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Bianchi Aquila RC vs Look 796 Monoblade RS
Pick up to 4 bikes. Rows line up component by component. Highlighted rows differ, and green marks the best value where lower or higher is clearly better.
Key differences
- The Bianchi Aquila RC starts €190 cheaper (€6,800 vs €6,990 for the Look 796 Monoblade RS).
- Tire clearance: up to 28 mm on the Bianchi Aquila RC vs 32 mm on the Look 796 Monoblade RS.
- The Bianchi Aquila RC comes in 3 sizes, the Look 796 Monoblade RS in 4.
Bianchi Aquila RC
Look 796 Monoblade RS
| BianchiAquila RC | Look796 Monoblade RS | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Brand | Bianchi | Look |
| Build | Aquila RC Dura-Ace Di2 4iiii Power Meter | 796 Monoblade RS frameset |
| Build notes | Bianchi code YUB56. Bianchi's site shows €13,390 in its product data and on the other Aquila RC pages, but €13,290 in the main price on this English product page. | Frame, fork, seatpost and Aeroflat Bar 2 basebar/stem combo with extensions (basebar 380 or 400 mm). At launch in 2023 BikeRadar quoted £6,990 / $7,800 / €6,990. |
| Price (MSRP) | €13,390€13,390€13,390 | €6,990$8,500£6,600 |
| Model year | 2026 | 2026 |
| Generation | Aquila RC (disc) | 796 Monoblade RS (2023) |
| Launched | 2025-02 | 2023-06 |
| Discipline | Time trial | Time trial |
| UCI legal | Yes | Yes |
| Verdict (out of 100) | ||
| Overall score | 75 | — |
| Aero | 88 | 80 |
| Frame | 86 | 84 |
| Components | 72 | — |
| Hydration & storage | 45 | 55 |
| Fit | 66 | 78 |
| Practicality | 60 | 62 |
| Price | 75 | — |
| Frame & fork | ||
| Frame material | Carbon | Carbon (Ultra High Modulus fibre in 25% of the frame, high-strength fibre at BB, head tube and seat tube) |
| Fork material | Carbon | Carbon (Monoblade) |
| Frame weight | 1,300 g2.87 lb | — |
| Fork weight | 400 g14.1 oz | — |
| Frameset weight | — | 1,745 g3.85 lb |
| Weight measured on | Frame size M (BikeRadar launch report); Bianchi's page gives 1.3 kg frame and 400 g fork | Size S, claimed (BikeRadar) |
| Frame sizes | S, M, L | XS, S, M, L |
| Colours | AD - White / Petrol Green - Mint; ZY - Metallic Celeste / Black UD Carbon | Proteam Black Glossy |
| UCI frame approval | On the UCI list as 'AQUILA' (frame and fork), sizes S-L (3), approved 19.07.2024, code BIANCHI-038 (UCI list version 2026.10.02) | — |
| Compatibility & standards | ||
| Brake type | Hydraulic disc, flat mount 140/160 | Flat-mount hydraulic disc |
| Max rotor size | 160 mm | — |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
| Max tire width | 28 mm | 32 mm |
| Bottom bracket standard | PressFit 86.5x41 | T47 (85.5 mm) |
| Front axle | 12x100 thru-axle | 12x100 mm thru-axle (M12 x 1.5) |
| Rear axle | 12x142 thru-axle | 12x142 mm thru-axle (M12 x 1.5) |
| Drivetrain compatibility | — | Electronic groupsets only, 1x or 2x |
| Mechanical shifting possible | — | No |
| 1x compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Max chainring | 62T | — |
| Cable routing | — | Internal, including through the basebar |
| Hydration & storage | ||
| Storage details | — | Inserts for mounting an aero box on long-distance rides |
| Bottle mount locations | — | Frame-mounted bottle holders placed for aerodynamics and reach |
| Fit & adjustability | ||
| Aerobar system | Integrated Bianchi Reparto Corse cockpit by Vision with Vision JS-bend extensions; compatible with Vision TFE extensions | Look Aeroflat Bar 2 one-piece carbon basebar/stem with Aergo carbon extensions |
| Pad stack adjustment range | Supplied with 75 mm of spacers (3 x 20 mm, 1 x 10 mm, 1 x 5 mm); pad stack 624/639/662 mm (S/M/L) with the 75 mm of spacers | — |
| Pad reach adjustment range | Pad reach 473/491/511 mm (S/M/L) as listed in Bianchi's geometry table | — |
| Pad width range | — | Adjustable (Aergo extensions) |
| Extension options | — | Aergo extensions adjust in length, width, height, tilt (0-20 degrees per BikeRadar) and rotation |
| Seatpost type | Bianchi custom airfoil seatpost with Ritchey head | Look Aeropost Tube 2 with reversible sliding head and integrated clamp |
| Aerodynamics | ||
| Manufacturer aero claims | Bianchi claims 16.1 W less drag than the previous Aquila at 50 km/h, 37 seconds faster over a 40.7 km time trial, and lower drag than the previous Aquila and the best competitor it tested across yaw angles from -20° to 20°. | Look says it is faster than the previous 796 Monoblade (no figures published) |
| Testing method | Sketches, CAD, CFD simulation, prototypes and road testing with Bianchi's WorldTour riders | CFD and wind tunnel, plus road testing with Team Cofidis in 2022 and 2023 |
