Wilier

Cento1 Air/Shimano Dura-Ace - Ultegra 11 Road Bike - 2016

In case you've been living under a rock, the age of the aero road bike is upon us, which makes Wilier's timing perfect in introducing the Cento1 Air Dura-Ace - Ultegra 11 Complete Road Bike. As the next evolution of the Cento1 SR, you already know that this is a thoroughbred that loves to go fast. And while the aerodynamics are impressive, it's the smooth, controlled ride that's had the Cento1 Air turning so many heads this year.

The Cento1 Air benefits from the experience gained in developing what Wilier calls the Twin Foil. The aggressive profiling extends from the leading edges of the fork blades, all the way back to the dropouts. And while most aero road bikes suffer in ride quality due to the design constraints of low-drag tube shapes, this type of compromise was viewed as unacceptable during the development of the Cento1 Air. To combat the poor handling exhibited by most of its competitors, the Cento1 Air was built with a massive tapered head tube and steerer tube, which yields surgically precise steering, even on high speed descents. The heavily profiled down tube should yield under power, but with the oversized bottom bracket shell, your watts won't be wasted in frame deflection.

Developed in cooperation with FSA, the BB386EVO is a competitor-dwarfing 86.5mm wide and has a diameter of 46mm. Wilier estimates that the new bottom bracket increases rigidity by 30%, while reducing power dispersion to almost zero. Additionally, this shell's width provides Wilier with the ability to widen the seat and down tube diameters by around 20mm. This drastically increases rigidity, while also promoting an efficient power transfer to the rear triangle. But, this also permits Wilier to decrease the tube's wall thickness, further shedding grams. You'll also find that the BB386 EVO was developed to use press fit bottom bracket cups, eliminating the need for alloy inserts in the shell. Of course, this also shaves a good deal of unnecessary weight. Altogether, Wilier credits BB386 EVO with increasing overall torsional rigidity by 133% and rear triangle stiffness by around 115%.

The Cento1 series has long been associated with integrated seatmasts. However, Wilier wanted to keep the ride of the Cento1 Air from being unnecessarily harsh, and accordingly, a more traditional seatpost was developed for the Air. Naturally, the teardrop shape is proprietary, and was developed to reduce turbulence as air slips around it. It's held in place by a seatpost clamp developed in conjunction with Ritchey. Basically, an internal wedge holds the post in place, and provides more than enough to security to support the rider. But just for peace of mind, there's a low-profile external seatpost clamp as a fail-safe.

To ensure rigidity and confident handling, the Cento1 Air has been constructed from a 60t Mitsubishi high-modulus carbon fiber. The 'T' in 60t refers to ton, as in it can withstand 60 tons of pressure per square millimeter. Wilier used strong carbon fiber, because the stronger the carbon, the less is needed. Thus, Wilier was able to strike the perfect balance between strength and weight.

Other new differentiators for the Air include internal cable routing, which is compatible with both electronic and mechanical drivetrains. Most importantly, however, is the Air's integrated fork. Easily the most distinguishing feature, it's integrated into the profile of the front triangle, tucking it out of the way of aerodynamic turbulence. And when combined with the massive tapered steerer tube, simple logic tells us that the expanded surface yields a stiffer than the poignant angle of a triangle. This technology has been proven with the Twin Blade, and it reduces the Cento1 Air's aerodynamic drag profile.

Wilier outfitted the Cento1 Air complete with a blend of Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegra 11-speed components for both long term reliability and precise shifts. The brake hoods and rear derailleur are Dura-Ace items, while braking and front gear changes are handled by Ultegra options. The crankset is a FSA SLK BB386 crankset that meshes perfectly with the BB386 shell that Wilier helped to design. The cockpit is comprised of Wilier co-branded items, such as the FSA Wing Pro alloy handlebar, a FSA Energy stem, a San Marco Concor saddle, and a custom Ritchey Superlogic carbon seatpost. It rolls on Shimano's RS21 wheels.

The Wilier Cento1 Air/ Shimano Dura-Ace - Ultegra 11 Complete Road Bike - 2016 is available in six sizes from X-Small to XX-Large and in the color Black/red.