When Ernesto Colnago presented the C40 28 years ago, he astonished the racing bike world. A carbon racing bike should survive the Paris-Roubaix ordeal? Very few people believed it. Even the now 90-year-old had his doubts at the time. "The night before the race, team boss Giorgio Squinzi called me and predicted that the bikes would fly apart. I didn't sleep all night and watched the race on TV, sweating profusely," Colnago once confessed in an interview with TOUR.
But the courage of the enterprising company founder paid off. The Colnago C40 immediately won the world's toughest one-day classic and went on to win countless other victories in the years that followed. Five years earlier, in 1989, Colnago had already developed its first carbon frame, the C35, together with car manufacturer Ferrari, but it was never used in races. Nevertheless, the experience with the material paid off. In short: a legend was born.
Handmade in Italy: The carbon frame of the Colnago C68
The Colnago C68 is the latest addition to the C-series. Then as now, it is one of the most spectacular Racing bikes The frame alone, which is handmade in Cambiago, is a work of art in its own right. As with its predecessors, the individual carbon components are glued together, although the tubes are no longer inserted into classic sleeves at the junctions. Instead, the frame is broken down into smaller components which, according to Colnago, are easier to control during production than a monocoque frame.
However, the nodes are visually less prominent than on the predecessor model C64. This design also allows more freedom in the size range. The C68 is available in seven frame sizes as standard. The frame is also said to be lighter and stiffer, with Colnago quoting a frame weight of around 930 grams in size 51. The C68Ti offers even more exclusivity, with a titanium sleeve from the 3D printer being used on the head tube. This trick allows the Italians to continue to offer customised frames on request.
Handlebar-stem unit with hidden minitool
Unlike the carbon frame, the new CC.01 cockpit is made from a single piece, which should make it lighter and stiffer. The integrated handlebar/stem unit can be configured in four widths and seven lengths, giving a total of 16 combinations to choose from. Practical: The head tube contains a lightweight, 70 gram Minitool hidden. Futuristic: An NFT sticker on the down tube serves as a kind of digital ID card, in which information about production and ownership is stored - this is what theft protection looks like in the 21st century.
The new Colnago racer - already tested
The team from our sister magazine TOUR had the opportunity to test the C68 extensively before its official launch - and the new bike left hardly anything to be desired. Above all, the riding stability is remarkable, the Colnago doesn't move off track so quickly. When it comes to the riding position, the Italians have opted for a successful mix of sportiness and comfort (STR: 1.52). The flattened seatpost - the same model as on Tadej Pogacar's V3Rs - absorbs vibrations well in combination with the 28 millimetre wide Pirelli tyres, although a little more flex would be desirable on longer rides. The tight gearing (52/36, 11-30 teeth) is reminiscent of the racing genes of the C-series.
Truly exclusive: price from 5650 euros - for the frameset
The fact that the Colnago C68 is not an off-the-peg bike is also reflected in the price. The "cheapest" model with Sram Force eTap and Fulcrum wheelset starts at 10,105 euros in the new online configurator. The model with Sram Red eTap is 2770 euros more. The test bike with gears (Dura-Ace Di2 2x12) and wheels (Dura-Ace C50) from Shimano is priced at 15,655 euros. A version with Campagnolo components (Super Record, Bora Ultra WTO 45) is also available for 17,755 euros. The limited C68 Road Ti models range from 13,710 to over 18,000 euros.
The framesets cost between 5650 and 6600 euros, depending on the version. If you have money left over for a customised paint job, you will have to factor in an additional 1200 euros. A version with rim brakes is still to come. The new Colnago C68 is also available through direct sales for the first time. Since autumn, the Colnago C68 has also been available as an all-road version with space for tyres up to 35 millimetres wide from 8950 euros. A Gravel-version with a maximum tyre clearance of 45 millimetres and prices from 7250 euros rounds off the range.
Julian Schultz
Editor