| Travel, maintenance & warranty | ||
| Headset bearings | — | LOOK-specific integrated headset with dedicated spacers: upper bearing 32.8 x 41.8 x 6.0 mm, lower bearing 30.15 x 41.0 x 6.5 mm, 45/45 degree, stainless steel |
| Derailleur hanger | — | Proprietary two-piece rear hanger (inner and outer parts) plus a bolt-on front derailleur hanger |
| Maintenance | — | The frameset comes with fork, headset, stem/basebar, seatpost, thru-axles and extensions. Minimum seatpost insertion is marked on the post. Grease the thru-axle threads (11 Nm). Brakes are 140/160 mm flat mount. Use only the original screws for the bottle and aero-box mounts (4 Nm). LOOK says its products are designed for riders up to 100 kg. |
| Proprietary parts | Integrated Reparto Corse/Vision bar-stem, custom airfoil seatpost and clamp, FSA custom headset | — |
| Frame warranty | — | Lifetime frame warranty (with registration) |
| Sold via | Bianchi dealers | Dealers |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Groupset | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 | — |
| Launched | 2021 · current generation | — |
| Speeds | 12-speed | — |
| Electronic | Yes | — |
| Drivetrain | 2x12 | — |
| Shifters | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 ST-R9270 with SW-R9160 | — |
| Notes | Listed as shifter lever ST-R9270 and sprint shifter SW-R9160 | — |
| Crankset | Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 + 4iiii Precision 3+ | — |
| Chainrings | 52/36 | — |
| Crank length | 170 (S) / 172.5 (M-L) | — |
| Power meter | 4iiii Precision 3+ | — |
| Launched | 2024 · current generation | — |
| Measurement | Dual-sided | — |
| Bottom bracket | Shimano SM-BB92-41B | — |
| Front derailleur | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9250 | — |
| Rear derailleur | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9250 | — |
| Cassette | Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 | — |
| Range | 11-30 | — |
| Speeds | 12-speed | — |
| Chain | Shimano CN-M9100 | — |
| Brakes | ||
| Brake calipers | Shimano Dura-Ace BR-R9270 | — |
| Type | Hydraulic disc | — |
| Rotors | Shimano RT-CL900 | — |
| Front rotor | 160 mm | — |
| Rear rotor | 160 mm | — |
| Mount | Center Lock | — |
| Wheels & tires | ||
| Wheelset | Bianchi Reparto Corse RC50R/RC65R SPBTech | — |
| Front rim depth | 50 mm | — |
| Rear rim depth | 65 mm | — |
| Rear disc wheel | No | — |
| Material | Carbon | — |
| Spokes | 24h | — |
| Weight | 1,520 g3.35 lb | — |
| Tires | Pirelli P Zero Race SL TLR | — |
| Tire width | 28 mm | — |
| Casing | 120 TPI | — |
| Cockpit | ||
| Basebar | Bianchi Reparto Corse by Vision | Look Aeroflat Bar 2 (one-piece basebar/stem) |
| Basebar width | — | 400 mm |
| Material | — | Carbon |
| Notes | Integrated bar/stem, 110 mm / 400 mm (S-L) | 380 mm or 400 mm width |
| Extensions | Vision JS bend carbon | Look Aergo |
| Material | Carbon | Carbon |
| Notes | Compatible with Vision TFE extensions (not included; TFE bridge not included) | — |
| Headset | FSA Custom | — |
| Saddle & seatpost | ||
| Saddle | Selle Italia Watt 3D | — |
| Rails | Carbon | — |
| Seatpost | Bianchi Custom Airfoil Shape | Look Aeropost Tube 2 |
| Offset / setback | — | Reversible sliding head |
| Notes | Ritchey head; length 280 mm (S), 300 mm (M), 350 mm (L) | — |
| Geometry (smallest – largest size) | ||
| Sizes | S, M, L | XS, S, M, L |
| Rider height min | 155–183 cm5′1″–6′0″ | 164–178 cm5′5″–5′10″ |
| Rider height max | 171–197 cm5′7″–6′6″ | 166–187 cm5′5″–6′2″ |
| Stack | 486–524 mm19.1–20.6″ | 502–577 mm19.8–22.7″ |
| Reach | 402–440 mm15.8–17.3″ | 393–429 mm15.5–16.9″ |
| Pad stack max | 624–662 mm24.6–26.1″ | — |
| Seat angle min | 77.5° | 77° |
| Seat angle max | 77.5° | 77° |
| Head tube angle | 72° | 72.5° |
| Head tube length | 75–115 mm3–4.5″ | 96.6–177.2 mm3.8–7″ |
| Effective top tube | 510–556 mm20.1–21.9″ | 508.9–562.2 mm20–22.1″ |
| Seat tube length | 510–560 mm20.1–22″ | 512.5–592 mm20.2–23.3″ |
| Chainstay | 410 mm16.1″ | 410 mm16.1″ |
| Wheelbase | 986–1,036 mm38.8–40.8″ | — |
| BB drop | 75 mm3″ | — |
| Fork length | 370.5 mm14.6″ | 363 mm14.3″ |
| Fork offset | 45 mm1.8″ | 44 mm1.7″ |
| Trail | — | 62.6 mm2.5″ |
| Front centre | 588–638 mm23.1–25.1″ | 578.6–637.8 mm22.8–25.1″ |
| Standover | — | 772–847 mm30.4–33.3″ |
| Wheel size | 700c | 700c |
Geometry overlay
Pick a size for each bike to see frames and arm-pad ranges on top of each other.
Drawn to scale (how to read it).