I grew up in the Sierras during the ’90s—winters were for ski racing, summers for motocross. My idols weren’t celebrities or athletes with sneaker deals—they were Scott Schmidt and Mike Kiedrowski. The era, drenched in techno and cocaine (influences both sonic and sartorial), birthed a fashion ethos that spanned from Parisian runways to the chairlifts of Tahoe: louder, brighter, and aggressively neon. And so, thirty-something years later, my appetite for offensively vibrant gear lives on—most recently embodied by this Dogma F build in a colorway so polarizing I’m genuinely surprised Pinarello still offers it. I’m also thrilled they do.
40-year-old going on 14
Wrapped around the wheels are Rene Herse Orondo Grade 700x31s, which measure out to 34mm at around 69 psi—because duh, volume is life.
The Build
Certain themes run constant across my bikes. Enve 4.5s are one—light, fast, unapologetically stiff, and visually flawless. These were hand-built by Robert at Above Category using Extralite hubs and Sapim spokes, which collectively save enough rotational weight to justify one (maybe two) extra croissants a week. Wrapped around the wheels are Rene Herse Orondo Grade 700x31s, which measure out to 34mm at around 69 psi—because duh, volume is life.
SRM cranks continue to be the foundation—these featuring their adjustable-length arms (yes, I’ve gone shorter, too). SRM is still the gold standard, and since no one’s sending me free power meters (nor would I trust them if they did), I’ll continue paying for precision. As if I’d accept a discount in exchange for questionable data integrity.
Cockpit options these days are limited, but thankfully, the new Pinarello integrated bar is excellent—lighter than its predecessor, with a narrower top section, a nearly classic hook, and drops flared just enough to actually be functional when things get fast. Dura-Ace handles shifting and braking, with CeramicSpeed upgrades quietly shaving inefficiencies (and tacking on a few more pastries per week, metabolically speaking). Carbon-Ti 140mm rotors provide enough modulation without being grabby. Arundel cages keep the bottles in place, and Robert added enough titanium hardware to make me visibly wince at the invoice.
Final note: I’ve now bought four of the Bjorn Setka 3D saddles. It’s that good. That rare thing—actual comfort, no marketing fluff.
I didn’t set out to build something subtle. I wanted fast. I wanted unapologetic. And I wanted neon. This is the result.
It has mirror-chrome decals, for Christ’s sake.
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Ciao,
Anthony
