Bianchi has stripped its flagship Specialissima to a claimed 750g RC frame and bolted on real aero for the first time, recasting the old climber's special as what it calls "the ultimate all-rounder" — on paper, at least.
What Bianchi actually changed
The Specialissima has always been Bianchi's lightweight purist — the bike for days when the road points up. For 2026 the Italian marque has gone the other way and made it do everything. As road.cc reports, this is a full-system redesign — frame, fork, cockpit and seatpost — pitched as "the ultimate all-rounder" rather than a pure climber.
The headline trick is having it both ways: it's lighter and more aero at the same time. The RC frame drops to a claimed 750g (size 55) while Bianchi says it kept stiffness level with the outgoing bike, and the whole package is claimed to save 16 watts at racing speed. Whether those two goals genuinely co-exist on the road is exactly what independent testing will need to confirm. In Bianchi's own words, reported by BikeRadar, "every new component and every new line served a dedicated performance purpose."
The launch claims, by the numbers
Source: road.cc / BikeRadar
View data table
| Frame weight (g) | |
|---|---|
| Previous RC | 790 g |
| New RC | 750 g |
| New Pro | 850 g |
Countervail returns — and the Oltre question
The most interesting change isn't a number. Bianchi's Countervail — a viscoelastic carbon layer that cancels road buzz — is back. The previous Specialissima RC controversially dropped it to save grams; the new bike reinstates it across the range with a revamped formula. Per Bianchi, "all new Specialissima models integrate Countervail technology, featuring a new formula that provides higher vibration damping capabilities," promising comfort on fast, technical descents without softening the frame for sprints.
There's a strategic subplot, too. Geometry is unchanged — kept deliberately at the request of WorldTour team Bahrain Victorious, who ride it for hilly and mountain stages. By making the climber's bike aero, Bianchi nudges it right up against its dedicated aero race bike, the Oltre — which is why Cyclingnews openly asks whether the Oltre's days are numbered.
How the cycling press framed it
Independent verdicts from across the cycling press — follow each link for the full review.
Centres the relaunch on Bianchi's do-everything ambition for the bike.
“the ultimate all-rounder”
Read the full reviewLeads with the aero number — a notable pivot for a frame that used to be a pure climber.
“16 watts faster”
Read the full reviewA touch sceptical — reads lighter-and-more-aero as the industry's default playbook.
“surprise, surprise”
Read the full reviewReads the launch as a question mark hanging over the future of the Oltre.
“not the one we expected”
Read the full reviewTrims, specs and pricing
Three trims span the range. European RRPs are €11,500 (~R216 000) (RC), €7,700 (~R144 000) (Pro) and €5,200 (~R97 500) (base) — roughly £9,920 (~R216 000) / £6,645 (~R145 000) / £4,490 (~R97 700) per BikeRadar, and AUD$19,000 (~R314 000) / $12,600 (~R208 000) / $8,500 (~R140 000) per Bicycling Australia. South African pricing and availability were not announced at launch, so treat any rand conversion as indicative only.
The three Specialissima tiers
| Specialissima RC | Specialissima Pro | Specialissima | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frame weight (claimed) | 750g | 850g | not stated |
| Countervail | Yes (revamped) | Yes | Yes |
| Groupset options | SRAM Red AXS / Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 | SRAM Force AXS / Shimano Ultegra Di2 | SRAM Rival AXS / Shimano 105 Di2 |
| Max tyre clearance | 32mm | 32mm | 32mm |
| Price (EUR) | €11,500 (~R216 000) | €7,700 (~R144 000) | €5,200 (~R97 500) |
Track Bianchi prices in South Africa
We resolve live prices from SA retailers in our catalogue. The 2026 model may not have landed locally yet — here's what's tracked under the Specialissima name right now:
Our read on the proposition (editorial)
- Genuinely light: a 750g RC frame sits among the lightest production road frames going, and it's 40g down on an already-svelte predecessor.
- Aero on a climbing-bred frame — a claimed 16W at 50km/h is meaningful for a lightweight all-rounder.
- Countervail damping is back in the flagship RC, fixing the previous model's comfort compromise.
- Up to 32mm tyre clearance keeps it usable on rough SA tar and dirt-road races.
- Every weight and aero figure is manufacturer-claimed — no independent wind-tunnel or scale data yet.
- Flagship pricing is steep (€11,500 (~R216 000) / about AUD$19,000 (~R314 000) for the RC), and SA pricing is unconfirmed.
- Geometry is carried over, so riders hoping for a modernised fit won't find one here.
- It blurs the range — an aero all-rounder Specialissima now overlaps Bianchi's dedicated Oltre.
Tap to vote — see how readers lean
Quick answers
How light is the new Bianchi Specialissima? +
The RC frame is a claimed 750g in a size 55 — 40g lighter than the previous generation and, Bianchi says, its lightest production road frame to date. The Pro frame is 850g. These are manufacturer figures, not independently weighed.
How much faster does Bianchi say it is? +
Bianchi claims a 16-watt saving at 50km/h versus the old bike, coming from a fork that's 17% more aerodynamically efficient, an integrated cockpit that's 25% more aero, and a new D-shaped carbon seatpost.
What is Countervail, and why does its return matter? +
Countervail is a viscoelastic carbon layer built into the frame to absorb road vibration. The previous RC dropped it to save weight; the new range reinstates a revamped version, aiming to cut fatigue on descents without losing sprint stiffness.
How much tyre can it fit? +
Up to 32mm — wide enough for rougher roads and light gravel, and the in-house RC 49R wheels are rated to a durability standard Bianchi describes as gravel-ready.
What does it cost, and is it in South Africa? +
European RRPs are €11,500 (~R216 000) (RC), €7,700 (~R144 000) (Pro) and €5,200 (~R97 500) (base) — about £9,920 (~R216 000)/£6,645 (~R145 000)/£4,490 (~R97 700) or AUD$19,000 (~R314 000)/$12,600 (~R208 000)/$8,500 (~R140 000). SA pricing and availability weren't confirmed at launch; use the price tracker above to watch local listings.
Sources and further reading
- Bianchi's updated Specialissima is its lightest ever (original report) — road.cc
- Bianchi's updated Specialissima is its lightest road bike ever, and more aero too — BikeRadar
- '16 watts faster': Bianchi's Specialissima gets a refresh — Cycling Weekly
- Bianchi launches new race bike — are we calling time on the Oltre? — Cyclingnews
- Bianchi's new Specialissima is (surprise, surprise) lighter and more aero — Bicycling Australia
- New Specialissima — official product page — Bianchi
On paper the 2026 Specialissima is a clever piece of repositioning: a 750g flagship frame that's also claimed to be 16 watts faster, with Countervail comfort restored and 32mm of tyre room for real-world roads. It's a genuine all-rounder pitch — and it raises an obvious question about where that leaves the Oltre. The caveat is the same as every launch: the weights, watts and percentages are all Bianchi's own. Until someone puts it on a scale and in a tunnel, treat the numbers as ambition, not proof — and South African riders should watch for confirmed local pricing before getting too excited.
