Cicli Pinarello S.p.A. is an Italian bicycle manufacturer based in Treviso, Italy. Founded in 1953, it supplies mostly handmade bicycles for the road, track, E-bikes (NYTRO), mountain bikes and cyclo-cross. They also produce an in-house component brand – MOST.
History was born in Catena di Villorba, Italy in 1922. He was the eighth of 12 brothers. At the age of 15, Giovanni began making bicycles at the factory of Paglianti. After a successful amateur career he turned professional in 1947, aged 25. Pinarello died on 4 September 2014.
In December 2016, Pinarello sold a majority stake for a reported €90-million (US$134-million) in equity value to investment management firm L Catterton with Alantra acting as their advisor. In June 2023, L Catteron sold their stake for an estimated US$175-million to Ivan Glasenberg, the Swiss-South African billionaire and former chief executive officer of Glencore, with Houlihan Lokey acting as the advisor for the seller.
Originally, all Pinarello frames were steel. Pinarello used Columbus tubing for most of the 1980s but with tubing by Oria in the lower models in 1989. The first non-Italian tube was Tange Prestige for the US-based Levis Cycling team headed by Michael Fatka and ridden by Andrew Hampsten, Steve Tilford, Roy Knickmann, Thurlow Rogers in the mid-1980s.GITA Sporting Goods, Pinarello Catalogue 1989 As noted above, the Banesto Line introduced in 1993 exclusively utilized Oria tubing: Oria Cromovan, Oria ML34, and Oria ML25. Throughout the 1990s until 2004, Pinarello produced frames from conventional steel tubing using lugs, oversize tubing, oversize aluminium with TIG welded joints, magnesium and frames of carbon fiber and other materials.
Models Historical models
The Pinarello Montello SLX was a landmark model for Pinarello as this was the frame with which Pinarello achieved their first major pro victories. This model frame was one of the most responsive of the mid to late 1980s as shown by wins in events such as the Vuelta a España, the Giro d'Italia and stages of the Tour de France. The Montello had a brake cable through the top tube, chrome sloping front fork and chrome on the drive side chain stay; later models had the full rear triangle chromed. The Montello SLX was in red, blue and Spumoni.GITA Sporting Goods, Pinarello Catalogue #65 Pinarellos from the mid-1980s often have the decals restored by owners as factory-applied decals were prone to flaking off. The Montello was available in 2 versions: frame from Columbus SL with SLX fork, or fabricated from Columbus full SLX double butted tubing with rifling down the inside center. The bottom bracket was investment cast with the Pinarello logo and the dropouts were by Campagnolo. Braze-ons for down-tube shifters, front derailleur and two water bottles were provided. The GPT logo (for Giovanni Pinarello, Treviso) appeared in many locations.
The Pinarello Treviso was the second-in-line model under the Montello SLX in the mid-to-late '80's. Built with Columbus SL tubing, it featured a painted fork and seat stays, with chromed chain stays. This model also featured the sloping fork crown. On the road it is easily distinguished from the Montello by the single chrome chain stay. However, some older models of the Treviso (1981) did not have the chrome chain stay.
After the Montello SLX, Pinarello departed from his standard production design with parallel seat and head tube angles and created the Gavia. This provided more saddle setback than the Montello or other Pinarello designs. Greg LeMond, the winner of the Tour de France in 1986, 1989 and 1990, promoted designs that pushed the saddle further back.Lemond G, Gordis K. "Greg LeMond's Complete Book of Bicycling" New York, Perigee Books,1990 The Gavia was constructed of Columbus TSX tubing. This model was available in red, blue with pearl white panels and pearl white with fluorescent splatter.
The Banesto Line was released in 1993 following Miguel Indurain's first two Tour de France (1991 and 1992) and first Giro d'Italia (1992) wins. Based upon Indurain's preference, all Banesto Line frames were constructed with Oria tubing. The Banesto Line was headlined by Indurain's Time Trial bike, debuting at the 1992 Giro with a remarkable advance in steel frames as it featured Tig welded custom aerodynamic tubing and custom aerodynamic seat post with internal shifter and brake cable routing. This TT bike represented an early example, possibly the first, of experimentation with airfoil tubing in the pro peloton. Only three of these TT framesets are known to have been constructed. Prior to the 1992 Giro, Indurain had ridden a Banesto painted TT bike with a round tubeset.Miguel Indurain Time trial Pinarello Banesto http://www.vintageluxurybicycles.com/indurain-tt The Banesto Line included the Tig welded Ciclo Cromovan Record 93, the Ciclo ML 34 Record 93 with a chromed fork and chrome rear triangle as well as the Ciclo ML 25 Veloce 93. The Banesto Line were supplied with Campagnolo components, Mavic rims, Aci Inox spokes, Vittoria tires, ITM handlebars and Indurain's preferred Selle Italia Turbo saddles.Pinarello Vince brochure 1993 Riding his Pinarello Banesto Line bicycles, Indurain was the last cyclist to win the Tour on a steel bicycle.Gallery: Tour de France race winning bikes. https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/gallery-tour-de-france-race-winning-bikes/. 29 June 2012. In 1997, the steel Banesto Line had changed from the white frames to utilize standard Pinarello blue and white color schemes along with Banesto badging on the downtube. In 1998, the Banesto Line included the new Paris aluminum frameset and updated Pinarello logo.
