Pinarello Dogma F Review by Simon Hookway
I have been cycling for 25 years and have raced TT’s, Road, Track and even cyclocross (when it was warm and sunny). Up until May 2024 I’ve never owned or ridden a Pinarello.
One Saturday in May 2024 that all changed at the Velo Bavarian Pinarello demo day when I tentatively booked in on one of the demonstration rides that day for my first ride on a Pinarello. Me being me, I decided to try out the top of the range, the Dogma F. Without going too much into it, I decided after the demo ride that the next bike I buy, in 12 months time will be a Pinarello Dogma F. Yeah, I was that impressed!
"The first thing that struck me was when climbing, the bike is very stiff, positive, smooth and feels like it pushes you forward with all energy output making its way to the road..."
2 months later….(thanks Luke!) after a lot of research, I am now the very proud owner of a 2025 Pinarello Dogma F which, looks stunning in it’s orange>red>black fade limited edition colours of Team Ineos, built and set up perfectly by Jimmy, VB’s Service Manager.
So how does it ride……well, the first time I rode it was on my regular weekday evening rolling circuit. I set a course PB that evening, and riding this bike was an even better experience than when I rode the previous Dogma F on the VB x Pinarello demo day. I put this down to the 2025 model improvements, which has some key upgrades and refinements (which you can see here), the new Dogma F is lighter, stiffer, more aero etc. Pinarello’s view is that one bike really can be an aero and climbing bike all in one and I have to say that the Dogma F excels when climbing, descending and on the flat.
The first thing that struck me was when climbing, the bike is very stiff, positive, smooth and feels like it pushes you forward with all energy output making its way to the road, and as I have noticed, particularly at a higher cadence and also when you drop the gear and accelerate out of the saddle the bike responds instantly. Handling when descending is equally impressive, and in the downhills the Dogma F feels like it’s on rails, inspiring a safe-feeling confidence when cornering unlike any other bike I’ve ridden. On the flat it rolls so well, on the first few group rides I joined, I was feathering the brakes a lot as the bike just wants to go fast and seems to hold its speed, even in windy conditions. The combination of this specific build, with the Shimano Dura Ace group set, the C50 Dura Ace wheels with Continental GP5000s TR tyres completes a very well matched package. I would certainly recommend this as a custom build for anyone considering buying a Dogma F frame and specifying the separate components.
"In my experience the Dogma F is comfortable, a solid, responsive ride yes, yet smooth and compliant, most notably at the front-end..."
But a bike this fast and stiff must be uncomfortable surely? I read reviews that said testing the bike on smooth Italian roads is all well and good, and it should have been tested on the potholed, rough surfaces of the roads in Britain, and that the rider would feel every little bump and so on…..? Well, I’d disagree with those reviews. In my experience the Dogma F is comfortable, a solid, responsive ride yes, yet smooth and compliant, most notably at the front-end, which is maybe down to the Most Talon Ultra Fast cockpit, which was narrower (the drops have a slight flare) than I was used to, but felt ‘just right’. I really feel planted on the bike, especially when riding in the drops. I completed a 100 mile ride, my first for 5 years, in my first week of riding the Dogma F, and felt pretty good at the end, no aches or neck/shoulder pains which I can be prone to.
So, in summary, the Pinarello Dogma F is a thoroughbred performance racing bike with a geometry that matches my body type and preferred riding style. It’s made for aerodynamic efficiency, fast accelerations and outright speed which in turn creates a really exciting ride, and despite the fact that I’m no longer racing, this is personally, what I look for in a bike. It’s fair to say that the Pinarello Dogma F has transformed my riding experience and I find myself wanting to ride faster and more often, it’s just a shame that we’ve now run out of light evenings and the weekends grow evermore wet and cold as Autumn and Winter take hold. I just can't wait for Springtime…
Check out our current Pinarello Dogma F stock here - all in store now.