If one title has been seemingly ever-present in street biking over the past 70 years or so, it’s Colnago. Following a profession ending crash in a motorcycle race, Ernesto Colnago determined to get into the bike commerce. From humble beginnings working for Gloria Cycles in a small city close to Milano, Ernesto quickly had loftier ambitions. He opened his personal store in 1952, promoting his personal hand-built frames.
Colnago World Championship successful bikes - Picture Colnago.com
Merckx’s Spanner Man
Ernesto was head mechanic on the Molteni Workforce in 1963, twirling the spanners for the legendary Eddy Merckx. Via the 60’s and 70’s Colnago was broadly thought to be one of the best, or among the best body producers on this planet. Many iconic frames have been produced on this period together with the one Merckx used for his Hour Report in 1972.
Colnago Hour Report Bikes - Picture Colnago.com
Metal the One
Via the 1980’s, Columbus, Colnago’s metal tube suppliers began to create extra completely different shapes and experiment with tube thicknesses. This enabled Colnago to supply extra options and better alternative with fashions. These included the very a lot wanted bikes, together with the Oval CX, Grasp and Grasp mild.
New interpritation of 1980's Classics - Picture Colnago.com
New Period
On the finish of the 1980’s Colnago, with the assistance of Ferrari, produced the C35 their first Carbon manufacturing bike. Within the e-book Colnago: The Bicycle, by Pier Augusto Stagi, a chapter is devoted to Colnago and Ferrari. At an early assembly in 1986, Ernesto Colnago recollects Enzo Ferrari saying, “I do know from my technical folks that you simply wish to work in carbon fibre; that’s a good suggestion. It’s the long run.”
Colnago C35 Ferrari 1986 – Hydraulic Brakes & Auto gears (however very heavy) – Picture Colnago.com
The early C35 with Ferrari had comparable lugs and straight forks to the Colnago C40, a motorcycle which was to remodel skilled street driving within the 1990’s. The place as early Carbon frames like Lemond’s TVT featured carbon tubes and aluminium lugs, the C40 featured carbon lugs and carbon tubes.
Fragile? Cobblers!
There was loads of reluctance to make use of carbon bikes for the hardest professional race the Paris Roubaix, which options rutted tracks and cobbled sectors. The proprietor of the Mapei professional workforce is reported to have telephoned Colnago the evening earlier than the workforce have been to make use of the C40 for the primary time at Paris Roubaix. He demanded reassurance that the bike could be okay. His rider Franco Ballerini was third and the C40 gained 5 out of the following 6 editions and so banished any discuss of any ‘fragility’ within the Colnago C40.
Paris Roubaix Profitable Bikes - Picture Colnago.com
Materials World
In addition to utilizing metal after which carbon fibre for it’s top-end fashions, Colnago additionally used Titanium for fashions such because the mid 90’s Titanio, many riders prefered the trip really feel of titanium. Aluminium body tubes have been used on entry-level to mid vary bikes by means of the 90’s and 2000’s – together with fashionable fashions such because the Dream. No matter their development supplies all Colnagos left the manufacturing unit with a top quality end.
Colnago C60 Paint Course of
Fashionable Period
From 2000 onwards the successor to the C40, the C50 was adopted by the C59, C60 and in 2018 the C64. Every new version tweaked to supply extra improved efficiency and the legendary, ‘magic carpet trip’ qualities. All the C vary have been at all times, and are nonetheless, hand-built and hand painted in Italy, the newest C64 included. In addition to the C collection prime finish carbon frames, Colnago launched a collection of frames at a cheaper value level for riders wanting the Colnago title however with out the excessive price ticket. All through their historical past Colnago have sponsored professional biking groups. These embody the notorious Mapei workforce, Thomas Voeckler’s Europcar workforce and in 2018, the UAE Workforce Emirates together with Rui Costa and later, Tadej Pogacar.
Along with extra reasonably priced fashions, the ‘racey’, aero design of the VR1 (and later VR2 & VR3) body and the ‘Idea’ have captured the hearts of these wanting a extra aero ‘prime finish’ Colnago.
Tour De France Glory
2020 and 2021 have been unimaginable years for Colnago. Tadej Pogacar Workforce (UAE Emirates), stamped his authority onto the most important stage race on this planet. The younger Slovenian, onboard his Colnago V3Rs, gained two consecutive editions of the Tour De France. The primary ever victories for a Colnago branded bike.
Colnago’s newest C68 and C68 Titanium transfer the legendary bike firmly into the fashionable period. The most recent trendy options embody, 3D printed Titanium lugs on the titanium model and an NFT linked to every bike which acts as a transferable proof of possession.
See the GCN Colnago C68 evaluate under;
Colnago Vary at Merlin
We’re very proud to inventory Colnago at Merlin Cycles – Take a look at the complete vary right here;
