Colnago

C60 Road Frameset-2016

Since the release of the renowned C40 in the 1980s, Colnago has been meticulously redefining what it means to build a bike with carbon fiber. Colnago C60 Road Frameset is next step in what has been a decades long process. The C60 combines the power you’ll need for hard kicks and uphill sprints with the sure handling and plush ride of an endurance frame.

The C60 uses nine different types of carbon fiber sourced from Toray’s Japanese factory, which produces the most consistent carbon in the world. It’s the same stuff that Boeing uses for its airplanes. For the C60, the carbon has been laid out with different moduli at different parts of the frame to create the optimal combination of stiffness and comfort.

Colnago has always been known for its unrivaled frame design, often inspiring imitations across the industry. The C60 features a shorter wheelbase and lower stack than the V1-R, and not to be overshadowed by its plush feel and precise handling, the C60 transfers power as well as any frame we’ve had the pleasure of riding. This power transfer is largely due to the enormous down tube, which is ten millimeters larger than the C60’s predecessor (the C59). The increased diameter allows Colnago to use less material without sacrificing strength. The result is a lighter, more efficient and durable construction. To reduce flex, Colnago has used its signature fluting design across the length of the down tube and at other key points of power transfer in the frame.

Colnago’s uses a tube-and-lug construction for the C60 (like all models in the C series), which allows for additional stiffness, plushness, fit options and improves structural integrity. The junctures at the head tube and bottom bracket are built up to accommodate the large down tube, which reinforces the frame where it’s needed most. These lugged joints ensure stiffness under the most demanding efforts. The beneficial tube shape also extends through the C60’s joints, featuring the same clover-shaped cross section that is used in the down tube and elsewhere. The tube-and-lug construction also means sizing isn’t limited by the number monocoque molds produced. Because the C60 is lugged, and thus built like a traditional frame, we can accommodate virtually any rider’s demand by carrying nine sizes.

The thoroughness Colnago has shown for improving fit and ride quality also extends to its pursuit of safety. The C60 may be the safest frame (of any material) in the pro peloton today because of Colnago’s intensive safety requirements. While the industry standard ISO impact test requires a frame to withstand one (and only one) impact from a 50-pound weight dropped from a height of 212 millimeters, Colnago has amplified this test to create an absurd standard. C60 test frames are subjected to successive hits that progressed incrementally from 212 to 1,050 millimeters. Only then were the Colnago’s mad scientists convinced.

Finally, the C60 new ThreadFit 82.5 bottom bracket combines the reliability and convenience of a threaded bottom bracket, with a wider platform and improved stiffness. The ThreadFit 82.5 also eliminates the creaking typically associated with press-fit bottom brackets. The C60 frame features a steel sleeve built into the bottom bracket which an aluminum shell screws into. This eliminates the tiny imperfections in the crank/frame interface that usually causes creaking over time, because machining makes these pieces more precise than even the most refined carbon construction can. In addition, the aluminum insert can be easily replaced in case of wear.

The ThreadFit 82.5 bottom bracket is compatible with all PressFit 86 setups. Therefor, with the proper adapters, it's ready to go with SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo cranksets, as well as practically any third party manufacturers.