Cinelli's New Speciale Corsa XCR: A Stainless Steel Masterpiece
Italy's iconic bike brand, Cinelli, has unveiled a breathtaking creation that's turning heads. Their latest masterpiece, the Speciale Corsa XCR, is a handmade marvel crafted in Milan, and it's stealing the spotlight from their other recent launches.
At the core of this beauty lies the Columbus XCr tubeset, a cutting-edge innovation in stainless steel tubing. Columbus boasts its seamless construction, meticulously crafted from a solid billet, machine-perforated, and cold-drawn to perfection. This process ensures exceptional fatigue resistance and unparalleled protection against rust and corrosion.
Cinelli's attention to detail is evident in the 3D-printed stainless junctions seamlessly connecting the seat cluster and upper head tube. The TIG-welding and brazing techniques, followed by hand filing, create a visually stunning, continuous flow. This blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology is a testament to Cinelli's heritage and forward-thinking design philosophy.
But here's where it gets controversial: while the use of steel pays homage to Cinelli's roots, the bike's design is unapologetically modern. The Speciale Corsa XCR is engineered exclusively for electronic groupsets, featuring complete cable integration through the Columbus Spirit integrated cockpit and ACR standard internal routing.
This bike is UDH compatible, a feature that may very well be the future of cycling, as it allows for universal derailleur hanger compatibility. The frameset, paired with a Columbus Trittico carbon fork, starts at a price tag of £5,000.
For those seeking the ultimate riding experience, the top-spec builds begin at £11,000. This includes a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupset and DT Swiss ARC 1100 Dicut 55mm wheels, a remarkable specification for a range-opening model. SRAM Red AXS and Campagnolo Super Record WRL wireless builds are also available, catering to the most discerning riders.
The complete builds come equipped with 30mm Vittoria Corsa Pro tyres, but there's room to accommodate 32mm for those who prefer a slightly wider ride. Cinelli's claimed frame weight of 1,990g (+/-5%) for a size medium, and 392g (+/-5%) for the painted fork, results in a remarkably lightweight complete bike.
And this is the part most people miss: Cinelli also introduced the Aeroscoop, a bold departure from the Speciale Corsa XCR. This model is a reimagined carbon road racing machine, showcasing Cinelli's rebellious design DNA. The Aeroscoop boasts improved stiffness around the bottom bracket for enhanced power transfer and a more compliant head tube for a smoother ride.
Cinelli confidently asserts that the Aeroscoop is their most aerodynamic road bike to date, even outperforming the Specialized Tarmac SL8 in frontal flow with identical wheels. This claim is backed by independent wind tunnel testing by Tour magazine, placing the Aeroscoop within the top 10 of all aero road bikes ever tested.
The secret to its aerodynamic prowess lies in a 4% reduction in frontal area compared to its predecessor, the Pressure 2, along with a smoothed cockpit transition, integrated fork, and redesigned down tube shaping to streamline bottles and mounts.
With a complete bike weight of 6.98kg for a build featuring a SRAM Red AXS groupset and Fulcrum Wind 57 wheels, the Aeroscoop is a lightweight, high-performance machine. The frameset, including a carbon fork, seatpost, and Columbus Spirit Carbon integrated cockpit, is priced at £3,999, while complete bikes start at £5,299.
So, which bike captures your imagination? Are you drawn to the timeless elegance of the Speciale Corsa XCR or the cutting-edge aerodynamics of the Aeroscoop? Let us know in the comments below, and don't forget to explore more stunning bikes in our Bedtime collection!
