Pinarello Marvel

Price Paid:  $2800.00 at Competive Cyclist

Favorite Ride:
Pacific Coast HIghway

Bike Setup:
Easton stems and bars, Campy Centaur group.

Summary:
Great combination of stiffness, weight and craftsmanship. A mix of great Italian engineering and art. I was warned the bike was going to be too stiff. Wrong. The stiffness makes it a great climber and allows it to accelerate out quickly.

Strengths:
Craftsmanship (the details, paint and finish are works of art).

Weaknesses:
Can't think of any.

Similar Products Used:
Bianchi with full Campy record.

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
north carolina piedmont

Bike Setup:
Ultegra, Easton Circuit Wheels

Summary:
This is a great frame: stiff, light, comfortable, and beautifully crafted.

Strengths:
As noted by other reviewers, the frame is both incredibly responsive and easy on the body.

Weaknesses:
It is not inexpensive.

Similar Products Used:
Pinarello Galileo, Performance Steel

Price Paid:  $2000.00

Favorite Ride:
Mountains

Bike Setup:
Full campy chorus, Eurus wheelset, WCS handlebar & stem, profit-plus pedals (17.5 lb)

Summary:
Marvelous bike ! Great lively ride Handling is superb and it's a perfect blend of stiffness and comfort I ever rode.

Strengths:
Stiffness & comfort in one bike

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
KHS, Trek 5500, Kuota khan

Price Paid:  $0.00 at LBS - Gift from Wife

Bike Setup:
Full Record

Summary:
Holy Cow! What a bike! If you can't climb with this thing then you shouldn't be on a hill, much less a mountain. Stiff, responsive, great smooth ride. Amazing workmanship. A pure joy to spend the day on.

Strengths:
Climbs like a goat. Oh so smooth.

Weaknesses:
Cost

Similar Products Used:
Kelly Steel

Price Paid:  $0.00 at The Sports People, F

Favorite Ride:
Mountainville, NJ area

Bike Setup:
old Shimano for now...Campy coming.

Summary:
MARVELous ride. Lively and quick, smooth and steady. Bottom bracket is very stiff;it's a lot of fun to climb on this bike. Very smooth ride; carbon fork, carbon seat stays, and S bend chainstays must contribute a lot to the ride quality. Unusually shaped top tube and down tube makes it a little different. Not an ultra-light but I like the feeling of something somewhat substantial under me; not heavy by any means, just right (for me). It's so much fun to ride that I've been out in the freezing cold many times now. That's what it's about isn't it? The attributes of this bike make it my favorite thusfar (see below for past bikes) Very nice paint job. For what ever reason this is the Pinarello model I've see the least.

Strengths:
Came standard with a very nice fork with carbon steerer,integrated headset (very smooth) and carbon seatpost standard equipment. Very nice carbon seat stays. Beefy BB and S shaped chainstays. Goes fast.

Weaknesses:
The carbon components of the frame are only warrantied 1 year (2 years for the rest); read warranty carefully. Integrated headset, how long will it last, will there be problems? The Pinarello.com on the seat tube is a design element I could have done without.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale 2.8, Kestrel 200sci, Merlin Extralight