Less is more. At 680g for a medium, Wilier’s Zero.6 Frameset is among the lightest frames on the market. That less means more speed climbing and faster accelerations, and a more joyous riding experience. Wilier road bikes are typically peppy, with geometries that ride like you’re attacking the road, the peloton, that car, whenever out of the saddle. The ride is inspiring and fast.

They started with their superlight Zero.7 frameset, already amazingly light: 790g for a medium. They began with the molds for the Zero.7, tried new lay-ups, new carbon-fiber, and found they needed to do something more. So they created new molds, deployed not only their standard premium 60T carbon-fiber cloth and SEI film, a visco-elastic polymer, but also a new carbon fiber from Mitsubishi called DIALEAD. The 60T helps with frame rigidity, the SEI reduces vibrations and increases durability, and the DIALEAD brings the weight down into the feather zone. As a finishing touch, the eschew most paint for a simple, largely naked finish, though custom paint can be ordered.

Yes, this is the chassis for a great climbing bike. You can easily build a sub-thirteen pound bike, possibly even sub-twelve. But it also possesses some aero shaping for efficiency in the wind. You see it at the fork blades, how the fork crown notches into the head tube/downtube juncture. How the head tube and downtube are shaped.

For some manufacturers, light bikes have to be uncomfortably stiff because flex can lead to material fatigue. This bike is comfortably stiff because it’s a Wilier. Stiffness is thanks to the large bottom bracket juncture for the BB86 standard, and swingarm chain stays, with a deliberate asymmetry-the right arm is stiffer because it works against the stresses that the chain drive puts on the frame. The stays are also created as a single unit, that way skipping the epoxy and thicker joints that other designs bring. The headset is a tapered 1 1/8” to 1 ¼” (and included with the frame), stiff without being harsh. Between the tapered headset and the new integrated design, the fork is 15% torsionally stiffer than the fork on the Zero.7  Comfort is thanks to the SEI film, the narrow 27.2mm seatpost, thin stays, and shaped top tube.

Wilier has also taken a cue from the direction of both riders and the market. The frame is designed to fit tires up to 28mm in width. This is good not only for those who want to tackle rough roads, but those who are looking for a little extra comfort on their rides.

The frame is designed with internal cable routing. Interchangeable plates make it possible to run mechanical shifting as well as electronic-Shimano Di2, Campagnolo EPS (v2, v3), or SRAM eTap. For the wired versions, Campagnolo and Shimano, you put the battery inside the included Ritchey Superlogic seat post. It’s a 148g post that’s 300mm long. SRAM’s is wireless, so you don’t need to wire eTap. The cable plate that comes with the frame is for mechanical shifting, but for electronic or wireless can be ordered separately. For both mechanical and wired electronic systems, the rear derailleur cable/wire reappears from the very end of the dropout, which is not only cleaner looking, but minimizes exposed wire for electronics and reduces friction for cables and housing.

For maximum frame stiffness, minimum frame weight, and maximum crank flexibility, the bottom bracket standard is BB86. You just need to choose the right adapters and bearings depending on your crank, and just about everything fits.

There is one caveat with the Zero.6’s quest to be the lightest frame you can find: it comes with a weight limit. They recommend a rider& gear limit of 80kg (176lbs), which is why the largest frame size is not very large. Larger riders have ridden it, but that goes beyond what Wilier suggests.