Bicycles

On test: Wilier Granturismo Ultegra

Details

Parent Category: Bicycles

Category: Wilier

Published on Monday, 29 November 2010 06:00

Written by Luca Salvatelli

A high quality bike, comfortable and with good performance

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Wilier Granturismo is based on a new monocoque frame available in six different sizes and weight of 1150 grams declared. The frame is characterized by the profile of the main tubes that have a pronounced edge. This edge follows an imaginary line running from a vertical tube and bottom bracket to join in the tube and continue along the fork. This profile has allowed us to increase the lateral stiffness to improve power transmission, without affecting the vertical flexibility, which improves comfort. At this corner was then associated with a careful arrangement of high modulus carbon fibers so as to increase the values of torsional rigidity, allowing at the same time, a good vertical flexibility. The fork, full carbon, has straight stems, seeds, flat and wide, characterized by an edge which strengthens the rod. He said a weight of 360 grams. The head tube is characterized by the union of the edges coming from the tube and oblique, has a good section bearings and take in the classic size from 1 inch and 1/8. Unlike other models in this class has a high length, being shorter and closer to the racing geometries. The tube has a section not marked, but in fact characterized by the angular shape, and joins with a bottom bracket, with conventional standard, again a good size but without exaggeration. The tube has a straight profile, a section angular, and joins with the vertical pipe in a well sized. The vertical pipe is long, semi integrated, and is home to the carbon fiber seatpost FSA, custom Wilier, as well as the saddle Selle Italia. The cables are completely internal to the chassis and impeccably made. The rear triangle consists of the high horizontal pipes and tubes and well designed for taller than the height of the brake are combined into a single structure that recalls the Wilier 101SL. Three colors available, black, white and blue. The brakes are custom Wilier FSA, as the stem and the handlebar FSA SL-K. The crank is FSA SL-K, with 34/50 rings. Two Tacx bottle cage. The bike being tested is then assembled with Shimano Ultegra, with controls, front and rear derailleur, chain and sprocket. The Fulcrum Racing 3 wheels with Michelin tires Lithion2. So assembled, the size M, the bike has a weight of 7.8 kg without pedals, as observed with our instrumentation.

The road test

The new Wilier Granturismo impresses with its high quality. Perfect painting and refined, the excellent construction of the frame, yet perfect and admire the internal cable and the care taken to include protections rubber where there may be contact between cables and frame. Excellent presence of the chain protection and still beat curated selection of graphical components FSA SL-K, which complement each other perfectly in the context of the bike. Excellent, again, the special anodized. Perfect assembly and, in the model being tested, excellent consistent quality of all components. Only the weight has not worked a lot with a gap, with the same group adopted, about 150 grams compared to similar competitors. In the saddle you find a frame geometry that is borrowed from other models Wilier, with minor differences. Wilier, unlike others, did not consider it appropriate to make a specific geometry of the frame. But it turns out an stem shorter, with equal measure of the bike, which leads to a bust raised more, thanks to the compact fold anatomical FSA SL-K (excellent ergonomics), which has a Reach and Drop content, so that is easy to change the intake from high to low with no apparent imbalance of the trunk. Good saddle and the always excellent ergonomic controls Shimano Ultegra, so that the static overall comfort is more than good. The internal cable has made the trip lever less fluid and just as noisy. Minor differences compared to a conventional step outside, but we point out that for the record. FSA brakes, replacing the original Ultegra, proved far more adaptable, but to get a strong deceleration, it must apply a greater tension on the levers. It's a very safe, especially in the wet, but most experts would have liked a more decided in the first part of the trip lever. Excellent but the crank FSA SL-K, which proves more rigid and sliding dell'Ultegra, as well as being lighter. On the move you can appreciate the stiffness of the frame, although not reaching the values of the "sisters" is well able to transfer power to the rear wheel. Good rigidity of the bottom bracket area and the perfect stiffness of the fork. In the straight, thanks to the good flowability of the wheels and tires, performance is more than good and aligned to direct competition, if not higher. Like the behavior consistent and predictable bike, steering with a quick, but not very fast, more secure, but never too heavy. As the rear responsive and well capable of transmitting power to the wheel, but never too hard. It's easy to get up on the pedals to increase the pace, without being broken down into the bike so obvious, though much less than on other models. The high rigidity of the fork allows perfect control under braking and also in the corners, that are fast and accurate. In general, unlike the name, this bike is very fast and responsive, closer to the bike "Racing" than its competitors that its name would suggest. Only the weight, not much content, only a little performance, up hills, as in the raises out of tight corners. On uneven comfort is good, although less than other competitors who preferred more focus on this aspect at the expense of benefits, which are higher on this Wilier. Good accuracy on the fast direction, with a steering always accurate and secure, even on bumpy. Once again, Wilier has preferred to adopt a geometry "blameless", but a middle ground that would allow a good handling and speed in changing direction. The overall comfort that follows is an exact cross between the pure racing bike and road bike more comfortable (Specialized Roubaix SL3, Bianchi Infinito, at all). This is characteristic of this model that is fast but not fast, in the entry of the corners, stable but not extremely stable, at speed on bumpy, comfortable, but not at the top of the class, long distance driving. As each model of compromise, so it can excite or disappoint, it depends on what you look for and what features should be our ideal bike. Beyond any doubt is the high quality of the bike being tested, such as to prohibit any grade up, they are the wheels, so as not to spoil the perfect finish. It's a bike designed for a rider that points to a high quality product, not extreme, either on the weight of it in driving behavior, but who wants maximum comfort without going to affect the characteristics of sporty driving their bikes, but again, without their excesses of instability or lack of precision on the fast driving in the entry of the corners. In summary: a bike of high quality, durable, pleasant to drive, even on long journeys. Who wants a bike even lighter and more competitive in terms of pure performance can easily turn to other assemblages, more expensive, but also lighter.

Price

The bike test has a cost of about Euro 3444 and the frame kit is priced at 1932 Euro. In both cases, the prices are slightly higher than some direct competitors, but justified by the high quality of realization of the frame and the bike assembled.

Positive aspects

Build Quality

Good rigidity of the frame

Good comfort

Overall Performance

Driving Characteristics

Modulation of the braking

Negative aspects

Force applied on the levers for powerful braking

The report card

Quality 9.5 (does not take only 10 by weight)

Stiffness 8.5 (for the category is at the top or almost)

Comfort 8.5 (good in comfort in relation to the rigidity of the chassis)

Stability 9 (security is never less)

Manageability 9 (fast fit curve)

Braking 8 (very adjustable)

Weight 8 (an honest weight)

Price 8.5 (the quality you pay)

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Wilier

Website: www.wilier.it