Pinarello or Ridley Helium SLX?

rogerblears

Which is the better bike:

Pinarello Dogma F12 rim
Campagnolo Chorus 12 speed
Campagnolo Zonda wheels

Or

Ridley Helium SLX rim
Campagnolo Super Record 12 speed
Carmagnola Shamal Ultra C17 wheels


the prices i have been quoted are about the same

Dorset_Boy

Are you a dentist or an accountant?
If so, the Pinarello.

shirley_basso

Pinarello no contest.

People, jokingly or serious slag off some expensive, mass produced bikes but I have loved every minute of riding my Colnago, and I "hope!" that while I may upgrade it, I'll always keep the frame.

For me, at the higher end, id always get the frameset over components if your budget is limited as you can easily upgrade from zondas and keep them and winter / climbing wheels and get some Bora ones (no need for ultras) for dailies.

rogerblears

Thank you Shirley, your advice is appreciated.

ugo.santalucia

Helium, always... I'd love a Ridley Helium...

lesfirth

I have never ridden a Pinarello but they will have to be something very special to be better than a Ridley.

ugo.santalucia

Can you not save yourself some pennies and go for the Ridley with Chorus...?
Beyond Chorus there is no real benefit.

jpj84

I haven't ridden either frame, so my opinion is pretty much null. However, components-wise, the Ridley clearly wins (though Chorus is great). However, I'd be put off by the fact that Pinarello might make me look like an Ineos fan boy. This is silly logic, I fully admit, but would sway me towards the Ridley.

shirley_basso

Looking at the Ridley helium I also recall lusting after one - it's actually an open mould design (I appreciate the layup is proprietary).

For me, as is always the case - which one wouldn't give you buyer's remorse?

I can see myself riding the Ridley always thinking "what if" about the pinarello but never the other way around.

ugo.santalucia

If I have to choose between a 780 grams frame and another that claims to be 820 without paint (so probably 920 once painted), then I'd always go for the former... so Helium is

rogerblears

I am not, as Dorset Boy thought might be the case, either a dentist or an accountant, but I am in the fortunate position, just at the moment, of having more money than sense; that is as to what is the right choice between the two I have identified.

So, now age 62, and having enjoyed riding my Principia rsl for the last 25 years, I am in need of a good decision which will last me for the next 25 years.

I think Shirley's "what if" question is the decider; even though the Ridley might get me up the hills more easily in years to come.

Thank you all.

pippi_langsamer-2

I've got a Helium SLX, and can certainly verify they're very nice frames. Managed to get an end-of-season rim brake frame cpl years ago for £900. Built-up with DA9070 and Mavic Cosmic Carbone 40 Elites.

Unlike the F12, they don't attempt at being "aero", in the slightest, which is fine by me. Ride is really nice- very, very stiff and very light. Mine weighs about 6.5kg (56cm), without even trying.

You could also go down the Pure Line route and design your own paint etc...

Not a Pinarello fan personally just by looks alone. Not sure I could live with a bike that looks like it's been left leaning against a radiator too long LOL.

elbowloh

pippi_langsamer-2 said:

I've got a Helium SLX, and can certainly verify they're very nice frames. Managed to get an end-of-season rim brake frame cpl years ago for £900. Built-up with DA9070 and Mavic Cosmic Carbone 40 Elites.

Unlike the F12, they don't attempt at being "aero", in the slightest, which is fine by me. Ride is really nice- very, very stiff and very light. Mine weighs about 6.5kg (56cm), without even trying.

You could also go down the Pure Line route and design your own paint etc...

Not a Pinarello fan personally just by looks alone. Not sure I could live with a bike that looks like it's been left leaning against a radiator too long LOL.

I can't get past the wavy-ness of Pinarellos either.

I also get turned off by bikes where the seat stays join the seat tube further down than the top tube does. It just looks weird to me. Which means many of today's bikes are off my list.

paulbox

elbowloh said:

I also get turned off by bikes where the seat stays join the seat tube further down than the top tube does. It just looks weird to me. Which means many of today's bikes are off my list.

