Bianchi has announced the launch of the Oltre XR3 Disc – the Italian brand’s first Oltre aero bike to be equipped with disc brakes.

Previously, the only aero disc-brake bike has been the entry-level Aria, but the Oltre signifies a widening of Bianchi’s disc-equipped offerings, from a range comparatively sparse compared to other big-name brands.

The XR3 Disc is based on the Oltre XR3 machine launched last year as an updated underling to the XR4 flagship bike, but has received tweaks to both the frame and fork in order to accommodate disc brakes. Both adopt 12mm thru-axles and utilise flat-mount disc brake calipers. Handily, the mounts are adjustable so you can run either 140 or 160mm rotors, while there’s clearance for 28c rubber, supplied as standard. Wider tyres are an increasingly common sight on aero disc bikes, with the Scott Foil Disc and Orro Venturi to other recent examples.

Bianchi tells us both the frame and fork have also been designed in unison for maximised aero efficiency with disc brakes. The frame is made of a blend of high and medium modulus carbon fibre, and also features Countervail technology to reduce road vibrations, all set around a race geometry.