Colnago C60 road bike frame

The latest evolution of Colnago's lugged carbon fibre bikes, the C60 sets new standards for sheer grin-inducing riding pleasure.

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, though the disc one won't be available until later this year.

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With an asking price of £3,499.95 (£3,699.95 for the disc version) for the frameset, the new C60 is clearly top drawer kit. It's a stunning bike to look at too; this yellow on grey colour scheme from the Racing collection (one of three paint schemes available) is subtle yet classy. With bulging lugs and ridged main tubes, bulging chainstays and wishbone seatstays, the C60 exudes swiftness.

Ride: engaging and outrageously good

The C60 is in a class of its own. Its handling is sublime.

A bold statement I know but after well over a 1,000km of riding I feel confident in saying that. A descent that's a regular part of my test rides has a beautiful sweeping right hand bend followed very quickly by an equally sweeping left hander. You can see well down the road, so with good conditions and no traffic you can fly through this sequence of bends with fantastic speed. It's a great test of the handling of a road bike.

The road surface is lumpy on the way in though, enough that it can unsettle a bike just before you reach the apex, and that impacts cornering speed. Letting the C60 loose on this descent it was immediately clear this is a bike with the finest handling. It tracked smoothly over lumps that see many bikes struggle. In fact it provided so much confidence so it could reach and sustain an extreme lean angle. It tracks sharply and cleanly through the bends, and feels safe at the high speeds it makes easy to achieve.

Unlike many bikes in this situation, it lacked the drama, the frisson of fear that can envelop your senses as you near the limits. It's simply calm and reassuring, and that makes it an utter joy to sling down descents.

The C60 doesn't just shine on the descents, but in every situation. It devours big rides in buttery smooth comfort. If you're going to do a 100 mile ride the C60 is a fine choice, you'll feel as fresh as a daisy at the end of it. Equally it's right at home in the frantic high speed peloton of a road race. On every ride the C60 did nothing but leave a huge smile on my face. It's simply an outrageously good bike.

One of Colnago's goals with the C60 was to improve stiffness, and this is noticeable compared to the outgoing C59. It's noticeable when climbing, descending, cornering and along undulating roads. Combined with the lower weight, the C60 possess an enhanced ability to make fast progress along country roads. Steering feel is fantastic; this really is the hallmark of the C60 compared to the C59. The new bike is noticeably sharper, more responsive, more focused. It's a successful evolution of an already very good bike.

At 7.25kg (15.98lb) in this build it's not the lightest bike for the money, but the C60 proves that weight isn't the most important consideration when choosing a road bike. I've ridden a lot of lighter bikes, but not once did I feel the weight penalty, if we're to call it that, ever held me back on the climbs. The C60 actually climbs so well that I set a few personal bests on some local climbs.

Is the C60 fast? Yes it is, even though it doesn't feel mind-blowingly fast like the Factor Vis Vires or Scapin Etika I rode recently, two bikes that just feel like your legs can't keep up with their potential velocity. The C60 is a rapid bike, it simply delivers its speed in a more measured manner than those two examples. You could easily mistake such a ride for slowness and lack of pace, but against the stopwatch that just wasn't the case. It's no slouch.

Frame: bottom bracket up redesign

On the surface it looks like little has changed from the C59. However, look closer and it's clear there have been a lot of changes. Colnago have redesigned the bike from the bottom bracket up. That's a good place to start, because it's one of the most significant changes on the new bike.

Yes, Colnago have joined the press fit 'revolution'. However, they've developed a system (ThreadFit82.5) that uses screw-in alloy cups to house the bottom bracket bearings. On most top-end carbon frames the bearings press directly into the carbon shell, an approach that's notorious for leading to much creaking. And a creaking bike is bloody annoying. So Colnago solve that problem with their design. Furthermore, the alloy cups are replaceable should they be damaged, preventing damage to the frame. It accepts any BB86 compatible crank from Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo and FSA, along with the BB386EVO on the review bike.

