Colnago unveils new "most aerodynamic road bike"
The bike Pogačar wins Milan-San Remo on? Colnago claims outlandish new aero road bike is "most aerodynamic in the WorldTour"
Among a host of design features aimed at aero optimisation, attention is immediately drawn to that striking seatpost joint, officially named here as the 'DEFY shape' by Colnago, which sent the cycling world into something of a spin when. The bike manufacturer suggests the joint uses two linked 'y' shapes, one of which is upside down, resulting in claimed increased vertical compliance and comfort by"increasing the angle of the seatpost".
The bars are Colnago's"stiffest in testing" and "16 per cent stiffer" than an unnamed reference competitor in vertical and lateral stiffness. With races getting faster, climbing speeds now often above 20km/h , long-distance attacks becoming the norm , and more time trials with mixed profiles of climbing and flat — the manufacturer highlighted the need to produce the most aerodynamically efficient model possible.
"We drilled some bikes with 70 holes to measure the pressure on each section of the tube," Colnago explained. "We then fine tuned our model and modified again the shapes of the original bike and tested it again. Moving on. No bike launch would be complete without weight and stiffness claims, would it? Unsurprisingly, given the Y1Rs' aero aims and the V4Rs' climbing qualities, the new model is 242g heavier, and stiffer.
Colnago is also offering Dura-Ace Di2 builds with Shimano C50 wheels or Enve's SES 4.5 wheelset , that last option the likely set-up we'll see Pogačar and Co. riding next season. The point here is that everyone developing an aero bike uses CFD. However, since our first tests in the wind tunnel, we measured a difference of about 30 per cent . Thanks to the universities we are collaborating with – Politecnico di Milano and Khalifa University – we found that in common approaches, there is this delta of about 30 per cent with respect to experimental data.
Different bicycles with different design parameters, different shapes at a different wind conditions and different speeds, different angles… The amount of data is huge, and the collaboration lasts from the beginning to this final stage. Colnago says, “We're confident that this solution is the final world word on the optimal down tube configuration within the limits of the current UCI regulations.” How come?
The seat post is separated from lower section of the seat tube; could you explain the importance of that aspect of the design? Positioning the seatpost in a forward position and slackening the seat tube angle quite a lot – we are talking about 65° – allows vertical compliance while retaining the maximum stifness required by the sprinters.
For sure, the Y1Rs is the bicycle for flat stages when riders are in the wind at the front of the peloton, in the breakaway for a long time. This bicycle performs better since aerodynamics is more relevant at high speed. In this situation, the Y1Rs performs better than the V4Rs.In a nutshell, I can see that this bicycle will be used for the fast stages, for the sprinters, of course, and in stages where the riders will stay in the wind at the front of the peloton.
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please consider subscribing to road.cc from as little as £1.99. Our mission is to bring you all the news that’s relevant to you as a cyclist, independent reviews, impartial buying advice and more. Your subscription will help us to do more.Dan is the road.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Leaked Images Reveal Unreleased Colnago 'Y1RS' Aero Bike, Splitting OpinionsGrainy images of a new Colnago aero bike rumored to be called 'Y1RS' have appeared online, potentially showing Tadej Pogačar's new race bike. The design departs from the brand's traditional style, featuring a unique seat junction and new color options.
Read more »
Check out highlights from Rouleur Live: Canyon, Van Rysel, Colnago, Factor, Cervelo, Bianchi, Fizik…Rouleur Live highlights from Canyon, Van Rysel, Fizik & more
Read more »
Colnago unveils new steel road bike "masterpiece" that costs £14,500 and uses only Italian-made componentsColnago releases steel "masterpiece" that costs £14,500
Read more »
Colnago Steelnovo Celebrates 70 Years with Modern 3D Printed Take on Classic SteelThere's a lot to unpack with the Colnago 70th Anniversary collection including a gorgeous bike and high fashion
Read more »
Channel Pogi-Power with Stealthy MET Pogačar Blačk Trenta & Manta HelmetsBy the power of hair-odynamics, special MET Tadej Pogačar Blačk edition Trenta & Manta road helmets help you channel Pogi’s speed & power!
Read more »
“I live the reality of the danger of cycling in traffic almost every day”: Tadej Pogačar joins international road safety campaign urging drivers to respect cyclists by not texting or drinkingTadej Pogačar joins road safety campaign
Read more »