Discover the amazing Colnago C60

Let's not overstate the importance and high expectations placed on the Colnago C60, the latest in Colnago's iconic C-series road bike range. Colnago first introduced the C40 with its tube-and-lug construction some 20 years ago, then followed with the C50 in 2003, which pushed the stiffness up and weight down. It was joined by the Extreme Power and Extreme C, designed for sprinting and climbers respectively, and followed by the EPS. The C59 came out in 2010, which kept with the same basic construction approach but ushered in oversized lugs, internal cable routing and electronic gearset compatibility. Shortly after, Colnago rolled out a version compatible with disc brakes.

And now we have the C60. The headline grabbing bullet points are a new press fit bottom bracket, oversized tubes, bigger lugs and new alloy dropouts, changes that have increased the frame stiffness and dropped some weight. It'll be available in both a caliper or disc brake version.

The C60 is a race bike, but with that Italian twist that knows road races can be long and road surfaces can be nasty. It provides an aggressive position and geometry, but with a few millimeters added to the rear. 

The C60 uses a new tubeset and matching lugs that are shaped to resemble Colnago’s famous Master tubeset. Thus, distinct furrows run the length of the top and down tubes, however the tubeset is larger and much more angular compared to the Master or the C59.

The furrows (or ridges) add considerable strength to the C60, and as a consequence, a little weight has been saved compared to the C59. However, Colnago manufacture the C60 to be durable too, so at around 900g for the frame, and another 350g for the fork, the new bike won’t ignite the imagination of weight weenies.

A wider BB shell means the down tube can be wider as well, which further increases stiffness. If you look at at a C60 frame closely you will be amazed at the level of tube shaping and manipulation that has taken place.

The bottom bracket is probably the heart of this project,’ explains Fumagalli. ‘Making it bigger was essential to being able to use wider tubes, but that meant we’d have to sacrifice our beloved and problem-free threaded BB [since standard threaded BB shells are not wide enough to support the extra tube width]. So we ended up inventing a new BB “standard”, our ThreadFit82.5.’

This leads to the objection that we don’t need yet another BB standard (currently there are eight), but Colnago insists it’s justified. As the company sees it, the problem with current press-fit BB options is that their tolerance fit makes them susceptible to wear that can lead to anything from annoying creaks to outright frame-binning. Replaceable cups are preferable, but up until now have meant external threaded items, which can’t provide structural support to tubes. By making its cups internal but threaded – in other words, replaceable – Colnago has achieved the BB shell width necessary to support the C60’s tubes while proofing the frame against longer-term failure.

Colnago offers the C60 in nine sizes with sloping top tubes, starting at 42cm and going up to 60cm. There are a further five sizes with horizontal top tubes and five more with longer head tubes, so there’s a huge range of geometries to suit different rider sizes and styles. There’s also a range of twelve different colours. You can also have the Mapei limited edition colors which is a special order and it could take up to 3 months to get it. 

Verdict

The C60 comes with a historic brand name and quality craftsmanship, with looks and ride feel to back it up. It’s a really nice machine to ride – fast on the flat and with good handling both up and downhill. But it lacks the more modern specification and aero features of many of its competitors at this price, so ultimately you’re buying into the Colnago brand and its mystique, along with the chance to choose your own specification, as much as the C60’s design features.

You are interested in buying a Colnago C60? Contact our customer service so we can get the right size with the perfect color for you at info@highendbikediscount .