Very few bicycle manufacturers hold the stature of Colnago and rightly so. Since 1954 Ernesto Colnago and his family have been producing world class framesets for professionals and cycling enthusiasts alike. Colnago’s bikes have seen countless victories from the Olympics to Le Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and under the indomitable Eddy Merckx when he took the hour record win 1972. Colnago remain one of the most iconic brands in the industry and are much coveted for their elegant design, impeccable quality and superb ride characteristics.
The new Limited Edition V1-r is the new frame from Colnago and is available in a range of stunning solid colourways which includes Green, Blue, Orange, Pink and Silver. The V1-R Limited Edition is designed for cyclists who are particular about their bike’s weight-to-performance ratio. It is made with the highest quality carbon fibre which has been selected in cooperation with their long standing partner, Ferrari - hence the use of the Cavallino logo on each frame. The frame takes over from the M10 and like its predecessor is monocoque and the lightest in the range with a claimed weight of just 835g for a size 48! Unlike the forbear however, the V1-r uses aerodynamic shaped tube sections, and full-carbon rear dropouts and is the best monocoque frame produced in Colnago’s sixty year history.
Like the M10 before it, the goal was to make a lively, racy machine that was agile yet surefooted, with performance and low weight as the key drivers. Colnago have certainly succeeded.
There have been numerous advances with this frame and several of the technologies used were developed in tandem with the new C60 flagship lugged frameset of which you will no doubt be aware! As with the C60, Colnago decided to combine the reliability and ease of installation & removal of the threaded standard with the advantage of greater frame width offered by integrated bearing systems. The result is the patented ThreadFit82.5 system. TheadFit82.5 is compatible with all BB86 bottom brackets, but features two removable threaded inserts that are easily replaceable in case of wear. In addition to the bottom bracket design the tubes at this interface are now broader and internal cable routing is now an integral part of the construction forming two structural ribs that add strength to this critical area of the bike. The overall result is a stiffer, more reliable and easier to maintain system that better conveys power to the road.
Beyond enhancing stiffness the other most important factors when designing the V1-r were aerodynamics and weight. One of the most obvious features of the frame are the tube shapes. All the tube shapes on Colnago's new V1-r frame, including the fork legs and the rear triangle, have been tested and studied in the wind tunnel to minimize drag.
From a structural point of view, the best shapes for bicycle frame tubes have been circular or polygonal shaped, as they are able to maximize the flexural and torsional rigidity regardless of frame size. However, from an aerodynamic perspective, the best sections have a “tear-drop” shape: they minimize wind resistance with the same frontal footprint, when the apparent wind direction lies in the plane of the center line of the frame, ie from the front.
The likelihood of encountering these conditions when riding over greater distances, in a bunch or at lower speeds is much reduced. In the case of low speed riding with the presence of side wind, the apparent wind direction is rotated with respect to the centerline plane of the frame and in these cases, a “teardrop” profile is no longer efficient and increases resistance on the front and side of the bike. As a consequence, the optimal solution, which maximizes the stiffness and at the same time minimizes aerodynamic drag and crosswind is represented by the truncated sections of the tubes and it is these that are utilized in the Colnago V1-r frame. In essence, the flattened aft area of the tubes (also employed by the likes of Pinarello and Giant) 'tricks' the air into a more aerodynamic path while increasing vertical flexion for comfort and maintaining the lateral and torsional rigidity required for efficient power transfer.
The other major jumps in design are in the fork and brakes and have been effected in order to reduce weight and maximise stiffness.
The V1-r uses a Direct Mount brake design which was developed by Shimano. The design allows for a stiffer interface with the bike whilst simultaneously reducing the weight and, perhaps more importantly in this era of marginal gains, improves the aerodynamic performance of the frame. The fork has thus been designed to accommodate the direct mount system but in addition has had a revamp of it's shape in keeping with the truncated tubing profiles of the frame, further enhancing the aerodynamic benefits. At a time when wheel manufacturers and aerodynamicists are moving to wider wheel / tyre profiles, Colnago have left room at the front end and the fork will accept tyres up to 28mm.
In a nutshell, the Colnago V1-r has been designed for the performance focused rider looking for the optimal balance of light weight, stiffness and aerodynamics in a single frame. Colnago do not believe in making changes to frames unless there is a proven reason for doing so, neither do they simply adopt the designs of others and this ethos is born out in the V1-r. Stunning to behold and a dream to ride.
The V1-r Limited Edition is available in 8 sloping sizes from 42 - 58cm and in 5 colourways.