Colnago’s new C68 carbon street bike shakes issues up fairly a bit for the Italian bike builder. The highest-tier C collection mannequin remains to be made totally in Colnago’s Cambiago, Italy workshop, and it’s nonetheless customizable with semi-lugged development. However now the C68 will truly be out there as both a street bike, an all-road bike, or a gravel bike. There’ll even be two materials choices, one with nearly utterly hidden tube-to-tube carbon joints, and one other with 3D-printed titanium lugs that permit fully-custom geometry.
On high of all that, now you can purchase a Colnago C68 consumer-direct out of your cellphone or the online. Oh, and there are NFTs too.
Colnago C68 Italian carbon (all) street bike
all c. Colnago
Colnago’s new top-tier C68 is a premium handmade Italian carbon street bike, but it surely’s not a race bike. Colnago’s V-series handles racing, developed away from the traditional line in recent times, with the most recent made-in-Taiwan monocoque V3RS that Tadej Pogačar rode to a few Tour de France wins changing into extra aero & lighter than these extra classically constructed bikes.
However in order for you essentially the most unique & luxurious Colnago, and cash isn’t an object, it actually must be a made in Cambiago, Italy C68, proper?
The newest within the handmade Italian C-series once more will get its title from the variety of years since Colnago’s founding.
Lugged carbon, or lugged carbon + titanium development
The brand new full carbon C68 street bike makes use of a simplified & modular, semi-lugged development with particular person tubes every molded with an finish lug, then glued collectively out of the mildew to chop down on the variety of joints whereas retaining measurement flexibility. The result’s extra of a contemporary monocoque look, however with lugged advantages.
Plus, for rider in search of full geometry customization, a restricted version C68Ti makes use of 3D-printed titanium lugs to utterly unencumber stack, attain, and body angles (shiny ti lugs, above).
In both case, an in depth look nonetheless reveals an higher headtube lug and seat cluster lug, whereas the remainder of the joints are inclined to mix easily from tube to lug.
Uncooked body weight is claimed to be simply 925g (S/M measurement 48.5cm) in all carbon, or 935g with the addition of titanium lugs.
The C68 is available in 7 inventory street sizes with both rim or disc brakes, and naturally the choice for {custom} geometry with the carbon+ti model.
Tech particulars
The brand new Colnago C68 will get utterly inside cable routing by the straight 1 1/8″ CeramicSpeed SLT headset (assured for all times, so mechanics won’t ever need to re-cable your bike simply to interchange a headset!) and the D-shaped steerer tube of the carbon fork. The bike additionally will get a brand new threaded T47 backside bracket for easy sturdiness, and a detachable entrance derailleur mount for clear 1x builds.
The bike makes use of the identical proprietary aero seatpost because the C64 & VR3S, and a hidden wedge-style clamp.
Even with the inner cables, the C68 additionally manages to combine a mini multi-tool into the stem cap for on a regular basis usability
Colnago CC.01 carbon handlebar
The brand new C68 additionally affords a brand new CC.01 built-in handlebar+stem cockpit. Utilizing a modular mildew, the CC01 bar makes use of monocoque development to supply 4 bar widths (37, 39, 41 & 43cm c-c) and 7 -6° stem lengths (80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130 & 140mm) in 16 complete match combos. Usually, it will get 80mm attain, 122mm drop, 2cm of flare on the drops, with a weight of 310g (41cm x 110mm).
Colnago Blockchain & NFTs?
Colnago was already one of many first huge bike makers to embrace the blockchain for anti-theft safety. Now the C68 takes it to the following degree with an NFC tag on the downtube linked to a safe digital passport for the bike on the MyLime blockchain. Mentioned to safeguard the bike over time, it shops a certificates of authenticity, proof of possession, unique tech specs, “multimedia contents of the manufacturing phases” distinctive to every bike, and a 3D rendered NFT of the personalized bike for C68s designed by way of the Colnago app or web site. It’ll even log certificates of participation in choose, unique Colnago occasions the place you journey your new C68 beginning later this summer time.
However what about All-road & Gravel bikes?
The brand new Colnago C68 does formally are available three completely different classes: street, allroad & gravel variations. However simply the street is accessible beginning right this moment, which means you’ll have to attend to take a C68 off tarmac. (Begin saving up now, although!)
The all-road bike will come quickly, with disc brakes solely and room for greater tires to transition to grime roads, beginning this fall in 6 inventory sizes. And the complete C68 gravel bike model with disc brakes for off-road drop bar driving will come late this yr, in 5 inventory sizes for early winter 2022.
Colnago C68 – Pricing, choices & availability
Colnago C68Ti frameset
The all-new Colnago C68 is accessible as a disc brake full carbon frameset for $7100 / 5650€, or for a combined carbon & titanium C68Ti frameset for $8000 / 6600€.
An enormous a part of the brand new consumer-direct shopping for expertise is a model new 3D configurator on-line and in iPhone/Android apps, which builds in augmented actuality for a extra sensible preview of your personalized paint scheme or {custom} construct. Customized colours add one other 1200€ to the frameset or full bike value.
Colnago C68 Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
An entire carbon Colnago C68 construct with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, disc brakes and Dura-Ace C50 carbon wheels sells for $16,000 / 14,065€.
Colnago C68Ti SRAM Purple AXS
A C68 with SRAM Purple AXS & Zipp 303s is a bit cheaper from 13,260€, and a extra Italian C68 construct with Campagnolo Tremendous Report EPS & Bora Extremely WTO 45 wheels will set you again much more at 15,770€.
Colnago C68 Campagnolo Tremendous Report EPS
Full carbon & titanium C68Ti bikes add a couple of thousand euros further. Plus, there are all the time choices to spend extra with wheel or energy meter upgrades.
Direct-to-consumer availability is proscribed to Europe & the UAE for the second by way of the Colnago web site or cell app (simply think about Apple Pay hitting you with a 16,780€ cost… yikes!) US consumers can get a brand new C68 by their native Colnago vendor, so no less than you’re much less prone to impulse purchase! Colnago says a custom-configured bike will probably be manufactured, painted, assembled & delivered between 90-180 days.
