Pinarello Prince SL

Pross

I've got a chance to buy a Prince SL frame and fork. Now I've heard the Prince frmae mentioned a lot and it is a work of beauty but can someone confirm to me whether the quality lives up to its looks? Also, I've been told previously that aluminium has a low life span so do I need to worry about the deteriation of a 4 year old aluminium frame?

Finally, what do you all think I should go for in the way of build if I get it? I would hopefully have in the region of £800 to work with and was thinking Kysirium wheels with new 2009 Centaur group and whatever bits I can get with what's left. Might need to drop to Veloce to start with or maybe go looking for a second hand Chorus gruppo?

EDIT Meant to ask your opinions of a fair price for the 2005 frame and forks (fairly light use, good condition)

top_bhoy

I've never tried one but they look a very nice frameset. I see it was about £1650rrp new in 2005......as used and 4-5 years old, I wouldn't be going more than £450 and only if in vgc (just my opinion of course)

kingrollo

I have an Alu Pinarello - lower spec than the prince. Absolutley awesome - the accleration and stiffness is breathtaking - so would imagine the prince would even better.
So far as I am aware Alu doesn't have a short life span. Mine is eight years old - and still going strong, still gets admiring comments.

Couldn't say about the value of the prince - but the prices do tend to hold up well.

mrushton

Supposedly alu does have certain lifespan but it depends on the fatigue it's subject to. A team bike gets hammered during a season whereas the average rider doesn't do anything like the mileage of a pro rider. The SL was an upgraded Prince. Lighter weight and it had more Scandium in the alloy. Scandium is a light/tough metal (it's a military grade metal used eg as the penetrator on rocket nosecaps). There might have been a Procycling test on one or there may be something on www.roadbikereview.com (see below) A very nice bike but very stiff,harsh riding hence the use of carbon front and rear ends

http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/frame ... 93crx.aspx

marco67

Hi Pross
I was lucky enough to own an ex Fassa Bortolo team prince SL (one of Marzio Bruseghins bikes) and it was a really good ride. I sold it when I upgraded to a Paris carbon and have regretted it since - nothing wrong with the Paris, but the Prince SL just felt like a real throughbred race bike, made you want to just keep pedalling harder and faster, I suppose a bit like a real sports car against a grand tourer.
Despite being a team bike there were no reliability issues, quality was 1st class. Interestingly at the time I had the chance of a magnesium Dogma and I was warned off it due to the long term reliability issue.

Pross

Thanks all, I am tempted. I've really been looking for a full carbon but this is such a beautiful frame. I reckon I can build it up for around £800 + the frame so in total just over £1,000 - does that sound like a good price? Would only be Veloce at that price but would then aim to upgrade bit by bit to Chorus as funds permit. Will a standard Veloce BB work with the frame (never understand all this different thread stuff and not sure what the Prince requires! :oops: ).

APIII

I've got the old Prince (not the SL). It's a beautiful bike, paintwork is still superb even after 6 or 7 years. The ride is definitely firm, with plenty of feedback, but that is only a negative on rides over 3 hours or so for me. I don't think I'll ever sell mine. I ride the carbon version mostly these days, which is definitely a more damped ride, but the flipside of that comfort is a less 'connected' feel on the road.
If it's in good nick and the price is right, I wouldn't hesitate.

giant_man

The prince was the first decent bike I drooled over, in Marvel which at the time was a lovely dark blue colour. Never got one at the time but always regretted it since ....

Pross

I'm wavering in the direction of it. It will mean I can build it over a few months with the help of birthday / Christmas presents. I haven't seen the frame in the flesh yet but even the wife, whose stock answer when I've tried getting her opinion on the look of other bikes is "it's just a bike", think it's beautiful :shock: It would also be far more personal to build a bike than to buy one ready built. I can do most stuff myself but would need the BB fitted for me and probably would have to have some help fine tuning the gears. Are there any good web guides to assembling a bike from scratch?

giant_man

You could try the bicycle tutor site which has been a great help in the past:

http://bicycletutor.com/