Pinarello FP3 Review

It looks like a Prince but it's not made in Italy. The complete bike ($3300) is significantly less than a Prince frame ($4500), but how much Pinarello blood is left in it's veins?

More than enough. The FP3 will not disappoint even the most hardcore Pinarello fan.

Cut to it: The Pinarello FP3 is a smooth riding bike. It has the feel of a Prince without the snap. It's not as light and does not have the stiffness out of the saddle, yet it is a fantastic bike in it's own right. Comparing it to the Prince or FP7 is not exactly fair, but when compared to other bikes in the $3000-4000 range, it's a stand out. Pinarello geometry, the oversized bottom bracket, and Onda fork are Pinarello trademarks that make the FP3 one of the best in it's price range.

Pinarello builds race bikes, they always have always will. Somehow, they manage to make them ride comfortably, as well. The FP3 is no exception. It is very well balanced out of the saddle and gives the rider confidence to commit entirely to a full-on sprint. Yet, it is smooth and steady when driven hard in the saddle.

Up Close:
The finish is good, but once again it cannot be compared to the finish of a Prince. The graphics are stunning and the colors make sense in an Italian design sort of way. The white/red/silver test bike really
stood out and, after a week or so, I was sure this is one of my all time favorite looking bikes.

MOst Components:

The Pinarello FP3 uses MOst components wherever possible. Bars, stem, post, saddle, and brakes. Not only do they look great and perfectly match the bike but they work well. The brakes are made by FSA and feel solid with the SRAM levers. By the way, white brake calipers show dirt very easily, something I did not know. I was very impressed by the MOst Handlebar, it's ergo bend was at exactly the right angle for my wrists and gave a good position in, and out, of the saddle. The Carbon/Alloy stem was adequately stiff, so no need for any changes to the cockpit. The seatpost is also alloy wrapped in carbon, but its 2 bolt fastening system is not the best. It's functional and easy on the eye but something that might need to be changed if you were racing this bike hard. The MOst Leopard saddle has to be changed out. It's an OEM saddle, which in my mind is just a stand-in for a real saddle. Not that it's worse than any other OEM saddle, but the Leopard saddle is not going to cut it, if you plan on putting some miles on the FP3.

Group Options:
In the last year, I have ridden the FP3 with Campy, Shimano Ultegra, Shimano 7900, and SRAM Force/Rival, all 4 are great builds and change the character of a bike somewhat. The Campy bike is classic and the most stylish, while the two Shimano options ride the smoothest. The SRAM bike is the one to look at if you want to race the FP3. The Rival crank is the only component that would need to be replaced if you wanted a no compromise race bike. The crank is flexy and while under pressure I can get it to rub the front dérailleur -not good.

Wheels:
The Fulcrum Racing 5 are great wheels, as long as you don't have to race on them. This is the one area you could make a big improvement to the FP3. Reliable and cool looking, but heavy and slow. Not a problem if you have a nice pair of deep section carbons stashed away, but as the only wheels for this bike, you might consider paying for a upgrade before you roll this baby off the floor. Let's face it, this bike just looks cool with deep carbon wheels.

The Verdict:
With its heritage aside, the Pinarello FP3 can hold it's own as a fantastic riding bike at a fair price. When considering the added value passed down through it's shared technology with one of the world's best bikes, it becomes a fantastic value in a great looking package.

Five pop-a-wheelies for the FP3, if thats a rating method.