Gravel Grinder News: Bianchi's New Infinito "Allroads" Bike

Note: All information and images used for this article were provided by Bianchi. Comments are Guitar Ted's opinions and may not reflect those of Bianchi.

Bianchi Re-imagines the Infinito as an AllRoads Bike:

On Friday Bianchi released news of a redesigned Infinito. Their endurance road bike now becomes a bike with no limitations to road surfaces. In fact, it would have passed for a gravel racing bike ten years ago. 

What Bianchi has done with the new Infinito is then quite relevant today for anyone who sees their riding to be on pavement, rougher roads, and all the way to crushed rock roads. 

The new Infinito incorporates Bianchi's latest rider comfort features as well. The ground-up new design of the Infinito is an opportunity for a rider to get a bike"that makes you feel like you could ride forever". The Infinito does this by way of a special carbon fiber lay-up called "Countervail". 

The carbon is layered up with a special visco-elastic material which Bianchi claims is 20% lighter than the outgoing Infinito's was. This works as a vibration absorbing material which is enhanced in certain areas by way of special shaping. Most notably in the seat mast. 

Of course, aero efficiency was important for this new Infinito. Bianchi claims a 12 watt improvement over the previous generation of the Infinito. This has been done with the aid of a systemic approach to frame and fork design. 

Bianchi also took this opportunity with the new design to refine the Infinito's geometry. They increased the stack height, which Bianchi claims helps with comfort for a ridier on longer rides. Bianchi also lengthened the chain stays in an effort to increase stability. Finally, the seat mast features a zero offset design which helps open up the rider's hips, enhancing pedaling abilities and allows for easier breathing. Furthermore, the frame is offered in seven sizes to better fit riders. 

The Infinito Launch Edition will be limited to 200 units.

 Gravel Versatility

Finally, the part many of you might have been waiting for here. Bianchi opened up tire clearances to allow the Infinito to accept up to a 40mm tire. Bianchi also says the new Infinito will support both gravel and road groups. There is even down tube storage on this bike, which is something generally only seen on gravel bikes up to this point. 

NOTE: Reading Bianchi's site for this new bike, I found the geometry chart to be mismarked. Obvious errors in the identification for measurements exist, but one could infer a few things based upon generally accepted geometry for a bicycle like this. 

 Prices:

Pricing for the new Infinito models will be as folows:

Launch Edition: Custom Infinito Pro build and exclusive finish. Priced at €7,790. $9,050.00 USD*

Infinito Pro: Premium build, available in five colourways with 2x12-speed SRAM Force AXS/Rival AXS and Shimano Ultegra Di2/105 Di2 groupset options, starting from €4,950. $5,750.00 USD *

Infinito: Standard build, available in two colourways with 12-speed Shimano 105 Di2 and mechanical groupset options, starting from €2,790. $3,250.00 USD*

*Prices for USA are estimates and do not include any shipping/tariffs. 

Comments: So, again we see road bikes encroaching on territory once reserved for "gravel bikes" and any other type of bicycle which could handle a big, poofy tire. It is hard to deny Bianchi's assertion that the new Infinito is a "light gravel" choice for riders now with the capability to handle a 700 x 40mm tire. 

This bicycle is just one of many I think is going to be coming out in the next couple of years which will force riders and brands to rethink what a "road bike" really is. Now, as far as I could gather from the mismarked geometry chart on Bianchi's site, this bike still retains a very road bike-like geometry. The head angle is pretty steep from a gravel perspective. The bottom bracket drop is merely "okay". Obviously many riders now wouldn't consider a bike for gravel unless it could make do with wider tires than 40mm. 

However; there is a lot here which crosses over, and for many riders, 40mm is quite enough as it lends the pavement rider ability to cross gravel roads to connect to pavement again. Or perhaps a smooth dirt road stands between you and that sweet stretch of vacated road way. Maybe you have an abandoned highway near you that is a little rough with 30mm tires but 40's? Let's go!

I'm waiting for this category to become the preferred road bike for most people. Gravel-only is not as appealing to many riders as a bike which "could" go graveling but is still a road bike. This Bianchi says "road bike" but with benefits. I think this is what more people want more than they want "true gravel" bikes.