Pinarello has had a glorious history in every frame material. It has won the biggest races with bikes made of steel, aluminum, and carbon-fiber. The Pinarello Prima Sora Bike comes with an aluminum frame and carbon fork. Pinarello won three Tours de France with aluminum frames under three riders. It also won the Vuelta and Olympics with aluminum as well.

The aluminum is 6061-T6 alloy. Even though this might be seen as an older material, Pinarello’s methods for working it are very up to date. They’re  utilizing a tapered 1 1/8” to 1 1/2” steerer, to give you plenty of stiffness with no weight gain. The Onda fork seamlessly integrates with the head tube and provides ample vibration-damping. The rear triangle is shaped for power transfer in the chainstays and comfort in the seat stays.

The geometry is traditional road racing, with reach dimensions typical of hardcore racing, but with more generous stack. If you want a bike that puts you in a fast position but have trouble getting as low as pro’s go, the dimensions here are spot on.

The drivetrain is Shimano’s Sora. The double rings are 50/34 and paired with a 12-25 ten-speed cassette, for a range that tends toward climbing comfort rather than big-gear mashing. Sora components feel like Dura-Ace of old, because that’s where Shimano harvested the designs.

The wheels are special to Pinarello with Alex rims and Formula hubs. They pulled together the components to make a reasonably light, super-durable set that forgives your absent-minded detours into potholes. They’re encased in Vittoria Zaffiro 25mm tires, which gives you a big air cushion that adds comfort and insurance to all your rides.

Pinarello’s MOst components complete the build. This bike is for first-timers and those dipping their toes into the high-performance waters. These pieces are firmly focused on value, but are still reasonably light, good-looking, and highly functional. They work well without calling attention to themselves.