We build a lot of road bikes. We build nearly just as many gravel bikes too. We're no strangers to turning dialed mountain bikes either. What we don't do all that often though, are full tilt triathlon builds. Rest assured though, when we do get to build a tri bike, we do it proper. Behold, a Pinarello Bolide that's heading out to take on the pro international circuit.
There are two versions of the Bolide, the TT and the TR. While they are similar, the TR does not need to comply with UCI standards, which gave Pinarello more freedom for aero shaping and accessory integration. This bike here is the TR version, disc brake to be exact, and it sure does look the business.
When looking at it head on, the bike is barely there. As the saying goes, narrow is aero. The Bolide has some unique features, like full internal cabling, a front brake caliper fairing, and the integrated top tube bento box. All little touches that help maintain speed and save valuable watts.
For the drivetrain, we opted to go with Sram AXS. Our rider has been riding it on her road bike since it came out, so it made sense to keep things consistent across bikes. She opted to keep things as aero and minimal is possible, going with the 1x system. Up front is a lone 50t chainring mounted to a Red level Quarq power meter crank, which spins on a Ceramicspeed bottom bracket. Those pull the flat top chain from the 10-33t 12 speed cassette.
At the control center of the bike is the Most aero bar and extensions. They fit in seamlessly with the Bolide frameset and allow for the integrated routing of the brake hoses and Sram TT controls. At the base bar are Sram S-900 aero brake levers. They don't yet make an aero lever with integrated AXS buttons, so we mounted standard blips behind the levers. At the extensions however, are the eTap Clics time trial shifters. All get routed through the bars to a Blipbox, tucked away in the Bolide's bento box.
The modern consensus is that disc does have an aero advantage, so disc was the choice for this bike. Sram Red calipers and Centerline XR rotors modulate the speed.
Even on a tri bike, we almost always go for handbuilt wheels. For this build, we opted for a set of Enve SES 7.8 rims. We laced them to a set of Chris King R45 hubs, black of course. We took advantage of their tubeless compatibility and mounted some Vittoria Corsa Control tires in 25c. Nothing ruins a race day like a bike mechanical, so any move to prevent a flat tire is a worthwhile precaution.
It's fast, it's black, and it looks damn good. As we mentioned, it's been a while since our last tri bike build, so it was a treat to turn one out as dialed as this. We're thrilled with how it turned out and can't wait to see how it performs out on the race course. We building out truly purpose-specific rigs, so if you're planning a specialty project, hit us up, as we'd love to help you bring it to life.
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