero efficiency.

It is so functional that certain design areas are jarring in their intensity, but what do you want a bike for? To hang on a wall or ride really, really fast with the minimum of effort?

Don't get me wrong, this is no fugly BMC. (Not much comes close in my book...)

I like Cervelos. I love some of them. I think I am going to have to settle for admiring this one.

2012 London Bike Show - Wilier Twin Foil TT

I thought Cav's black Pinarello Dogma 2 looked stealthy until I saw this piece of machinery from Wilier.

Frankly, if Darth Vader were to come out to play at your local 10 you would expect him to be feeling The Force on this monster.

Its outrageous. Its Gorgeous. You would only get a couple of notes and a few coins change out of 10 grand (Sterling), but my oh my.

Testing, Death Star Style!

2012 London Bike Show - Cervelo T1 Track Bike

It may simply be because I haven't been looking, but this was the first time I had seen the Cervelo T1 track bike.

An aluminium frameset that will set you back a grand (sterling) but is super light and utilises all Cervelo's trademark aero tricks.

It all looks so simple, yet effective. Replace the showbike hoops with a Zipp disc and 808 front as shown on their website and you have one mean looking track bike.

http://www.cervelo.com/en_us/bikes/2012/T1/

2012 London Bike Show - Seven Cycles Mudhoney Ti Crosser

I know I raved about this bike at the NEC Cycle Show, but I still love it.

It is a thing of real beauty.

Way too expensive for me, but a real Lottery-win dreambike.

I'd settle for just the enve wheels to be honest. Stunning.

2012 London Bike Show - Mark Cavendish's Pinarello Dogma 2

It only seems like 5 minutes since I was at the Cycle Show at the NEC, but the London Bike Show has swung by already.

I was lucky enough to spend my lunchbreak at Excel soaking up all the industry has to offer.

I guess this is the shot that everyone has already seen, but still wants to see - Cav's 2012 steed - a very stealthy black Team Sky Pinarello Dogma 2.

As those who know me will testify, I am not a natural Pinarello fan - I guess I just like straight lines too much and can't see the point in them persisting with their wavy davy (Onda) forks and seat stays. BUT I have to confess this is the nicest looking Pina since they started insisting on putting a kink or bend in every straight line they come across.

Really very nice.