Wilier’s NDR concept on its flagship Cento10 endurance platform is based around interrupted seatstays with a clever elastomer-based suspension linkage.
It works remarkably well on the top-end machines but on the Cento01 range Wilier foregoes the clever linkage, using its dropped seatstay design instead with the horizontal junction leading into the stays, which kink downwards and taper down towards the rear dropouts flattening at the same time.
- The Wilier Triestina Cento01NDR Disc 105 is one of our Bike of the Year bikes for 2019. To read reviews of the other contenders and the categories tested across road, mountain and women's bikes, visit our Bike of the Year hub.
Up front the Cento01 has a distinct kink in the top tube that meets a deep oversized head tube into which the straight bladed tapered fork neatly interlocks. The fork crown features twin mount points for direct-mount rim brakes even though this bike is disc equipped. At the rear, the stays also feature direct mount points — fitted with an alloy bridge here.
Having a chassis that can take either rim or disc brakes is pretty novel. It was a little more common a few seasons ago (Lapierre did a similar thing) when discs first started to make an appearance, but now that disc brakes are so well established and getting better technically all the time, the brake mounts could be seen as unnecessary weight.
Specification wise, Wilier scores well on fitting a complete 105 group with endurance friendly 50/34, 11-30 gearing, and it’s good to see a 160mm rotor up front on my XL test bike.
Elsewhere, the Wilier branded FSA cockpit is good quality, mid-range alloy stuff. FSA’s drop shape is one of my favourites, being nicely ergonomic and easy to hold in the drops, or on the hoods.
Out back the alloy Ritchey post (with a 30mm layback) is, again, good quality, mid-range stuff, though the flat narrow Selle Italia Squadra saddle seems an odd choice for an endurance bike, but because the shape favours an aggressive riding position I had no issues with the comfort.
Geometry wise the Cento01 is very much from the Italian school of endurance bikes; my XL has both a low 604mm stack and long 389mm reach, a race-ready 73-degree head angle and a short 1,012mm wheelbase.
All these numbers wouldn’t be out of place on a race bike, but the ride is well balanced between comfort and solidity. The back end does a particularly good job of keeping things plush but it is slightly at odds with the front end which, thanks to the relatively narrow wheel and tyre combo, stiff chassis and alloy cockpit, does tend to chatter somewhat over poorer surfaces.
The chassis has the space for 28c tyres and for its intended purpose it deserves them too.
On the climbs the Cento feels like its fighting with itself. The chassis responds well to pedal input and when seated the rear-end compliance makes for a place that's comfortable to grind out a rhythm, it’s just the wheels that hamper proceedings.
Shimano’s RS disc wheels are a decent budget set of hoops with their nigh-on 2kg complete weight, but they are very much budget and really have no place on a bike a pound shy of £2,700, especially because you’ll find them retail at less than £75 a pair.
Make no mistake, however, the Cento01 impresses with its sporty demeanour and overall great ride quality (bettered by bigger tyres obviously), but the budget wheels stand out like a sore thumb compared to the bike's overall qualities. Cure that and you’ll have a sporty handling bike that’s good to go all day long.
Wilier Triestina Cento01NDR Disc 105 specifications
- Sizes (*tested): XS, S, M, L, XL*, XXL
- Weight: 9.24kg
- Frame: Carbon
- Fork: Carbon
- Chainset: Shimano 105 50/34
- Cassette: Shimano 105 11-30
- Chain: Shimano 105
- Derailleurs: Shimano 105
- Shifters: Shimano 105
- Wheelset: Shimano RS
- Tyres: Vittoria Zaffiro Pro 25c
- Stem: Wilier by FSA (alloy)
- Bar: Wilier by FSA (alloy)
- Saddle: San Marco Squadra
- Seatpost: Ritchey Alloy
- Brakes: Shimano 105 hydraulic disc (R6070)
Wilier Triestina Cento01NDR Disc 105 geometry
- Seat angle: 73 degrees
- Head angle: 72.5 degrees
- Chainstay: 41.1cm
- Seat tube: 56cm
- Head tube: 19.6cm
- Wheelbase: 1,012mm
- Stack: 60.4cm
- Reach: 38.9cm
- Price: £2,699
BikeRadar would like to thank Stolen Goat, Lazer, Northwave and Effetto Mariposa for their help and support during our Bike of the Year test.
