The best smart bikes for Zwift a head-to-head group test, Review: Canyon Ultimate CF Evo Disc 10.0 LTD, How the pros prepare for a prologue at the Tour de Romandie, Strade Bianche tech: The tires and pressure the pros raced with over the white roads, Sea Otter gear test: Ventum NS1 with unreleased Enve wheels, CeramicSpeed upgrades and a dog in a backpack, Easton EA90 AX gravel dropper post and lever details and ride impressions, Technical FAQ: More bike fitting tips for masters cyclists.
Availability: E: ash@northernride.com | T: 01653 699070 | Chat live now! Bianchi claims that this 55cm frame has a weight of 1,150g, which for an aero bike isn't too shabby, especially when you take into account that the rear end has to be beefed up a little to cope with the braking power of hydraulic discs. How did the bike transfer power? They are a 300+ set of wheels, depending where you buy them, which is a little cheap for a bike of this price, but they work and I wouldn't be in a massive hurry to change them. It's not as quick or racy as I originally expected, but I grew to enjoy it.
Would you recommend the bike to a friend? With just a few rides on flats and hills, on asphalt and dirt and gravel, the Bianchi Oltre XR3 Disc Ultegra shows shows itself as a versatile, all-around road bike. 160mm, Water bottle hanger Elite Paron Race composit, Bianchi says, " Ride beyond limits. Hmm depends on the deals going on. Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? They have a 35mm-deep rim which is too shallow for any real aerodynamic gain, but they are pretty solid and I certainly didn't have any issues with them when it came to durability.
Advertising, commercial: sales [at] road.cc I began thrashing around on it like a race bike after all, it is part of Bianchi's Racing range but I didn't really feel like I was being rewarded for my efforts, either from my own feedback or what showed on the Garmin screen. One of the main characteristics of the XR3 is its aerodynamics, with an hourglass-shaped 1 1/8 to 1 1/2in tapered head tube, which blends seamlessly into the fork crown while morphing into the top tube at the upper end. The XR3 comes with SM-RT800 Ice Tech Freeza 160mm rotors front and rear. They do get bloody hot, though, so I'm not sure how this cooling technology works. One of the main benefits is the comfort, helped by Bianchi's Countervail (CV) system, and I've ridden enough of this brand's bikes to know that it isn't just a gimmick. Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Join Outside+ to get complete access to exclusive content on VeloNews, a subscription to Peloton Magazine, training plans for road and gravel, and more. Terms and conditions of use. At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. It's a completely new model compared to the rim-braked version to accept the wider hub with disc rotor and to accommodate the internal hose routing for the front calliper. The flat-mount disc brake caliper mounts, wider tire clearance, and refined application of the vibration-dampening Countervail technology are minor upgrades, individually. View our media pack. Cervelo Pro Tour Team 2019 | Team Sunweb ready to roll! Help us to make it better. Plenty of grip and decent rolling resistance, a decent set of all-rounders. The objective of Bianchi with the Oltre XR3 Disc is to offer superior bike control through added braking power and increased braking modulation. CV is described as a viscoelastic material that's embedded within the layers of carbon fibre and is designed to cancel out high frequency road vibration. Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? There is space for up to 28mm tyres, and 12mm thru-axles are used front and rear. Did it feel efficient? Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality. Tech, reviews: tech [at] road.cc The Bianchi does offer a very good ride quality, and there are some really clever design ideas behind it. Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible? The seat tube is shaped to follow the profile of the rear wheel, although it's not really close enough for a dramatic effect on air flow like you'd find on something like a time trial frame. The more I lived with the XR3, the more we got on, and we had some great rides together. Don't miss a moment from Paris-Roubaix and Unbound Gravel, to the Giro dItalia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espaa, and everything in between when you Your subscription will help us to do more. You can carve a smooth line through a long, curved downhill section with confidence and ease. The revenue from adverts helps to fund our site. Copyright 2015Northern Ride. At this bikes price point, Id expect a full Shimano Ultegra R8000 group, with hydraulic disc brakes. But, I was able to pull a gap back on a heavier rider, when we were both coasting a long downhill. The ideal bikes for the most expert riders.". I usually ride: This month's test bikeMy best bike is: I've been riding for: 10-20 yearsI ride: Every dayI would class myself as: Expert, I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed. Get the latest race news, results, commentary, and tech, delivered to your inbox. We might not have started off as friends but we ended on a high. Cervelo P5 2020 | Review and achieving the perfect fit, EX10 vs. EX11 setup. Tel 01225 588855. Built with Volusion. How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size? Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork? 31.8mm, reach 126mm, drop 77,4mm, Size: 400mm-47/50cm , 420mm-53/57cm, 440mm-59/61cm, Seatpost Oltre Full Carbon Aero w/alloy clamp, adjustable and reversible head +/- 35mm, setback (25mm/+10mm) length: 250mm-47cm, 300mm-50/53cm, 350mm-55/59cm, 380-61cm, Saddle Selle San Marco Concor Startup, manganese rails, 278x134mm, Rotor Shimano SM-RT800 Center lock, diam. Contact us or visit the 'Order Process' page for more details. Even while cross-eyed from out of the saddle efforts and not being acclimatized to riding at mile-high elevation I never missed a shift, even when wearing lobster gloves. With its viscoelastic resin in the Countervail equipped frame and the consistent power, precision and modulation of disc brakes, the new Bianchi Oltre XR3 Disc the ideal handling fast aero road bike - on any road, in any weather. Since writing his first review for road.cc back in 2009 he has also had a career in engineering including 3D-CAD design and product development, so has a real passion for all of the latest technology coming through in the industry but is also a sucker for a classic steel