Wilier Adlar gravel bike: Is it almost a bikepacking MTB?
Even a raclette grill or a sack full of potatoes is no problem for the new Wilier Adlar. According to the long-established company, this Italian gravel bike is aimed at “bike packers, explorers and cycle travellers” and therefore had to prove itself as a cargo bike in our practical test. Our test involved precisely this rather unusual load, as the raclette set and ingredients simply had to be transported from A to B on New Year’s Eve.
Whilst most adventure cyclists prefer equipment such as a gas hob or a sleeping bag, even with this unusual load we were able to find out how the gravel bike’s handling characteristics change. Although the model is characterised by its road bike handlebars, its radical design meant it could only be assessed to a limited extent against the test criteria of our sister magazine, TOUR.
Wilier Adlar gravel bike: Almost an MTB?!
So what exactly does ‘radical’ mean in the case of what appears to be a fairly standard diamond frame with a low seat tube angle? The frame triangle is elongated and combined with a short stem (85 millimetres), a flat head angle (70 degrees), a long wheelbase (1085 millimetres) and a large fork trail (83 millimetres). As a result, the Adlar gravel bike resembles a hardtail more than a classic road bike and impresses us above all with its excellent stability – whatever the terrain. The precise handling is enhanced by a wide aluminium handlebar from Ritchey, which measures 60 centimetres at its ends. So watch out! Take care in narrow sections!
Furthermore, the pronounced upsweep of the handlebars ensures an exceptionally upright riding position. The highlight of the carbon frame is the innovative loading system. Two sturdy luggage racks from Miss Grape in Italy can be fitted in just a few simple steps. Thanks to the solid seat stays and the attachment to the thru-axle, the bike can carry up to 35 kilograms, according to Wilier. The set, comprising pannier racks and bags, is included in two different configurations or can be purchased separately as an accessory. Furthermore, the Wilier Adlar features six mounting points on the frame and fork, eyelets for mudguards and an integrated cable channel for a dynamo light, rounding off the build of this adventure-ready bike.
The Wilier is an exciting concept and ticks all the boxes for an off-road adventure bike. – Matthias Fischer, BIKE mechanic
Comfort without suspension
The Wilier Adlar’s frame set is solidly built and consists of robust aluminium components. Even without the bikepacking kit, the bike weighs just under 10 kilograms. With a luggage rack, longer thru-axles and (empty) panniers, the weight increases to 12.8 kilograms. The bike is therefore far less suited to fast sprints than to long-distance rides. Comfortable long-distance rides...
... because the suspension comfort of the neon-yellow bike is significantly improved by the high-quality mountain bike-style tyres and the long extension of the seat post. The tubeless Pirelli tyres, with a nominal width of 50 millimetres, expand to 54 millimetres and absorb obstacles such as larger stones or roots with almost effortless ease. The slightly reduced comfort at the handlebars is barely noticeable due to the rear-biased weight distribution, particularly when the bike is loaded with luggage. Tyres with a width of up to 52 millimetres can be fitted. There is also the option of a Suspension fork with a maximum travel of 40 millimetres to retrofit.
Alternatively, the gravel bike can be customised even further, as Wiebke Lühmann has done; she is cycling from Freiburg im Breisgau to the Cape of Good Hope on her Wilier Adlar.
>> Into gravel? Then check out Dangerholm’s SUPER GRAVEL. “There’s still room for another gravel category”
Disadvantages of the Wilier Adlar
One drawback of the generous tyre clearance on the Wilier Adlar is that there is no room for a front derailleur on the curved and flattened seat tube. According to the manufacturer, the seat tube is intended to serve as an “integrated mudguard”, but we have not been able to identify this function. The mechanical 12-speed Shimano GRX groupset with mountain bike gearing (10–51T) – also known as the ‘mullet’ version – does offer sufficiently light gears for all riding situations, but the gear steps are large on steep climbs.
The Adlar pushed the TOUR Test Centre to its limits in that its weight was comparatively very high and it had weaknesses in terms of the frame’s structural stiffness (5.72 N/mm is at the lower end the new grading scale) on the clipboard resulted in a mark of only 2.9.
However, the test riders didn’t notice any difference in practice, either with or without a load. This may also be due to the uncharacteristically low speeds for a road bike when riding off-road. On fast descents, particularly on tarmac, you should nevertheless expect a spongy ride and reduced steering precision. Wilier offers its most extreme gravel bike in five different spec options, starting at 3,700 euros. The Adlar we tested costs 4,000 euros, but the Italian manufacturer lists the bike with narrower and cheaper Vittoria tyres. The top-of-the-range version features a Sram Rival XPLR electronic groupset and comes with a bikepacking kit, which carries a hefty surcharge of 600 euros.
Wilier Adlar in detail
- Price: 4,000 euros
- Weight of complete bike: 9.8 kilos (excluding the bikepacking rack)
- Frame sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL
Geometry
- Seat tube / top tube / head tube: 530 / 595 / 157 mm
- Stack / Reach / STR: 633 / 410 mm / 1.54
- Stack+ / Reach+ / STR+: 698 / 556 mm / 1.26
- Wheelbase / Caster: 1085 / 83 mm
Facilities
- Drive / Gearbox (3.0): Shimano GRX 822 (1 x 12; 40, 10–51 t)
- Brakes (1.5): Shimano GRX (160 / 160 mm)
- Tyres (1.5): Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 50 mm (effective: 54 mm)
- Wheels: Miche Graff XL
- Impeller weights: 1736/2443 grams (front/rear)
Measurements
- Handling (3.3): 5.72 N/mm
- Rear comfort (2.0): 127 N/mm
- Comfort Front (3.3): 112 N/mm
- Acceleration/bottom bracket stiffness (2.0): 54 N/mm
Overall rating for the gravel bike: 2.9
Sandra Schuberth
Editor