Well to say it’s been a long time since I updated this is an understatement! So many excuses that aren’t valid but I will utilize them regardless. The aftermath of the last couple years and the strain it put on the shop and my overall motivation is the biggest culprit. Won’t get into the past but post COVID retail really made me (any many in the industry) question our future in the bike retail landscape. But hey, I’m back, took a few years and I am grateful for some amazing staff and support. I am ready to share what I know and have experienced… whether you care or not !

I type this while sitting poolside in Treviso Italy. Yeah tough I know but my job needs some perks. While you are out riding on weekends we are at the shop making sure you’re dialled for your next road or gravel adventure. Bikes have become ever more complicated and technical which makes me even more adamant that you need to specialize in what you do these days in the bike world. Back to Italy, why am I here? It’s been about four, maybe five years since I made the venture. It’s tough to get away during our busy time but I need to do it for my sanity and to remember why I do this; I love bikes and will long after PRW is gone. I was privileged to be invited by Pinarello and the fine folks at Uno Imports to come ride the new Dogma in its birthplace along with other key dealers from all over the world. I love brands with heritage and Pinarello is a name we all know from the days of Big Mig and Ullrich. Fausto is back running the company his family started and it's still based out of Treviso, which is an amazing area for riding that I have visited previously over the years. Although it was a quick trip, fly out Thursday and back in the shop Wednesday quick, I figure a quick trip to Italy is better than no trip. I'll sleep when I am dead.

I’ve been to many bike launches but this is my first one with Pinarello and it was everything I was told it would be and more. Dinner in castles and a chance to ride the new Dogma F through the Prosecco region with dealers from around the world. Similar to what we have been facing in Western Canada as of late it was hot, 34 degrees hot! The ride was about 120 km with over 1000 meters of elevation in the form of punchy climbs throughout the Veneto region; an area which is the only place in the world where there are no fewer than eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites within a radius of 100 km. The ride left from Treviso and ended at the Pinarello factory. Having spent the year riding the current Dogma, it was a perfect time to compare it to the new version while it was fresh in my head. It did not disappoint but the bikes we sell never do. The top bikes are already so advanced that they really can only do subtle tweaks that are allowed by the UCI and what technology is available to them. But like any brand with a racing heritage that is currently involved with a Pro Tour team you are always learning and getting feedback. I have always believed in what a brand can learn from someone who races for a living at the highest level. A lot of the current changes are a direct result from the likes of Pidcock, G-Tom and the entire Ineos team.

The 2025 Dogma F is utilizing the latest carbon from Toray, the M40X, which allows them to make it lighter and stiffer. They created a more aero front end and BB area along with a totally revamped MOST Talon bar that is not only stiffer, wider in the drops with 7-degrees of flare, and the tops are canted further inward for a more aerodynamic position while remaining within the UCI regulations. We all know aero is everything right?! Some stunning new colours as always and you have a the signature look that Pinarello is known for and which I really appreciate in this world of bikes that all look the same. Fashion and function all in one, truly Italian.

Well that’s it for now, I promise to do this at least once a month as I know a lot of you aren’t on the Gram, which is my usual place due to its ease but I promise to stop being lazy with this. I’ll let the pictures below tell the rest of the story, Ciao Ciao.