Pinarello unveils the new Bolide F for the Olympic Games

INEOS Grenadiers riders competing in the Olympic Games will do so on the Italian brand Pinarello’s flagship time trial bike, while representing their respective nations.

Source: Press Release

Pinarello has unveiled the latest incarnation of its iconic Bolide F TT, which will propel INEOS Grenadiers riders to victory (perhaps?) at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, while representing their respective nations in the individual time trial.

Michał Kwiatkowski (Poland), Magnus Sheffield (USA), reigning European time trial champion Josh Tarling (Great Britain), and former time trial world champions Tobias Foss (Norway) and Filippo Ganna (Italy) have each received a carbon fiber version of this revolutionary bike in a unique colorway that blends Luxter Red Gold and Luxter Blue, and features their nationalities on the seat tube.

The Bolide F TT uses many of the same technologies that have been applied to the updated Bolide F HR models used in endurance events by the Italian track team.

This completely updated design has resulted in a 2.28% reduction in CdA compared to the previous Bolide F TT by incorporating the following key features:

AirStream Technology: developed in collaboration with the University of Adelaide and NablaFlow, an aerodynamics R&D partner, and inspired by the tubercles found on humpback whale fins, a unique pattern of AeroNodes has been integrated on the seat tube and seatpost to reduce the complex vortices generated by riders’ leg movements to improve airflow.

AirFoil sections on the bottom bracket shell and hubs are longer and thinner to reduce frontal area. These innovations take advantage of the UCI’s decision to remove the 3:1 rule, and research has revealed that aspect ratios of 6:1, and even 8:1, were significantly better than the original 3:1 benchmark.

Reinforced chainstays and bottom bracket shell: this has allowed for an increase in tire clearance from 28mm to 32mm compared to the previous model, without compromising responsiveness and stiffness.

Narrow forks and seatstays: recent trends in aerodynamic frame design have seen a move towards wide forks and seatstays in an attempt to reduce the overall drag of the bike and rider. Extensive research in this area – which included over 2,000 computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tests – has however revealed that the narrowest possible forks and seatstays minimized frame weight and yielded the fastest overall results across multiple wind speed and yaw angle domains.

Fork flap: the new Bolide F TT fork features the same fork flap as the new DOGMA F for additional aerodynamic gains.

Optimized handlebar geometry was achieved through intensive CFD testing to minimize the total drag of the rider and bike. Again, Pinarello collaborated with NablaFlow to perform countless simulations using their AeroCloud software – which runs on AWS, the preferred cloud solution of the FIA and many F1 teams – to determine the most effective design.

Improved bottle cage integration: CFD studies also considered the optimal positioning of the bottle and bottle cage, thus achieving a simpler, more reliable, and more aerodynamic solution.

Tested and Approved

The Bolide F TT shares the same geometries and dimensions as the current Bolide F TT and is available in four standard frame sizes that have been verified and approved by the UCI.

Pinarello President, Fausto Pinarello, said: “There is no bigger stage than the Olympic Games to launch a new bike and we are immensely proud of the new Bolide F TT. It is a bike that continues to push the boundaries of sporting performance and will ensure our riders have the best chance of success in Paris.”