The Wilier Granturismo SLR marries performance, comfort and Italian style

If you hanker after the performance and looks of a thoroughbred race bike but want the extra comfort of an endurance bike, take a look at the Wilier Granturismo SLR. 

 Wilier’s latest bike shares many of the features of the brand’s WorldTour-level race bikes, but in a package that makes fewer demands on your ride position. It also adds more comfort so you can ride longer, which is in large part thanks to Wilier’s innovative Actiflex 2.0 micro-shock absorber, which provides up to 5mm of suspension at the rear wheel. Nowadays bike fitting has become a key factor in finding the perfect riding position. Wilier’s engineers have developed Actiflex 2.0 to allow the rider to pedal always in the same position. Compared to other manufacturers’ solutions, Actiflex 2.0 guarantees a comfortable set-up without any interference on the pedalling action.  Find out more on the philosophy behind this project here.

Actiflex 2.0 rear shock absorber smooths out the ride

Saddle comfort is paramount for most riders, particularly those who want to take on longer rides. The Wilier Granturismo SLR’s Actiflex 2.0 active suspension system is a clever approach to increase vertical compliance without sacrificing frame stiffness or pedalling efficiency.

Actiflex 2.0 uses a four-bearing linkage between the seat stays and the top tube, which allows the two to move in the vertical plane relative to each other, without affecting the frame’s lateral rigidity. The seat tube isn’t directly connected to the seat stays, so the rider’s position doesn’t change as the rear wheel deflects.

The design includes a damper incorporated into the pivot structure. This is made of a lightweight 3D printed conformal latex structure in higher spec bikes, or an elastomer block in lower priced builds, although the latter only adds 20g to the frame weight. Two different block densities are available, allowing riders to fine-tune the suspension to match their needs and their weight.

The Actiflex 2.0 design is a progression from Wilier’s original Actiflex system, which was a feature of the Cento10 NDR endurance bike, which won a Eurobike Award when it was launched in 2017. The new design allows for longer seat stays than the original and also protects the pivot mechanism from rear wheel spray.

Born from Wilier’s racing pedigree

The Granturismo SLR is built with the same HUS-MOD carbon fibre with incorporated liquid crystal polymer as the Wilier 0 SLR and Filante SLR race bikes ridden by the Astana-Qazaqstan team – probably the most stylish bikes in the pro peloton. It also shares many of those bikes’ features like aero frame profiles, but offers a ride position that’s more comfortable for longer rides.

Wilier says that its tests show that despite its compliance features, the Granturismo SLR has stiffness and responsiveness figures close to its race bikes. 

There’s not much point in buying a high performance bike and then adding a stack of spacers below the stem, so Wilier has designed the Granturismo SLR with a longer head tube than its race bikes and a shorter reach, so that you can sit more upright for a more comfortable long distance ride. This also looks a lot more stylish than using spacers and increases the distance between the headset bearings for more precise steering.

Wilier has provided plenty of tyre clearance, so you can fit 32mm tyres, which it says is the perfect width for comfort on longer rides. It fits the Granturismo SLR with the same one-piece bar/stem as the Wilier 0 SLR lightweight race bike, with a sleek, comfortable profile and full internal brake hose routing. You can swap to any of Wilier’s other handlebars as well, including the Filante Bar, Wilier’s own proprietary aero cockpit.

The best Wilier bike for most riders

With its clever engineering and comfort features, Wilier says that the Granturismo SLR is its best bike for the majority of riders. 

Prices start from €7,400, with a range of five two-chainring groupset options from Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo available and either Vision Trimax C30 or Wilier SLR 38KC carbon wheels. The removable front derailleur hanger means that you can mount a single-ring groupset without spoiling the bike’s looks.

Wilier sells the Granturismo SLR in six frame sizes and offers six different 0 bar/stem width/length combinations. Finding a bike to fit shouldn’t be an issue thanks also to Wilier’s Accu-Fit system, which takes account of the position of the handlebar tops, not just the frame dimensions. From a technical standpoint, Accu-Fit is a coordinate which determines the distance between the centre of the bottom bracket and the centre of the handlebar. It is clear that for every model there are as many coordinates as there are frame sizes multiplied by the number of handlebar sizes and the configuration of spacers.  More details on Accu-Fit system can be found here. There are three colour options, each with a subtle fade.

There’s more information about the Wilier Granturismo SLR and the rest of the Wilier range on Wilier’s website.