The V2-r is the new frame from Colnago and is designed for cyclists who are particular about their bike’s weight-to-performance ratio. It is made with the highest quality carbon fibre which has been selected in cooperation with their long standing partner, Ferrari. The frame follows from the V1-r, but through a refined design and rider feedback, boasts some significant performance improvements. Like its predecessor, it is monocoque and the lightest in the range with a claimed weight of just 835g for a size 48.
The V2-r uses the same quality of carbon, aerodynamic shaped tube sections, and full-carbon rear dropouts and carries the mantle, once again, of the best monocoque frame produced in Colnago’s sixty year history. The V2-r has increased lateral stiffness at both the bottom bracket +13% and at the headtube, +4%. Ultimately these improvements make for an even more responsive and direct handling bike that gives even greater acceleration than its forbear. Aside from the technical advancements there are also some aesthetic ones too. The cable routing is much refined and takes advantage of the routing developed for Colnago's Concept aero bike. The rear brake cable is now fed through the top of the headtube as a result of the rear brake's altered position (see below) while the rest of the cabling is internal and central, located at the upper part of the down-tube. Further to this, Colnago have abandonned the traditional seat clamp in favour of the increasingly popular wedge-based system - again, this is borrowed from the Concept - which yields a stiffer and stronger rear end, improves airflow over the frame and looks much better!
Very few bicycle manufacturers hold the stature of Colnago and rightly so. Since 1954 Ernesto Colnago and his family have been producing world class framesets for professionals and cycling enthusiasts alike. Colnago’s bikes have seen countless victories from the Olympics to Le Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix and under the indomitable Eddy Merckx when he took the hour record win 1972. Colnago remain one of the most iconic brands in the industry and are much coveted for their elegant design, impeccable quality and superb ride characteristics. They are the most successful bike brand when it comes to numbers of road race wins.
The goal with the V1-R was to make a lively, racy machine that was agile yet surefooted, with performance and low weight as the key drivers. Colnago succeeded. The V2-r builds on the pedigree of the V1-R, sharing the bulk of it's construction.
There were numerous advances with the V1-r frame and several of the technologies used were developed in tandem with the new C60 flagship lugged frameset of which you will no doubt be aware. Those developments remain in place with some refinements to further improve the ride. As with the C60, Colnago decided to combine the reliability and ease of installation & removal of the threaded bottom bracket standard with the advantage of greater frame width offered by integrated bearing systems. The result is the patented ThreadFit82.5 system. TheadFit82.5 is compatible with all BB86 bottom brackets, but features two removable threaded inserts that are easily replaceable in case of wear. In addition to the bottom bracket design the tubes at this interface are now broader and internal cable routing is now an integral part of the construction forming two structural ribs that add strength to this critical area of the bike. The overall result is a stiffer, more reliable and easier to maintain system that better conveys power to the road.
Beyond enhancing stiffness the other most important factors when developing the V2-r were aerodynamics and weight. One of the most obvious features of the frame are the tube shapes. All the tube shapes on the V2-r frame, including the fork legs and the rear triangle, have been tested and studied in the wind tunnel to minimize drag.
From a structural point of view, the best shapes for bicycle frame tubes have been circular or polygonal shaped, as they are able to maximize the flexural and torsional rigidity regardless of frame size. However, from an aerodynamic perspective, the best sections have a “tear-drop” shape: they minimize wind resistance with the same frontal footprint, when the apparent wind direction lies in the plane of the center line of the frame, ie from the front.
The likelihood of encountering these conditions when riding over greater distances, in a bunch or at lower speeds is much reduced. In the case of low speed riding with the presence of side wind, the apparent wind direction is rotated with respect to the centerline plane of the frame and in these cases, a “teardrop” profile is no longer efficient and increases resistance on the front and side of the bike. As a consequence, the optimal solution, which maximizes the stiffness and at the same time minimizes aerodynamic drag and crosswind is represented by the truncated sections of the tubes and it is these that carry over from the V1-r and are utilized in the Colnago V2-r frame. In essence, the flattened aft area of the tubes (also employed by the likes of Pinarello and Giant) 'tricks' the air into a more aerodynamic path while increasing vertical flexion for comfort and maintaining the lateral and torsional rigidity required for efficient power transfer.
The other major jumps in design are in the fork and brakes and have been effected in order to reduce weight and maximise stiffness.
While the V2-r also employs the direct mount brake system, it is immediately apparent when looking at the new frame, that the under-BB direct mount rear brake has been moved to the seat-stays. This has come about due to the limited clearance of all but Colnago's own direct mount brakes when mounted under the bottom bracket and used with crank-based power meters such as Stages. The new design maintains a stiffer interface with the bike whilst simultaneously reducing the weight and, perhaps more importantly in this era of marginal gains, improves the aerodynamic performance of the frame.
The fork remains unchanged and has also been designed to accommodate the direct mount system. It retains it's shape - in keeping with the truncated tubing profiles of the frame - further enhancing the aerodynamic benefits. At a time when wheel manufacturers and aerodynamicists are moving to wider wheel / tyre profiles, Colnago have left room at the front end and the fork will accept tyres up to 28mm.
In a nutshell, the Colnago V2-r has been designed for the performance focused rider looking for the optimal balance of light weight, stiffness and aerodynamics in a single frame. Colnago do not believe in making changes to frames unless there is a proven reason for doing so, neither do they simply adopt the designs of others and this ethos is born out in the V2-r. Stunning to behold and a dream to ride.
The V2-r is available in 8 sloping sizes from 42 - 58cm and in 4 colourways. There is also a disc option.