The main advantage of a press fit bottom bracket is that the bottom bracket shell can be wider, which in turn means the diameter of the down tube, seat tube and chainstays can be increased. Colnago have housed the bottom bracket inside a massive new lug, accommodating a 66x52mm diameter down tube (up from about 44mm of the C59), and a 51.5mm seat tube compared to the C59's 34.9mm. And the seat tube is asymmetric, wider on the non-drivetrain side near the bottom bracket, and pinched in on the opposite side to allow space for the front derailleur. In the top of the seat tube is a 31.6mm seatpost, used in preference to a 27.2mm based on feedback from professional racers who prefered the extra stiffness it offered.

The frame is still constructed in the same tube and lug method as the C59, and the main tubes now have a with a star profile that pays homage to the original, iconic Master. Colnago claim this also offers extra stiffness over the tube profiles of the older bike. One area that has increased in stiffness substantially are the chainstays, they're twice the height at the bottom bracket as they are at the dropouts, and internal ribs add even more stiffness.

New CNC-machined alloy one-piece dropouts are used rather than carbon dropouts (like many other top-end carbon frames) because Colnago claim they're actually lighter and save a bit of weight. The other reason for the new dropouts is that the C60 has been designed from the outset with disc brakes in mind. The mech hanger is replaceable, and they've cleaned up the internal routing for electronic groupsets. All cables are routed internally, as you'd expect on a frame like this.

Build: only the best will do

The C60 is only available as a frameset, leaving the customer to build it up to their taste. Only the best will do for a frame costing as much as the C60, and Colnago UK distributor Windwave didn't disappoint in the bike they've built for this review. An 11-speed Campagnolo Record mechanical groupset is joined by the brand new FSA K-Force Light BB386 EVO chainset, Vision Metron 40 carbon clincher wheels and FSA finishing kit. The price on this build is a mighty £8,076.46, with a weight of 7.25kg (15.98lb). You could build a C60 however you wanted to suit your budget, so a more modest build would be possible.

It's fair to say the components flattered the frame. The wheels are a highlight, fast on the flat and stable in the wind, and at a claimed 1,495g no handicap on the hills. The new BBB Carbostop brake blocks provided reassuring braking performance with plenty of modulation and no snatching or biting, and handled prolonged braking periods on long steep descents well.

The wheels were fitted with 25mm Continental GP4000S tyres which really enhanced the comfort of the bike. I swapped them for a pair of 23mm Schwalbe One tyres and the ride was just as smooth and comfortable, but the 25mm tyres noticeably had the edge in comfort, and they could be run at lower pressures. The only pitfall with the 25mm tyres is the extremely tight clearance in the fork and front brake caliper. It couldn't be much closer.

The K-Force Light BB386 EVO chainset is FSA's latest offering, two years in development. It weighs a claimed 584g for this 52/36t setup, courtesy of hollow carbon fibre arms and 7075 3D forged and CNC machined chainrings. There's no lack of stiffness, not a hint of deflection even during the toughest climbs or all-out sprints. The 52/36 combo is getting more popular and is a really nice compromise if you find a standard double too tall for your fitness or terrain, but a compact too low-geared.

FSA's K-Force Compact handlebar provides a shorter reach and lower drop than most, which makes it very easy to ride in the drops. It's comfortable there too, because the distance from the tops to the drops isn't so severe. The bar is nicely shaped and very comfortable in the hands. The matching carbon OS 99 stem and K-Force two-bolt setback seatpost complemented the handlebars and bike very well. A Colnago branded SLR saddle was replaced with a Prologo Scratch, but that's the only change I made to the bike.

Conclusion

The C60 is gorgeous. It's one of the very few bike that leaves me with a tingly sensation after every ride. If you are lucky (and wealthy) enough to buy a C60, you will be rewarded with one of the most balanced and intoxicating road bikes money can buy. It really is that good. Yes there are lighter and there are stiffer road bikes, and there are cheaper road bikes, but few offer such a composed and balanced performance as the new C60 does.

Verdict

Sensational performance with unflappable handling, the C60 is in a class of its own