Colnago C68 Road Road Bike Frame

Colnago C68 bike frames - fast and comfortable piece of art

Whether we know it or not, cyclists are aesthetes at heart. Whatever our high performance requirements, we all got into cycling because of the beauty of it: the open roads, the scenic rides, the gorgeous bikes. That’s what makes the Colnago C68 the ultimate expression of our deepest needs: it satisfies our desire to have an amazing ride quality while looking unbelievably elegant.

That’s right. Colnago is introducing a new frame for their C-series. The C68 numerically indicates the number of years Colnago has existed (as of 2022, at least), but more to the point, it is the new essential in the Colnago made in Italy line-up. Like its predecessor the C64, the C68 is a modular construction that bonds sections of the frame together using lugs. But there are some big differences, particularly in how the bonds are made.

Specification of Colnago C68 carbon bike

If you are familiar with how and where Colnago has lugged its bikes in the past, you need to rejig your mind to understand just how it works here. The head/top/down tube juncture is where you’ll see the most striking difference. The top tube/seat tube interface is also a unique reimagining of the older lugged versions. They no longer use a classic lug design, but actually integrate it into the tube. Colnago believes deeply in the effectiveness of their multi-piece modular design largely because it allows them to tune the ride quality precisely while also being able to offer a wide range of stock sizes.

By choosing to stay with the modular, multi-piece design, Colnago’s engineers can make the most of manufacturing advantages that making the carbon sections in smaller pieces offers. That means that they have greater control over the lamination process since the molds are smaller. And they also have access to proprietary technology that allows them to use a higher pressure when molding the parts than a monocoque construction would allow. Now the frame is comprised of a single piece rear triangle, a one-piece seat tube/bottom bracket, and a top tube and down tube that bond with the head tube.

Further differentiating it from the C64, the tube shapes have been refined to optimize the ride feel while still cutting weight and increasing rigidity. Enhancing the sharp handling, the fork has also been made lighter and more rigid than the previous version, which combined with the new shape to the head tube allows for an innovative internal cable routing. Colnago has developed a new Colnago CC.01 integrated handlebar for the C68, but the bigger surprise is that the frame is also compatible with other handlebar solutions. These days that’s pretty rare, but Colnago is committed to compatibility, so if you use the Deda Superbox stem, you can mount any 31.8 handlebar with retractable cables. You can also go with the Deda Alanera handlebar.

Another investment in your long-term overall satisfaction comes in Colnago’s use of CeramicSpeed SLT bearings in the headset. This bearing system has only recently been developed by the Danish experts and comes with a lifetime warranty because they are practically indestructible and require no maintenance. That’s a huge plus if you are going with an integrated barstem with internal cable routing. Last thing you want is to have to fiddle around with your headset bearings periodically.

Similarly forward thinking, Colnago has moved away from their Threadfit 82.5 bottom bracket and are embracing the T47 bottom bracket standard. Though in an oversized press fit shell for added rigidity, the T47 allows for threaded internal solution that makes fitting a wide range of crank spindles easy, and eases any maintenance hassles. Interestingly, the C68 also makes a front derailleur optional, so that you can easily set this up with a classy 1x single chainring system. Though we don’t play favorites, imagine how gorgeous this would look with the Campy Ekar!

By now you should be getting the idea that the Colnago C68 is really a work of art. And what must every classy work of art come with? A provenance. Something that details its whole existence from origin, through till today. That’s the best way we know how to explain the whole Blockchain feature included with your brand new C68. During the ordering process, everything from the date of order to the color choices to the date of sale and the party to whom it will ship will be recorded and kept via a Colnago app. It will give you the confidence knowing you are buying a genuine article. And it will give the same confidence to anyone in future you want to sell it to (though who would ever part with this bike once they have it?).

We might be racing every weekend, bumping shoulders and elbowing into the paceline, but we all can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into creating such a luxurious, fantastic riding bike. The Colnago C68 is nothing short of mind-blowingly spectacular and provides the type of serene riding experience that made us fall in love with the bike in the first place. The C68 in size 48.5 weighs 925g in the full carbon version unpainted and without metal parts.

Also check Passoni road bikes.