On Test: Pinarello Gan RS Maglia Nera

Entry level and Pinarello are not synonymous. When your Ultegra level bike costs $5000, it needs to bring something special to the table. Sure, the name on the down tube alone is enough for some riders to justify the extra expense, but with the new Pinarello Gan RS, the Italian brand is aiming to deliver much more than name recognition.

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RELATED: See what else peloton magazine has on test.

The Pinarello Gan line up – Gan, Gan S, Gan RS – are all very closely related to Pinarello’s flagship Dogma F8. At first glance it’s easy to mistake a Gan for an F8, which means it’s very beautiful. It also means it’s very aero, benefitting from all the work Pinarello did with Jaguar to give Team Sky the slippery Dogma F8. The mold is not identical to the Dogma F8, it’s simplified to make for a less complicated and time consuming layup, but it does share the Flatback, truncated airfoil tubes, integrated ONDA fork and asymmetric philosophy. The geometry is slightly more relaxed and the materials are less exotic. The Dogma F8 uses a carbon recipe that peaks at lofty T1100 carbon, while the Gan RS only goes as high as T900. T900 has a lower tensile strength, meaning it takes more of it to make a stiff bike, but it also means it’s less brittle and less expensive. It is important to remember that until only very recently could T900 be considered anything less than a bleeding edge material.

The Pinarello Gan RS peloton has in for test is a size 57.5cm and tips the scales at 7.7kg, or 16.9pounds. Its livery is a gorgeous combination of matte and gloss black with silvery, champagne logos Pinarello calls Maglia Nera. The Maglia Nera was a jersey given to the last rider in the Giro d’Italia from 1946, until it was discontinued in 1951. It’s a bit hard to believe anyone would be last at the Giro on this bike. The rest of the build is full Shimano Ultegra 6800 with Mavic Ksyrium Equipe wheels. Pinarello’s in-house Most brand handles bar and stem, and the stem in particular is sculpted beautifully to accent the integrated fork and head tube.

The Gan RS costs $5000, again pricey for an Ultegra build, but its relationship to the Dogma F8 has to be taken into account. A frame born of the same mold can be had for less. The Gan S uses T700 carbon to compliment the Ultegra build and Fulcrum wheels for $3950. A Gan uses T600 carbon and Shimano 105 components for $2650, but let’s be honest, Shimano 105 has no business on a Pinarello.

Check out every angle of the new Pinarello Gan RS with our 360 video.

Look for a full review with a detailed ride report of the Pinarello Gan RS in our upcoming Italian issue of peloton magazine.

Pinarello Gan RS Ultegra 6800 Weight: 7.7kg/16.9pounds (57.5cm) Price: $5000
More: pinarello.com