After having great success with the Oltre XR.2 under the LottoNL-Jumbo professional cycling team, Bianchi went back to the drawing board to make their pro-level aero road bike both more aerodynamic and more comfortable. The result is the Oltre XR.4, which does everything better than its predecessor.

Let’s start with comfort. Bianchi employs their Bianchi CV in the lay-up of the carbon-fiber. CV is short of Countervail, Bianchi’s integrated vibration cancelling system. It’s a layer of viscoelastic carbon that has unique fiber architecture. Its purpose is to cancel up to 80% of the vibrations that move through the frame. Countervail makes riding more comfortable thanks to this—you’ll feel less of the road buzzing through your body, keeping you fresher, more alert, and stronger. But that isn’t the only thing Countervail does. It also increases the stiffness and strength of the frames it is laid up in. More efficient and crash-worthy

The XR.2 was pretty good in the wind tunnel. But with the XR.2’s success, Bianchi knew a bike could be better. Thanks to using the XR.2 at a starting point, they went to the wind tunnel to see where it could be faster, and then employed CFD programming to execute those ideas. The result is a 20-watt power gain over the XR.2. You can see the work in the fork places, how the crown nestles between the head and down tubes, the shaped down tube, the aero seat post, and the shaped stays.

An aero seat post can really make a difference. Knowing they were sticking with a proprietary post, they developed an ingenious saddle clamp for the top of the post. One way, you have a traditional 25mm of set back. Flip it around, and you have a minimal + 10mm, making it easy to get into more of a tri’-specific position. The post length is dictated by frame size 250mm for the 47, 300 for the 50 and 53, 350 for the 55 and 57, and 380 for the 59 and 61.

Another small improvement is found thanks to the integrated brake posts. By moving the brakes closer to the frame, both on the fork and the seat stays, they minimize air disturbances. They also improve braking stiffness. Likewise, they decided on the BB86 bottom bracket standard. It allows them to both improve aerodynamics around the bottom bracket and improve frame stiffness and make internal cable routing, bet it mechanical or electronic, easier.

Max tire width is 25mm. Wide wheels will fit without issue.

The Bianchi Oltre XR.4 comes as a frameset. That includes frame, fork, tapered headset (1 1/8” to 1.4”), and seat post.