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Eurobike 2016: Colnago add Concept aero road bike to 2017 range

Italian firm launches first full-fledged aero bike

Colnago tentatively dipped a toe into the aero road world with the launch of the V1-r in 2014 but now the Italian firm’s added a fully-fledged aerodynamic machine – the Concept – to the range for 2017.

The Concept joins the flagship C60 and V1-r at the top of the Colnago line-up and bears all the hallmarks of a modern aero road bike, with deep tube profiles, a neatly integrated fork crown, internal cable routing, sleek seatpost with an internal clamp, direct mount brakes, and the option of an aero-profiled stem.

The Concept is Colnago’s first all-out aero road bike

Colnago headed to the wind tunnel to the develop the Concept, which is no surprise, and went through 41 iterations of the frame before arriving at the final design, which has a claimed weight of 990g, paired with a 400g fork. That ensures the Concept remains competitively light for an aero bike.

Colnago have slimmed down the fork through 90 per cent of its length to boost the Concept’s aero credentials, while other features designed to help the bike cut through the wind include the front and rear derailleur cable routing, which feeds into the downtube behind the headtube, and the truncated airfoil tube profiles, most obvious on the downtube. The rear wheel closely hugs the seattube, while the aero-profiled seatpost is held in place by an internal, wedge-style clamp.

The brakes are direct mount units, which offer a small improvement in braking power, and they take up usual position on the fork and seatstays – no hidden, over-complicated, proprietary designs here, which is good to see. Colnago have also designed their own direct mount calipers, so if you spec the bike with SRAM (who don’t currently offer a direct mount brake), you won’t have to use Shimano or Campagnolo brakes.

The Concept uses the same Colnago-designed ThreadFit82.5 bottom bracket as the C60. It’s a smart bit of kit, which combines the width and rigidity of a PressFit bottom bracket with practical and replaceable threaded cups – the best of both worlds.

The Concept will be available with an aero-profiled stem

The bike will also be available with a proprietary stem, which replaces the traditional face plate with an aero wedge system to hold the handlebar in place. The stem will still be able to accept most handlebars.

Colnago will offer the Concept in eight sizes and four colours, with bikes expected to land in shops before the end of 2016. Have a flick through the photo gallery below to whet your appetite.

Website: Colnago

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