New Bianchi Specialissima 2024, so light it's illegal

We announced a few days ago that Bianchi was testing in competition a prototype of a lightweight bike with aerodynamic touches and we did not have to wait long for the official launch of its new Specialissima bike with which the Italian brand promises to lower the 6.8 kg limit set by the UCI.

Lightweight and aerodynamics in the same bike

Bianchi officially launches the new generation of its Bianchi Specialissima, the brand's climber model that, as a good racing bike, does not neglect the aerodynamic qualities and picks up some of the design guidelines of the Oltre RC model. A premiere perhaps anticipated by the fact that some Arkéa-Samsic riders had been using an unidentified lightweight prototype bike on some of the mountainous days of the Vuelta a España.

Following the trend that seems to prevail in recent brand launches, weight is once again a factor after years of neglecting it in favor of the incorporation of disc brakes or aerodynamic features, including the fully internal cable routing that is now standard on virtually all models on the market.

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As we already sensed in the images that began to spread through the networks, the inspiration of this new Specialissima is similar to that of the Oltre RC in terms of the design of the aerodynamic profiles of its tubes, although obviously with much smaller sections in order to lighten the bike as much as possible, the number one objective of this development.

The weight reduction, which, according to Bianchi, promises a top-of-the-line setup of 6.6 kg, is based on the adoption of ultra-thin seat stays as well as a reduction in the volume of its chainstays. However, aerodynamics are not sacrificed at the front where the wind hits first, a solution identical to that implemented by Specialized on its recently launched Tarmac SL8.

In fact, this new Specialissima claims that thanks to its aerodynamics it achieves an improvement of 8.7 seconds on a 10 km climb at 6% while maintaining a figure of 200 W, a very affordable figure for most cyclists on a mountain pass of these characteristics. Obviously, on the flat, at higher speed, in a 40 km test at the same 200 W, the gain would rise to 31.19 seconds.

This is talking about a figure of watts, as we say, of cyclotourist. Obviously, in trained professionals, pushing hard, these gains are multiplied. This is in terms of aerodynamics, since its very light weight comes into play when the gradients exceed double digits and every gram is noticed when it comes to needing watts to move at a certain speed, a terrain where this new Specialissima is in its element.

Although all the tubes are more or less profiled, it is the front where most work has been done on wind penetration. This is where the new integrated stem-handlebar set that Bianchi has developed for this bike plays a key role and also contributes to weight savings, leaving the scales at only 330 g at 110 mm stem and 380 mm width.

This bike is equipped with the new Bianchi RC wheels with a profile of only 33 mm in order to reinforce to the maximum the climbing qualities of this Specialissima.

Bianchi Specialissima: setup and specifications

Specialissima RC

• Frame: RC Carbon HM
• Groupset: SRAM Red AXS o Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
• Wheels: Reparto Corse RC 33 mm
• Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Race TT 700x26c
• Handlebar/stem: Integrated Reparto Corse
• Seatpost: Specialissima Full Carbon
• Saddle: Bianchi RC 139 Carbon

Specialissima Pro

• Frame: Pro Carbon HM
• Groupset: SRAM Force AXS o Shimano Ultegra Di2
• Wheels: Velomann Palladium 33 mm
• Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Race 700x26c
• Handlebar/stem: Integrated Reparto Corse
• Seatpost: Specialissima Full Carbon
• Saddle: Velomann Mitora 139 Hyper Carbon

Specialissima Comp

• Frame: Comp Carbon
• Groupset: SRAM Rival AXS o Shimano 105 Di2
• Wheels: Velomann Palladium 33 mm
• Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Race 700x26c
• Handlebar/stem: Handlebar Velomann Aero alloy, stem Velomann alloy
• Seatpost: Specialissima Full Carbon
• Saddle: Velomann Mitora 139