frame, skinny tyres, rim brakes and a damn good paintjob. Yes, the Oltre has a very good ride quality which I put down to the Countervail technology. Whether or not the aero-shaped tube sections were helpful at keeping speed up or not was hard to determine. Terms, objective of Bianchi with the Oltre XR3 Disc is to offer superior bike control through added braking power and increased braking modulation. Bianchi has taken its popular Oltre XR3 and whacked a pair of discs on it for 2018. The Vittoria Rubino tyres roll well and their grip allows you to push harder into the bends. All Rights Reserved. The Oltre XR3 is, from initial appearance, an aero road racing bike with a pretty massive bottom bracket junction, non-round tube sections, and a flattened aero handlebar. It's all decent enough stuff without being overly flash. Bianchis implementation of a process and material for vibration dissipation had me wondering if its capabilities reached beyond simply sprinting on flat straightaways with rough tarmac beneath me. would you recommend any changes? Oltre XR3 hydraulic disc brakes are impervious to adverse weather conditions. I did a nice little 'battlefield' ride taking in Towton and Bramham Moor (a slightly earlier conflict). It does have a 200g weight penalty but it comes with deep-section wheels which are never light. Ive had this experience with other bikes to the point where the ride felt dead, however, this Bianchi was anything but. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Ive had this experience on other bikes to the point where the bike felt dead; however, this Bianchi was anything but. While Im most comfortable on short, snub-nosed saddles with a center channel or cutout, the Fizik Antares saddle notably worked well for me. I've always felt that 140mm diameter discs are plenty when using hydraulics on a road bike, but I suppose you can never have too much braking power to play with, especially when you've got this much moderation. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. You could maybe expect a carbon bar for the price tag but it's not a deal breaker. The new Oltre XR3 Disc enables to maintain a more consistent overall speed through the corners, with less effort from the rider. The 28mm Vittoria Rubino Pro graphene tires and deep-section Fulcrum Racing carbon wheels did a great job on dirt and light gravel. Overall, the finish is top notch quality. Thanks to the Countervail you can get away with quite stiff components. If you like road.cc, but you dont like ads, please consider subscribing to the site to support us directly. Tell us some more about the controls. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective.
If you dont want to subscribe, please turn your ad blocker off. Any components which didn't work well together? compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price. Moving outside of the Bianchi parts store, you'll find a Selle San Marco Concor Startup saddle. Contact us or visit the 'Order Process' page for more details.Customisation: Contact us with your upgrade or component alterations, we will endeavour to create your desired specification at purchase whilst maintaining a competitive price. Pumping them up to their 110psi minimum sidewall pressure, I could feel the ride had become firmer but that road buzz hadn't increased, it was still being cancelled out. On steeper switchback ramps, when I was producing four-figure watts and trying to throw the bike up and around tight-radius corners, there was no tell-tale chain rub at the front derailleur, or any noticeable flex when really trying to accelerate out of the saddle. The alloy head is reversible +/-35mm so you can go for a more aggressive saddle position if you like as well. aero road bike that holds its own on off-road surfaces, minimal frame flex while also soaking harsh road vibrations, had to be coaxed into corners while descending. an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value with value determined by how a product
I've ridden race bikes with sharper steering than the Oltre but it still gives you plenty of confidence to carry some speed through the bends unless things tighten up and become very twisty and technical. The overall score is not just It's race orientated with reasonably steep head and seat angles although just a little slacker than the professionally ridden XR4. The shifting between gears is snappier and more precise than that of the previous 6800 series Ultegra, so you still get that lightest of touch but more reassurance that the chain has shifted a sprocket or chainring. Bianchi Oltre XR3 Disc & Rim 2022 | Well balanced and fast road bike, with confidence and stability descending!Aero advantage meets control. The new Oltre XR3 Disc enables to maintain a more consistent overall speed through the corners, with less effort from the rider. try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad. The testing grounds were some of the roads used by the Colorado Classic in Boulder, so a welcome mix of climbing and flats. Our mission is to bring you all the news thats relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. - High strength + medium modulus carbon fibers with Countervail material, - Tapered aero headtube 1.1/8 to 1.5, inspired by Oltre XR4 profiles, - Internal hydraulic cable guide housing. The answer was an unequivocal yes. Fantasy Cycling: game [at] road.cc If I owned it I'd happily ride it every day and not be disappointed, but that price is a bit of a fly in the ointment at nearly four grand. At a penny under 4,000, the XR3 Disc is right at the upper end of the price band. Having little time to acclimatize to the fitor the mile-high altitude in Colorado, coming from sea levelI set the saddle position and bar tilt, and then hit out for some time on the Oltre XR3. It's the same when it comes to durability: I had no issues with punctures or cuts, and while they aren't the most performance-orientated tyre out there, they cover all bases. We don't intentionally A fast bike that doesn't feel like a fast bike but its comfortable ride grows on even speed-loving cyclists, Best Cycling Website, BikeBiz Awards 2018, Giant's similarly designed and specced Propel Advanced Disc. While the Oltre felt fast and natural in straightaways, it took a little coaxing to get it around tight corners when dropping downhill, or when dodging dirt craters. Was it lively Between neutral and lively. On the plus (or minus) side, the stem has a +/-7-degree angle for a low front end, and the bar has a shallow drop to suit the majority of riders.
