Milanese brand Cinelli has introduced two of its new flagship road bikes – Aeroscoop and Speciale Corsa XCR – with its 2026 range “blending speed, craftsmanship, and Italian style”.
Aeroscoop
The result of a partnership with one of Italy’s leading Continental cycling teams, Cinelli points out that “Aeroscoop is what happens when competitive riders demanding the best collide with engineers who relish a challenge”.
Building on the success of the Pressure 2 and following extensive team feedback, Aeroscoop is “an unapologetic reimagining of the ultimate carbon road racing machine, infused with rebellious Cinelli design DNA”. An entirely new model, we’re told the Aeroscoop is stiffer around the bottom bracket, for that all essential power transfer, yet a touch more compliant at the head tube to keep things smooth through sketchy corners.
As you’d expect, the launch also points to the weight of both the frame and fork has been trimmed, “with an off-the-peg build with SRAM Red AXS and Fulcrum Wind 57 wheelset weighing in the region of 6.98kg, scraping in just above the UCI legal limit – for anyone playing by the rules”.
A 4% reduction in frontal area, smoothed cockpit transition and integrated fork, and revised downtube shaping to shield bottles and mounts, collectively see Aeroscoop bagging Cinelli bragging rights as the most aero road bike the brand has produced to date.
Arguably, the most striking difference – both visually and in terms of performance – is that Cinelli’s team split the seat stay at the seatpost junction. We’re told this is “to reduce turbulence and guide airflow around the frame and rear wheel”. The brand points to independent wind tunnel verification by TOUR, with the Aeroscoop “measured just 205W of drag, placing it firmly inside the top ten of all aero road bikes ever tested”.
Framesets, available for purchase separately, comprise a range of new Columbus Components, including a new Spirit carbon integrated cockpit, and proprietary carbon seatpost and fork. Complete builds start at £5299, with complete and frameset options available in either Purple Fibre or Coral White colourways from £3,999.
Speciale Corsa XCR
While Aerscoop is all about speed, the new Speciale Corsa XCR is a bike which is all about the ride, the experience. Handmade in Milano, the frame uses the legendary Columbus stainless steel XCR tubeset.
“Valuing function and form in equal measure, beneath the polished stainless steel and pristine White Mirror colourway is an efficient, stiff frame inspired and informed by decades of elite racing on high-performance metal bikes” – states the launch announcement.
In partnership with sister brand Columbus, experts in steel fabrication since 1919, Cinelli has beautifully merged tried and tested stainless tubes with the technologies of today, utilising 3D printed stainless junctions at the seat cluster and upper head tube, expertly TIG-welded and brazed, then hand filed to create a smooth, continuous visual flow.
In a further nod towards the modern, the Speciale Corsa XCR has been engineered exclusively for electronic groupsets, with complete cable integration through the new Columbus Spirit integrated cockpit and ACR standard internal routing.
UDH compatible, the Speciale Corsa XCR is available as a frameset with Columbus’ Trittico carbon fork from £5,000, or as a complete top-spec build starting from £11,000.
Victor Luis, Cinelli and Columbus Chairman “Aeroscoop and Speciale Corsa XCR are the purest expressions of our craft. With these bikes, we’ve combined the best materials and technologies available without compromising on the ride sensation and aesthetic passion that define Cinelli.
“Developing Aeroscoop required a significant investment in R&D and elevated our entire team’s capabilities, resulting in one of the fastest road bikes ever produced. Meanwhile, Speciale Corsa XCR seamlessly merges Columbus and Cinelli’s steel heritage with the latest 3D-printing innovations — it’s a masterpiece that rides as beautifully as it looks.”
Cinelli goes virtual
In addition to the launch of these two new real-world bikes, both the Aeroscoop and Speciale Corsa XCR will soon be available to ride on the Rouvy indoor cycling app.
