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The traditional brand from Rossano Veneto associates the Filante with the greatest successes in its recent history. Not only did the racer launched in 2020 already offer an exceptionally good balance of aerodynamics and low weight: even at its premiere, the bike, which was designed as a pure aero model at the time, weighed less than seven kilograms. In retrospect, the Filante could be categorised as an early representative of the trend towards all-round racers - but also as a comeback for the Italian racing bike industry, which had been left behind in terms of technology for decades.
In the meantime, the manufacturer founded in Bassano del Grappa, which is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year, supplied two prominent Pro Tour teams who rode the versatile aero model almost exclusively. The record set by Mark Cavendish, who took his 35th Tour de France stage win in 2024 wearing the Astana jersey on a Filante, will probably remain in the history books forever. Inspired by the continuing upward trend, the second generation of the Filante is now set to build on these successes. The company took five years to redesign the flagship model. During this time, Wilier invested a lot of effort in wind tunnel tests and CFD simulations, as improved aerodynamics were high on the list of requirements. The riders of the Groupama-FDJ team, with whom Wilier has a long-standing partnership, were also the inspiration for the development.
Wilier Filante ID2: Evolution instead of revolution
The first impression is that the model change is more of an evolution than a revolution. The design of the Filante ID2 remains sleek and elegant, with proportions strongly orientated towards its predecessor. The Filante has not become an avant-garde aero racing bike, as recently presented by Colnago with the Y1Rs or Factor with the ONE - it also remains true to its claim of being a versatile all-rounder.
A new, eye-catching element are the aero bottles with special bottle cages, which were developed together with market leader Elite. They fit harmoniously and streamlined to the tube shapes and are designed to give the bike additional speed. The other changes appear subtle, but on closer inspection can be aerodynamically effective: The fork and rear triangle are slightly more flared, as seen recently on the fastest aero bikes. The seat stays are lower and join the seat tube like a wing, and the new handlebar combination is flatter and more angular than before.
Impressive fighting weight
The Filante is already impressive on the scales: exactly 6800 grams (without pedals and bottle cage) are the first challenge to the competition. But first, let's get an impression of the bike before we measure its performance in figures. We take a seat on an exceptionally sporty racer that leaves no doubt about its intended purpose from the very first metre. The compact, forward-facing riding position with very low handlebars encourages you to put the pedal to the metal. The bike reacts promptly and willingly converts acceleration into propulsion.
Our test bike is equipped with new carbon wheels from Wilier's own brand Miche, which are built with carbon spokes and are correspondingly light. The difference in weight of several hundred grams has a noticeable effect on the handling; the Filante feels much more lively than other bikes in the same category and weight class. Fast corners require a little concentration, as the already agile steering behaviour is reinforced by the light front wheel. On bumpy roads, the Wilier reveals a weakness, as it rides relatively harshly over bumps compared to its competitors. Given the design of the offset-free aero seatpost, this is hardly surprising, but the measurements in our laboratory will provide more precise information.
Great ergonomics
We like the ergonomics of the new handlebars, which are painted in the same colour as the frame. The handlebar ends do not describe a constant curve below the brake levers, but are barely visibly angled, which gives the hands a better grip in the lower handlebar grip. We also find the upper handlebars and the slight flare - the sideways flared handlebar bends - extremely comfortable. We are somewhat disappointed with the practicality of the new aero bottles. Two hands are needed to fill them because they don't stand up on their own. The opening is also relatively small, which makes them difficult to fill and clean. You soon get used to the fact that they always have to be pushed into the holder in one direction. However, the promise that round bottles also fit into the holders is only kept to a limited extent. The standard bottles fit without any problems; large 750 milliLevel.
However, the test on our test benches also revealed some compromises. The moderate impression of comfort is not deceptive, the Wilier only scores average here. The riding stability is also not up to the current state of the art, which is probably a partial explanation for the somewhat nervous handling in fast bends. Heavier riders might wish for a more stable chassis with better feedback. Hard sprints, on the other hand, are unproblematic, the stiffness in the bottom bracket is excellent.
The A in front of the decimal point in the grade is well deserved, but the deductions prevent the Filante from equalling the best competition racers in all disciplines. Experienced and trained riders alike are unlikely to be bothered by the low level of comfort and the weakness in riding stability; professional racers are generally light, and in the decisive situations it's the core disciplines that matter. In this respect, the new Filante is also a hot candidate for further professional victories on all stage profiles.
Prices & equipment
Wilier offers the Filante ID2 in eight equipment variants with gear groups from all three leading manufacturers. However, even the entry-level model is expensive: with Ultegra Di2 and simple Miche carbon rims, it costs 9700 euros. The new Miche Deva wheels are not yet listed on the website, but are likely to cost around 1000 euros more. The frameset costs 5800 euros. The "old" Filante SLR ID1, which is still in the programme, is cheaper, with prices starting at 7499 euros.
All information about the Wilier Filante ID2 at a glance
- Price: 12,900 Euro >> available here
- Weight of complete wheel: 6.8 kilos
- Frame sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Geometry data
- Seat/top/head tube: 530/570/160 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR: 573/390 millimetres/1.47
- Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 626/590 millimetres/1.06
- Wheelbase/caster: 1,000/59 millimetres
Equipment of the racing bike
- Drive/gear shift: SRAM Red AXS (48/35, 10-36 t.) | Grade: 1.0
- Brakes: SRAM Red AXS (160/160 mm) | Grade: 1.0
- Tyres: Vittoria Corsa Pro TLR 28 mm | Grade: 1, 5
- Impellers: Miche Deva RD 52
- Impeller weights: 1,047/1,375 grams (f./h.)
Measured values of the Wilier
- Weight of complete wheel: 6,800 grammes | Grade: 1.7
- Aerodynamics: 206 Watt | Grade: 1.3
- Driving stability: 7.0 N/mm | Grade: 2.7
- Rear comfort: 226 N/mm | Grade: 3.7
- Comfort front: 81 N/mm | Grade: 2.3
- Ride/ bottom bracket stiffness: 58 N/mm | Grade: 1.3
Advantages and disadvantages
- I like that: Top aerodynamics with good weight, many colours
- You can criticise that: average driving stability, little comfort, comparatively expensive
Jens Klötzer
Editor