The Pinarello Paris in the mid-1990s was a 7005 series aluminium bike with an aluminium fork later replaced by the aria carbon fork. It was upon this frame that Jan Ullrich and Bjarne Riis won the Tour de France. Winner of the 2007 Editor's Choice award for a road racing bicycle from Bicycling Magazine, the Pinarello Paris FP was the premier monocoque, high modulus, unidirectional carbon fiber frame. In 2009, the FP6 replaced the Paris FP and F4:13. The monocoque frame used the same mold as the Paris FP, but with different carbon fiber (30HM3K). Pinarello had been slow to jump aboard the all-carbon juggernaut, preferring to concentrate on its highly regarded magnesium-frame technology, as showcased in the Dogma series of bikes. But the attraction and momentum of carbon was unavoidable, and while the all-carbon F4:13 hadn't displaced the Dogma at the top of Pinarello's line-up, it was clearly a serious and purposeful attempt to use the material's properties to best advantage, starting with one-piece main frame construction to exploit carbon's stiffness and low weight.
Contemporary road models The Pinarello FP Uno was the current base model bicycle built by Pinarello evolving from its predecessor, the FP1. The FP Uno featured hydroformed asymmetric 6061 T6 triple butted aluminium tubing. The next superior model was the Pinarello FP Due. Like the FP Uno, this had evolved from its predecessor, the FP2. The frame was constructed from 24HM12K carbon fibre. The Pinarello FP Quattro was built from 30HM12K carbon fibre and featured carbon asymmetric stays with an Onda carbon fork. The Quattro also utilised the new iCR internal cable routing system, which had been developed in-house, by Pinarello.
The Pinarello Neor replaced the FP Uno as Pinarellos base road bike model, featuring the same hydroformed aluminum frame as the FP Uno, but now boasted a carbon fibre rear triangle, as well as ONDA carbon fork. The Pinarello FPTEAM Carbon was constructed from 24HM12K uni-directional carbon fibre and featured both a tapered 1 "1/8 1" 1/4 ONDA fork and ONDA rear triangle. The Pinarello Rahza was a full 24HM12K carbon fibre frame, featuring an asymmetrical monocoque design, which improved frame rigidity. The frame also featured an ONDA fork and rear stays as well as the BB30 bottom bracket. The Pinarello Marvel was an entirely new asymmetry frame originating from the Pinarello Paris (constructed from Torayca 50HM1.5 carbon fibre) made from 30HM12K carbon. Rigidity of the frame was further improved by the usage of a tapered headset (1" 1/8 - 1" 1/2) as well as featuring internal cable routing. Pinarello said that the Marvel was a "top level bike and already UCI approved for use in official competitions." The Marvel also made full use of the Think2 system, allowing the usage of both electronic and mechanical groupsets. Other new features included the new ONDA2V front fork and a new aerodynamic downtube.
GAN series For 2016 Pinarello updated their product line starting with new mid-level bikes up to models just below the Dogma Series. All GAN Series models took styling and design cues from the Dogma F8. The entry level GAN stemmed directly from the design efforts of the Dogma F8, whilst having a less 'extreme' style which aided riding comfort. The GAN Disk variant contained the same features as the GAN but also included disk brakes; both models were manufactured from T600 carbon fibre. The GAN S featured an all-T700 carbon fibre frame, whilst still maintaining design features akin to the F8. The top of the class model was the GAN RS which featured a higher-strength T900 Toray carbon.
Dogma series
The Pinarello Dogma was the company's top-of-the-line model, the first bicycle of a 'new generation' of frames. It was the successor to the Pinarello Prince range, released for sale to the public in 2010. The frame had a completely asymmetric design made entirely of 60HM1K carbon fibre, with the right hand side of the Dogma frame different in shape and section to that of the left side, thus providing increased rigidity against forces placed upon the frame by pedalling.
In 2011, the successor to the Dogma, the Pinarello Dogma 2 was revealed at the 2011 Tour de France. The Dogma 2 featured aerodynamic improvements which increased the efficiency of the frame. Bradley Wiggins rode the Dogma 2 to victory in the 2012 Tour de France. In 2012, mountain bike trials rider, Martyn Ashton, created a video in which he performed several tricks and stunts on a Dogma 2. The video, entitled "Road Bike Party", went viral, gaining over half a million views in one day, and it has currently had over fourteen million views on YouTube.
The Pinarello Dogma K featured Pinarello"s 'Century Ride' geometry, using frame design that provided increased comfort without compromising overall performance. As with other modern Pinarellos, the frame incorporated an asymmetrical design which offset the asymmetric forces created by pedalling. The Dogma K and the Dogma frame differed from each other in the angle of the seat tube, brought back to increase shock absorption, and reduced head tube angle, as well as slightly longer chain stays to increase comfort. Furthermore, a longer wheelbase made for a frame that is less rigid vertically, improving shock absorption. The Pinarello ROKH frame was made in an effort to offer the excellent performance of the DOGMA K to a wider group of cyclists. The ROKH's geometry was similar in shape and construction but with an even longer wheel base to add even more vertical compliance than the Dogma K. The Dogma K Hydro mirrored the new model variation seen with the Dogma 65.1, whereby hydraulic disc brakes had now been added. The Hydro featured a new ONDA HD (Hydraulic Disc) fork, as well as new chainstays accommodating the RAD braking system seen on both the DOGMA XC and Dogma 65.1 Hydro.