THE MASTER HAS SPOKEN
THE MASTER HAS SPOKEN
While there is no shortage of road bikes pounding the pavement today, each with a rich history of design and performance, none match the legacy of those found with the venerable asso di fiore, or ace of clubs, logo found on the head tube.
This is the celebrated marque of none other than Ernesto Colnago, who has been a fixture in the sport for over 70 years. Yes, over 70 years. And throughout those years he has built race bikes for some of the greatest champions the sport has ever known. Luckily, for all devoted roadies, Mr. Colnago still carries on today from his headquarters in the town of Cambiago located in the outskirts of Milan.
BORN FROM RACING
From his earliest days as a team mechanic to a bike designer, Ernesto Colnago has always been a partisan for racing, and the celebrated family tree of his Italian-made C-model bikes continues to be used by top pro riders today.
Maintaining the lineage of elite race bikes, last year Colnago unveiled the latest model of a pro-level bike with the C64. The carbon frame was an updated version of his C60 that retained the carbon-lugged construction that Colnago has always relied on but was both lighter and stiffer. This year you can find a fleet of C64s found underneath Italian superstar Vincenzo Nibali and his UAE Team Emirates squad.
The E64’s monocoque frame is not made in Italy, but owing to its slightly deceptive paint job, it does closely resemble the lugged frame construction of the C64. In addition to some larger frame shapes, the big difference between the two 64s is, of course, the motor.
This is where Colnago veered from their proud Italian roots, and spec’d the increasingly popular 250-watt Ebikemotion from Spain that uses a rear hub motor with a battery residing in the downtube. The system was first popularized by Bianchi and Orbea last year and provides an easy-to-use, three-phase power-mode system accessed via a push button located on the top tube.
One notable attribute of the Ebikemotion package is that by swapping out the rear wheel to a standard wheel, you can easily shed close to 10 pounds of weight to produce an impressive non-assist bike.
Though still short on some final details, there will be two versions: one spec’d fittingly with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 electronic drivetrain, and the other with a mechanical Ultegra drivetrain. Both will roll on Mavic Aksium Elite wheels mounted with 28mm Continental tires.
The E64 will be available in two colorways and in six sizes, with a rider-friendly sloping top tube design. The retail price for the E64 is slated to be $6700.