Contender Ten Best of 2021: A Swooping Pinarello Dogma F

The latest generation of the Pinarello Dogma F isn’t much of a departure from the norm of the Dogma hierarchy. While it may seem like a phenomenally racy road bike - and it certainly is - anyone with experience with the Dogma knows that this road bike is far more complex than that. Racy but all-day rideable, agile yet stable at speed, the Dogma F takes an already-phenomenal bike and makes it even better.

The Pinarello Dogma is a model of continual progression. Like previous Dogma bikes (outside of perhaps the original in magnesium), the bike receives a characteristic asymmetric design that Pinarello says accommodates the uneven forces that come naturally from a drivetrain being pedaled. It also gets a similar internally-routed cable management system to the Dogma F12, similar shaping to its frame and fork, and a similarly shaped seatpost too. 

There are a few differences, however subtle they might be. Most of them are to the aero-tube shapes. The downtube has been tweaked to channel air from the fork around both water bottles, rather than one. The fork has been similarly tweaked too, as have the other tube shapes in the name of improved aerodynamics. As a whole, Pinarello claims the Dogma F Disc is 4.8 percent more aerodynamic than the F12 Disk, translating to 1.3 watts saved at 40 kph. A helpful - though small - change.

All that said, there are additional changes that are far less visible. Prior Dogmas used Toray T1100 carbon, but this uses an upgraded T1100 1K with Nanoalloy Technology, a carbon used in largely in aerospace applications. There are some stiffness increases here, and some weight savings, too. Then there is the use of titanium hardware at the seatpost and around the frame, cutting weight by 11% over the previous Dogma F12. These small changes are all about optimizing the Dogma and polishing it to the point that the rider truly has no excuses.

But then there is the ride quality. As much as we try to avoid tired cycling aphorisms, the Dogma F feels close to telepathic in ride quality, surging forward with the slightest suggestion of speed and handling exactly as you want to maintain that speed. And as much as we talk about stuff like this mattering, it means you can easily find your rhythm on this bike. Nothing feels out of place with the Dogma F, so there’s nothing to think about besides the ride ahead.

Why is this one of our Contender Ten Best? After all, lots of people look at the photos and dislike the newly-pronounced kink in the toptube, or they don't like the pretense that often accompanies a manufacturer like Pinarello. But in a lot of ways, this is an F1 car for the road. You may not be able to drive the same car that Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen drive to survive, but you can sure ride the same bicycle that Egan Bernal rides in the Tour de France. It is certainly expensive, but that is the price paid for the pinnacle of performance. This Pinarello Dogma F Disc is just that: the pinnacle of cycling performance, available to just about anyone.

Complete weight for this Pinarello Dogma F Disc with SRAM RED AXS is 7.11 kilograms (15.67 pounds) in a size 56cm, with two bottle cages, and no pedals. 

See the parts specifications as well as additional photos below.