Wilier GTR Team Ultegra Complete Road Bike 2016

Wilier's GTR Team Ultegra Complete Road Bike is an indication that the GrandTurismo philosophy underwriting the various manifestations of its GT line over the years is still getting the RD attention that first inspired us at the start of the industry's endurance revolution. It's got a layup that's equal parts race and recreation, a Shimano drivetrain that's almost entirely composed of the latest Ultegra kit, and one of the high contrast, matte finish paint schemes that are becoming as popular across the industry as the frame's all purpose endurance geometry. Some of Wilier's frames are stiffer and lighter, but we're hard pressed to think of one that's such a pure joy to ride in so many different situations. We're aware that there are some potential pitfalls anytime we designate a frame's geometry as endurance. It conjures images of upright, boardwalk cruising or weekend charity sportives punctuated with frequent stops for trail mix and under ripe banana halves in volunteer staffed rest areas. The GR Team is happy to dabble in those passive pastimes, but its take on endurance geometry actually falls between the comfort focused machines produced by most manufacturers and the Euro slammed race bikes populating criteriums the world over. The GTR geometry manages to feel at home in everything from circuit races to hill climbs to coffee shop loops. It may not be the capital B Best at any one discipline, but few of the endurance frames we've ridden over the past several years do so well in so many applications. Compared to its lighter cousin, the GTR SL, the GTR Team uses a slightly lower grade of carbon, with Wilier opting for a 46 and 30t blend instead of 6040t. That means they crafty Italians required a bit more material to hit the strength and stiffness numbers they were after, so the Team model's frame weighs a claimed 200g more than the SL's frame. Of course, the industry axiom of choosing two of weight, strength, or price holds true, and the Team is c...