Frame Oltre XR3 Disc carbon w/Countervail, mechanical/electronic shifting compatible, UTSS seat stays, HT with integrated fork, carbon dropout , BB PressFit 86,5x41mm, flat mount caliper, thru axle 12x142mm, sizes 47-50-53-55-57-59-61cm, Fork Bianchi Full Carbon Aero Disc w/Countervail, 1.5">1.1/8" integrated head , flat mount caliper, thru axle 12x100mm, Rear derailleur Shimano Ultegra RD-R8000 SS 11sp, Front derailleur Shimano Ultegra FD-R8000, Crankset Shimano Ultegra FC-R8000 52x36T, Hollowtech II, Crank Length: 170mm-47/54cm, 172.5mm-55/59cm, 175mm-61cm, Sprocket Shimano Ultegra CS-R8000 11sp, 11-12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-25-28T, Tire Vittoria Rubino Pro G+ Isotech graphene 700 x 28, Stem Reparto Corse 3D Forged alloy 7050, rise +/- 7, 1.1/8", Ext: 70mm-47, 90mm-50cm, 100mm-53cm, 110mm-55/57cm, 120mm-59cm, 130mm-61cm, Handlebar Reparto Corse Compact Flat Top, Alloy 2014, diam. As a subscriber you can read road.cc ad-free, from as little as 1.99. For the rider, the new Bianchi Oltre XR3 Disc is a revelation on the road. The Racing category includes extreme racing performance carbon frames, optimized to achieve the most efficient power transmission with the best rigidity to weight ratio. Our full review of this latest groupset is imminent so I won't go into massive details, but boy oh boy is it a good 'un. Tell us some more about the tyres. Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? If youve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as 1.99. Any particularly good or bad components? It's easy to dismiss products on price, weight and paper spec sheets in this game, but it's all about the little details, and this is where the Oltre XR3 Disc goes some way to redeem itself. For the rider, the new Bianchi Oltre XR3 Disc is a revelation on the road. I found it firm but never uncomfortable and really liked its minimalist shape. If so. The new Oltre XR3 benefits from the same revolutionary frame-design developments proven at the highest level of racing on the acclaimed Bianchi Oltre XR4. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders? It's still a good descender, mind. Okay, there's a little bit more work involved than that like a new fork and a tweaked rear end for the flat mount callipers but what it has delivered is a smooth-riding speed machine that just devours the miles. With its viscoelastic resin in the Countervail equipped frame and the consistent power, precision and modulation of disc brakes, the new Bianchi Oltre XR3 Disc the ideal handling fast aero road bike - on any road, in any weather, Oltre XR3 Disc frame and fork are designed t. We offer competitive pricing, complimentary bike fits and quality servicing. The XR3 uses an aero seatpost which is secured by way of an expanding bung in the top tube. Ordering: We offer competitive pricing, complimentary bike fits and quality servicing. The Oltre XR3 Disc delivers comfort and speed but in a different way to what I was expecting. The fork comes in at 450g, which again is in the right ball park. Right away, I felt like this Bianchi muted some road chatter.
How would you describe the steering? The US has a very poor record for road safety. As I said in the review, I'd happily stick with the wheels, although something lighter would give for better acceleration and climbing. Weve noticed youre using an ad blocker. Four to five-hour jaunts into the hills or faster blasts across the flatlands became fun and I really enjoyed spending time on it. New Ah, cool. The Oltre XR3 delivers the perfect combination of control, and the competitive advantage of advanced aerodynamics, and, now available with disc brakes.