Cinelli Pro Estrada 2012 Review
The Italian company Cinelli have a long and impressive history and have long been seen as one of the leading names in bike frame technology and tubing. This reputation has been enhanced even further by the fact they are now part of the same manufacturing group as Columbus Tubing. This collaboration has resulted in the impressive Pro Estrada, which comes equipped with an XLR8R compact frameset, Compagnolo Centaur groupset and Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels.
The XLR8R frame not only provides a solid base for the Estrada but, with the oversized round tubes, it also provides the bike with a very classy look. The compact design of the frame ensured that there was little to no flex , which is quite a rarity for a larger frame. Even when we were going over rough roads and regularly hitting bumps and potholes the frame stayed fairly rigid and true at the back and through the saddle. The good news is the front end stayed very rigid as well so the Estrada is excellent at handling tight corners and those fast sprint finishes.
It might seem quite a surprise that a bike in this price range would choose to use the Campagnolo Centaur groupset (The third tier in the Campagnolo range) but the Centaur performed admirably during our numerous test rides. The components and weight of the Centaur may not be able to live up to that of the Record groupset but going on pure performance there was little to complain about on the Centaur. The Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels found on the Estrada are also not the lightest in class but they performed very well and coped with all we put the bike through, coming out on the other side still in perfect condition.
The Estrada also comes equipped with Vredestein Fortezza tyres, Cinelli Neo Morphe bars, a Cinelli Neo CK stem, a Cinelli Ram seatpost a Selle Italia Filante saddle and weighs in at a more than respectable 8.5kg. Overall the Cinelli Estrada is a bike that is a joy to ride. It sits perfectly in the middle ground between a performance and a full race bike and offers reserved and classy looks, excellent components and a rigid and impressive ride. If you’re looking for a bike around the £2,000 mark than the Cinelli Estrada is a worthy contender for your money.
Written by: Quatos