I’m with you there. When I saw the way that Cervelo went with the new Caledonia I bought the 2020 R5 just in case they did the same with the 2021 model. My fear was unfounded, but at least I saved a few quid.

rogerblears

Having changed my mind from one to another everyday the last week I went for a bike fit on Tuesday and decided finally to go for the Ridley Helium SLX disc. Its super lightweight, I can get a custom colour in Belgian blue (not mad on the Pinarello colour ways) and I like the clear and straight geometric lines of the frame.

shirley_basso

Excellent choice.

Disc though...sigh.....

pippi_langsamer-2

Yeah, why the change in tack to disc all of a sardine...?

Harry182

Ya. Sounds fishy.

neeb

Great choice. Love my Helium SLX. Spectacular all-round performance bike.

It's interesting that the Lotto Soudal riders get to choose between the Helium SLX and the Noah (which probably rides very similarly to the F12), and excepting the all-out sprinters the vast majority go for the Helium.

Mine's now under 5.8 kg with Bora 35 tubs and some fancy components (rim brake model), but it's completely solid - properly stiff and handles brilliantly.

neeb

P.S. It's not an open-mould frame - the Eddy Merckx Stockeu69 is the same frame, but Ridley now own the Eddy Merckx brand.

shirley_basso

Neeb I'm afraid we need photos. Lots of.

Thanks.

neeb

shirley_basso said:

Neeb I'm afraid we need photos. Lots of.

Thanks.

This is out-of-date - some minor changes since then...



Even more out-of-date pics:

shortfall

Is that Whernside in the background?

neeb

Nope, Pentland Hills from the Lang Whang. Difficult to recognise due to the weather though.. 😂

ugo.santalucia

Ditch the second bottle cage... I find those cages on the seat tube always look horrendous

neeb

ugo.santalucia said:

Ditch the second bottle cage... I find those cages on the seat tube always look horrendous

Need two for longer rides though (one for water and one for energy drink). That said, I'm only using one on 80% of my rides..

In that lower picture I'm using one of those bottle-shaped storage things for tubes etc., although I've now gone back to stuffing it all in the back pockets..

ugo.santalucia

I used to keep 2 for Audax, but then never drank the second, because there was always a control point before I could get to that one... that said, some drink more than others... I've gone for 25 mile rides without any water and on a 60 mile ride I don't get through one bottle, unless it's hot

neeb

ugo.santalucia said:

I've gone for 25 mile rides without any water and on a 60 mile ride I don't get through one bottle, unless it's hot

I'd normally have one bottle for 20-30 miles but could do without. On a 60 mile ride though I really like having energy drink in one bottle and water in the other - if I save most of the energy drink for the second half of the ride I can get by without eating, and it's cheaper and easier to take than gels or whatever.

rogerblears

Lotto Soudal have moved over to disc, inc Tim Wellens. I realise rims are more romantic but ........still mechanical ....so still in the mind

ugo.santalucia

rogerblears said:

Lotto Soudal have moved over to disc, inc Tim Wellens. I realise rims are more romantic but ........still mechanical ....so still in the mind

Neither is better than the other. I remember 10 years ago when they were predicting incredible descending performances at the Tour once discs would hit the peloton... riders being able to brake later and harder before a hairpin and gain minutes... hence generating a two tier system... those with discs and those without.

It hasn't happened... it won't happen... wet or dry. Both Giro and Tour were won on rim brakes, if Roglic wins the Vuelta, that will be 3 out o3 grand tours, so you can't really say discs perform better

shirley_basso

I think they are good for a few reasons:

1) fitting wider tyres
2) winter bikes
3) mountains for less experienced riders who want to ride carbon rims.

For me, I am perfectly happy on 25mm tyres on 17mm rims.

I don't have a disc winter bike but am considering it, but even then I may go rim.

For the mountains (I am a relatively poor descender) I just stick alu wheels on.

For me they fix problems I never had and I think they look cack