Pinarello has announced the latest iteration of the MAAT track bike will make its first appearance in competition at the Track World Cup in Hong Kong on 29th November.
Taking many design cues from the Pinarello Bolide HR frame, that was developed for Bradley Wiggins’ Hour Record, it is intended primarily as a platform for endurance and sprint riders.
Like the Dogma F12 road frame, the MAAT features a radically asymmetric frame design and squared-off chainstays that Pinarello says “optimally counteracts the asymmetric forces generated during pedalling, to provide symmetrical behaviour when riding the bike”.
Available in five sizes, Pinarello says that every size features a longer than standard top tube to maximise rider reach within the UCI rules.
With the UCI recently scrapping the 3:1 length to width rule for frame tubes, Pinarello has redesigned the fork, headtube and seat stays to maximise their size and “produce more aerodynamic tube shapes”.
The fork, in particular, has a deep section wide stance design that Pinarello claims increases front end stiffness as well as improving aerodynamic performance with “any kind of front wheel”.
Pinarello also hints that the design improves the airflow over the riders legs – something Team GB has tried to achieve with the recently announced Hope/Lotus track bike.
MAAT Handlebar
Rather than completely integrating the handlebars and frame, the new MAAT features a patent-pending semi-integrated headset design that uses a specially shaped headset top cover than blends smoothly with Pinarello’s standard MOST Tiger stems.
In contrast to the current track trend for complete integration, Pinarello appears to have opted for a compromise solution that allows for easier and, possibly even cheaper, fit customisation.
Mated to the MAAT frame is a new 38cm wide, integrated cockpit that has pseudo-hoods that are intended to offer riders an easy way to adopt the increasingly popular ‘hoods position’ – which has the advantage of allowing a flatter torso angle, with horizontal forearms and a lower head position, making it a significantly more aerodynamic position than a drops positions.
The handlebars also feature an 8.5-degree flare to the drops and an aerodynamic top section, with a small portion in the middle, either side of the stem, that is reduced in width “for better control during maddison hand-slings”, according to Pinarello.
Threaded bottom bracket fans rejoice
Quaintly, the frame also features an Italian threaded bottom bracket. Many manufacturers have moved to oversized, press-fit bottom brackets on their track frames (so that they can accommodate stiffer, oversized crank axles) but we’re sure the Italian federation mechanics will be rejoicing at this news.
Additionally, Pinarello says the frame is compatible with chainrings up to 66T (!), which we imagine will be plenty for most riders, and also has increased frame clearance for up to 23mm tyres – it seems the trend for wider tyres is even penetrating to the track.
Constructed from Torayca T1100 1K carbon fibre, Pinarello claims the MAAT frame weighs 1,350g unpainted, but doesn’t specify which size that weight is taken on.
Pinarello says that the MAAT frame kit will be available to order in the UK from April 2020 (which might not sit well with the UCI, seeing as their rules state Olympic equipment must be commercially available from January 1st 2020), and will be available in three colours at an SRP of £7,000 (approx $9,035 / €8,210) for the frame and fork and an additional £750 (approx $970 / €880) for the integrated handlebars.
At the time of writing, Pinarello hasn’t announced any Black Friday deals on the new MAAT bike, but has handily released a white paper, that should soon be available to the public on its website, explaining all of these concepts in much greater detail for those who wish to take a deep dive into the technical aspects.
