Racy and raw, this bike begs to go fast
The Oltre XR4 is positioned as an all-around model for road racing and riding. In designing the bike, Bianchi was careful to pay attention to overall performance, not only watt savings, intending to craft a frame that, above all else, would be comfortable. The theory: If you aren’t fighting a harsh ride, you will go faster. Adding Countervail helped engineers meet that goal.
I rode the Oltre XR4 in and around the hills bordering Lake Iseo in Lombardy, and back home in eastern Pennsylvania. Both regions abound in old roads, strong winds, broken macadam, and routes that serpentine around farms (plus, in Italy, medieval-looking villages paved in a mosaic of multicolored blocks).
It is easy to forget the Oltre XR4 is an aerodynamic
bike, both in looks and its ride. If you’re in love with Bianchi’s
heritage, you’ll appreciate that the frame utilizes subtle tube shaping
to give the bike a classic look. And on the ride, the characteristic,
severe aero-bike feel is totally absent. The only other aero model I’ve
ridden that comes close in terms of suppleness is the Trek Madone
9-Series. The XR4 feels even nearer to the feathery-light but noticeably
less rigid Bianchi Specialissima road race model in terms of ability to
soak up and deaden road noise and chatter. Despite all that smoothness,
the bike absolutely flies.
Price: $10,500.00
(as tested)
Weight: 14.2 lb
At A Glance
- An aero bike that rides smooth
- Countervail fiber in the construction damps vibration for a silky ride
- Available as a frameset or complete bike
