It’s lucky they give me a word count. Otherwise this review could well take up the entire magazine, because from radical aero design features and polarising aesthetics to some decidedly unusual geometry, there are many things to talk about with the Bianchi Oltre Pro. It’s actually a little hard to know where to start. But here goes… Background
With origins dating back to 1885, Bianchi may be the oldest active bike manufacturer in the world. But there’s absolutely zero hint of nostalgia in the current Oltre aero platform, save perhaps for the Edoardo Bianchi crest printed on the top tube. When it was first revealed back in late 2022, the top-of-the-range Oltre RC ‘hyperbike’ replaced the Oltre XR4 as the flagship Bianchi racing frame and is currently being used by Team Arkéa-B&B Hotels on the UCI WorldTour. The subject of this review, the Oltre Pro, sits one rung down in the Bianchi aero stable. While the frame shape and geometry is identical to the RC, there are some important differences, not least the price-tag which – whilst still very comfortably in five figures – is significantly lower. The Pro also features Bianchi’s much-lauded Countervail anti-vibration technology, something absent from the RC. Styling
Beauty is always subjective and, as became abundantly clear during this review, the appearance of the Oltre Pro certainly generates a reaction. Personally? I like it, especially the fact it’s not just another cookie cutter road bike. In the matt black/celeste colourway reviewed it looks menacing, a […]
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