Well, been deliberating this for ages. Nothing wrong with my existing road bike, in fact it’s very good, just a bit middle of the road if anything. Fancied something a little more overtly racy, and being in an (un?)fortunate position of being in the bike trade, decided to take advantage of that. But I just couldn’t decide!

Eventually, having been privileged enough to ride it at the launch only a few weeks ago, I decided it was time and I would order one of these… Having been originally told I could expect delivery in July.

The new Wilier Cento 10Air, complete with SRAM Red eTap no less! Lovely… But as with anything Italian (especially featuring a groupset that SRAM are keeping demand high and supply low of on purpose), it’s now likely to be another 4/5 months before I see it! ARGH!

Fortunately, my rep came to the resuce… Sorted me out with a rather nice ex demo one of these to tide me over…

A 2016 Wilier Zero 7 Ultegra in near enough new condition… Thank you, that’ll do nicely in the meantime! Just in time to get used to it ready for Ride London at least… 😀

That Cento Air is lovely. I fondled one in our local shop. And that’s from a two times Giant Propel owner. I rather like E-tap as a concept too, perhaps not yet on something that will eventually go down the road on its side, but for best bike, yes please!

Mind you, I thrashed my Propel in three races this week, and if I’m honest, I barely looked at the bike – when you are going hard, all that matters is how it feels. A bike is right when it disappears from under you. I’m sure the Wilier will feel that way too.

I know what you mean TiRed… I don’t race though, and have absolutely no intention of doing so. If I did, I’d race my current bike (KTM Revelator, V similar to a Giant TCR to be fair) albeit with much cheaper components on it still.

This is an exercise in indulgence, and I’m not ashamed to admit it! 😆

Riding someone else’s bike for a sportive just seems to make good sense!

You’re doing the Ride London… Going down the road verges on certainty 😆

The Cento 10Air needs a deeper fork, looks out of proportion. Be interested to hear how you get on with eTap.

Looks like it’s just the standard fork they’re using, bit of a cop-out on a bike like that really

Well here it is… Now with my Reynolds Assault wheels on…

7.3kg ready to ride (ie. including pedals, bottle cages, garmin mount and sensors) isn’t bad considering it’s got Ultegra on it! Will probably fit the SRAM Red off my old bike which should knock 300g off, and my Zipp Carbon bars another 100g.

Looks like it’s just the standard fork they’re using, bit of a cop-out on a bike like that really

The new Cento 10Air definitely hasn’t got a standard fork. It’s a wider stance to allow improved airflow between the wheel and the fork blades (same on the rear stays), I guess they felt it just didn’t need to be quite so deep as some.

You’re doing the Ride London… Going down the road verges on certainty

Don’t know what you’re on about… I didn’t see any accidents! Quite a lot happened behind me though apparently! 😉

Be interested to hear how you get on with eTap.

So would I! Only had one groupset through from Fisher’s so far, and had a customer deposit on it, so had to sell it to him really! They’re saying August for the next lot, but I’m not so convinced…

They’re saying August for the next lot, but I’m not so convinced…

seems to be loads now, i got one a few weeks ago via a wiggle stock alert, only one in stock so i bought it (no frame to hang it on yet, and I’m bored of looking) they have 10+ now though, so there is certainly more in the wild,

there is certainly more about than there was though

Don’t know where the original photo went but…

Skwint and it’s an Aeroad

Didn’t get any better looking in subsequent posting!

Not sure I buy into improving aerodynamics by changing fork blade stance and that, but leaving a **** off great brake calliper in the wind, both ends!

Skwint and it’s an Aeroad

It’s certainly got a lot of similar features design wise yes.

Didn’t get any better looking in subsequent posting!

Beauty, eye, beholder and all that. I’ll be fair, first pic I saw of one I wasn’t that taken, in the flesh it looks the business! Side on isn’t its most flattering angle to be fair, but I like it a lot.

but leaving a **** off great brake calliper in the wind, both ends!

Direct mount caliper is more aero than a normal one. Apparently they did lots of testing and proved the aero benefits of integrating the calipers into the frame and the fork just weren’t worth it.

Not sure I buy into improving aerodynamics by changing fork blade stance and that

If they can back it up with data then there’s no reason to doubt it! We are talking very marginal gains though I’m sure… It ain’t likely to make a difference to an overweight 35yo like me anyway!

What I will say though, having gone to the launch in Cortina, is it’s very “forgiving” (if we must use that word) for an Aero road bike. Nothing like as harsh as bikes like the Propel or even Wilier’s last aero road bike, the Cento 1 Air.

So done just shy of 100 miles on the Zero 7 now since it arrived on Saturday. A few things need sorting out, but overall first impressions very favourable. It feels a lot like a slightly more forgiving version of the Cento 1SR I borrowed earlier this year, to which the geometry suggests its near enough identical, and the frame is designed to be more forgiving than most out and out race frames.

Anyway… Soon as I’ve got rid of the 40cm bars (yeah really! on a Large sized bike, must’ve run out of anything more suitable in the factory that day) and the 100mm stem (should have come with a 110 which would be bang on for me, again, must’ve run out of correct length stems the day it was built!) I’ll be better placed to comment on overall comfort and fit. Getting used to the 36/52 11-28 gearing too, which is a bit taller than I’m used to, but so far I’ve made it up every climb I’ve attempted if a little more painfully than I would do normally, and the 52/11 top gear is awesome on sustained descents… Already bagged a 6th place on a Strava segment on a fast open descent on it! 😀

Always good to get an update

The 40cm bars will be for the typical Italian racing snake rider with no shoulders.

Have had it confirmed it should have shipped with a 110 stem and 42cm bars not the 100 and 40’s. So was an error on the manufacturers part. Said items are now winging their way to me to be fitted forthwith! 🙂