Wilier Granturismo SLR, the Italian brand's new racing comfort bike

Combining a large dose of comfort with performance close to that of its competition bikes is the aim of the new Wilier Granturismo SLR, with which the Italian brand shows us that, despite the rise of gravel bikes, endurance models are still bikes that make a lot of sense for the majority of cyclists who hit the road.

Granturismo SLR, Wilier's machine for devouring kilometres

In recent years, the rise of gravel and the commitment of many brands to this discipline has led to the decline of the endurance or gran fondo ranges. Road bike models oriented towards comfort thanks to more affordable geometries and systems that help to absorb irregularities.

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However, these bikes make a lot of sense for the majority of users, who are far from having the flexibility and training to take full advantage of the competition bikes that dominate the catalogues and for whom the most important thing is to enjoy the routes without the passage of time turning pedalling into torture.

Wilier continues its commitment to this type of model with the launch of the new generation of its Granturismo SLR bike, conceived as a pure gran fondo bike but without renouncing to a performance very close to the brand's competition bikes.

That's why Wilier builds this Granturismo SLR using the same HUS-MOD carbon used in the top of the range models, highlighted by the addition of liquid crystal fibres that add an extra point of absorption without compromising torsional stiffness.

Maximum comfort

Beyond the construction of the frame, what really catches the eye at first glance of this Granturismo SLR is its Actiflex 2.0 absorption system, which is the evolution of the one previously used on the model. This new Actiflex 2.0 is positioned in line with the seat stays that go beyond the line of the seat tube to reach the system itself, which is integrated to the maximum in the area of the junction between the horizontal and seat tubes.

The way it works is simple: an elastomer separates the stays from the junction with the rest of the frame and is capable of filtering impacts to the rear triangle. This location adds stiffness to the area, which is reinforced by a carbon bridge that joins both stays, while keeping the system away from dirt that may come from the rear wheel.

In the top of the range Wilier replaces the shock absorbing elastomer of the Actiflex 2.0 with a 3D-printed mesh part that has the same impact filtering capabilities but is 20 grams lighter.

Beyond the comfort offered by the Actiflex 2.0 system itself, the main element that adds comfort to a bike is the tyres. In the case of the Wilier Granturismo SLR, its wheel arches are capable of accepting up to 32mm tyres, which indicates that this is a true road bike, with no concession to gravel as we see on other brands' counterparts.

The last point regarding the comfort of a granfondo bike is the geometry. In the case of the Granturismo SLR, Wilier didn't want to move too far away from its competition models in terms of the bike's behaviour, limiting itself to slightly shorter and higher positions that are less demanding for the average rider without the need to resort to super short stems or headset spacers as is common among many of those who choose competition models.

Integration and aerodynamics

It's a term that's a must on any bike these days, so of course this Wilier Granturismo SLR has fully integrated cable routing from the levers to the brake calipers. This, together with the tube sections, inherited from the aerodynamic Filante SLR model, give the Granturismo SLR a little aerodynamic flair, which is always welcome as it saves effort without compromising on other features.

Also integrated is the 0 Bar handlebar/stem set, exactly the same as the top of the range Wilier 0 SLR climber, although if desired we could fit the aerodynamic Filante Bar model used on the homonymous model, as the spacers and integration with the head tube is identical on all three bikes. In any case, the 0 Bar model is chosen as standard because of its less demanding dimensions than the aerodynamic option and because it is better suited to the characteristics of this Granturismo SLR.

There is also a small detail that will allow us to achieve a cleaner look on this bike. Wiliar has decided to use a detachable front derailleur mount so that, if you opt for a 1x drivetrain, you can do without it, which reduces a little bit of wind resistance in the process.

Wilier Granturismo SLR: Set-ups and prices

Based on the same frame and the aforementioned 0 Bar handlebar, Wilier has prepared 9 set-ups ranging from the exquisite top of the range, equipped with Campagnolo Super Record EPS, which costs 11,700 € and starts at the opposite end of the range with a more than solvent set-up based on SRAM Force eTap AXS and Shimano Ultegra Di2 that allows us to have a Granturismo SLR for 7,400 €.

This is the complete list of set-ups offered by Wilier: