Wilier has launched the brand new Verticale SLR, which it says is its lightest bike ever and which replaces the Zero SLR mannequin. The claimed full frameset weight, together with fork, bar/stem, seatpost, thru-axles and different {hardware} is 1,651g, as in opposition to the Zero SLR’s 1,798g, which represents slightly below 10 % weight discount.
The Verticale SLR is the light-weight bike that Wilier’s sponsored Groupama-FDJ and Astana Qazaqstan WorldTour groups will use for mountain levels on the upcoming Tour de France. It’s already been used to good impact by Groupama-FDJ’s Lenny Martinez, who gained the 2024 Mercan’Tour Classic driving a prototype model of the Verticale SLR.
Martinez says: “The Verticale is a superb bike, particularly for me as I’m a climber. It’s lighter than the Filante SLR and responds very well when the street begins to climb. As quickly as you stand on the pedals it responds very well, as we noticed on the Mercan’Tour Classic, which I gained with this bike nonetheless in its prototype model.”
We have been testing a Verticale SLR for a number of weeks and you’ll learn our in-depth evaluate right here.
Marginal losses
The essential sources of the brand new bike’s weight reduction, when in comparison with the Zero SLR, are the body, the fork and the bar/stem combo. Wilier claims a 648g body weight and a 296g fork weight, down from 766g and 320g respectively. Our dimension XL check bike was precisely 6.8kg, some anticipate UCI unlawful weights for smaller sizes.
The new body makes use of a mixture of three Toray carbon fibre grades, Toray 800, Toray 1100 and M46JB together with the top-spec T1100. In the fork, the fibres are twisted to enhance the administration of stresses and the fork blades are uneven to compensate for the totally different stresses from the disc brakes.
There’s a brand new seatpost clamping mechanism that tightens from below the highest tube slightly than from above it. This leads to a triangular-shaped junction between the highest tube and seat tube, slightly than the Zero SLR’s clamp housing, which we in comparison with a rogue Lego brick glued to the body once we tracked the Verticale down on the latest Critérium du Dauphiné.
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The seatpost has been re-engineered to save lots of weight too. At 152g, it’s 10g lighter than the Zero SLR’s. It additionally consists of two bolts which can be utilized to connect a race quantity or Wilier’s specially-designed rear gentle.
Wilier has modified the entrance derailleur hanger design. It can now be mounted in two positions. This accommodates the 50/34t and 52/36t cranksets utilized by mere mortals however permits the professionals to suit a crankset with a 56t chainring.
The body’s geometry is sort of unchanged from the Zero SLR, with the identical stack, though the attain decreases from the Zero SLR on smaller frames and will increase on bigger ones.
Lighter one-piece handlebar
Turning to the brand new carbon monocoque V Bar bar/stem, Wilier claims a weight of 310g for a 100x40mm bar dimension as in opposition to 339g for the Zero SLR. The new bar design features a flare on the hoods, which locations the arms 30mm nearer collectively when driving on them than within the drops.
It’s an more and more frequent aero design characteristic, seen for instance on the Trek Madone. Wilier has additionally adjusted the bar geometry from the Zero SLR, with revised attain and drop and a special angle to the tops. A revised clamping mechanism is designed to distribute stresses on the steerer and stem extra evenly and there’s up to date hose routing, making substitute simpler. The handlebar can be suitable with different Wilier premium bikes.
Wilier provides the V Bar in six sizes: 90mm or 100mm stem size with 400mm width on the drops and 110mm, 120mm, 130mm and 150mm stem size with 420mm width on the drops.
Specs and costs
Wilier will promote the Verticale SLR in seven construct specs, in addition to frameset-only. All the complete specs are geared up with wheels from Miche, which Wilier now owns: both the Kleos 36 or Kleos RD 36.
There are six body sizes supplied, from XS to XXL, whereas the Verticale SLR might be purchased in 4 colors: black with copper accents, Velvet Red, Groupama-FDJ staff reproduction and a brand new Hulk Green, which might be Astana Qazaqstan’s climbing bike on the upcoming Tour de France.
The Wilier Verticale SLR frameset is priced at £5,500 / $6,900 / €5,800.
Full bikes begin at £9,000 / $12,000 / €9,900) for the Ultegra Di2 spec. The prime UK spec comes with SRAM Red AXS with an influence meter and is priced at £12,500 ($15,300, €13,000).
There’s a Campagnolo Super Record WRL spec bike which prices $15,700 within the US and €13,400 in Europe, however this mannequin will not be in the stores within the UK.