After dominating each nook of the WorldTour calendar, from the cobbles of Flanders to the summit of Isola 2000, Colnago’s V4Rs exits the stage with a palmarès few bikes in historical past can rival. Its successor, the V5Rs, made its debut on the Amstel Gold Race and wasted no time entering into the highlight, racking up wins at La Flèche Wallonne, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the Critérium du Dauphiné, and a stage of the Giro d’Italia.
Meet Tadej Pogačar’s new weapon: a motorcycle that’s lighter, sharper, and constructed to push the boundaries of contemporary street racing.
Meet the V5Rs
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
At first look, the most recent era of Colnago’s V sequence doesn’t look all that totally different. Nonetheless understated, nonetheless stylish, the updates are refined. Some weight financial savings, in fact. Some aero development. Minor tweaks to the geo. And fortunately, for my part, no apparent resemblance to the unconventional Y1Rs.
For a full breakdown of the updates, be sure you take a look at our launch story or take a deep dive into Colnago’s white paper, however let me provide the TL;DR model:
Delicate because the updates could also be, the V5Rs does include one daring superlative: it’s the lightest body Colnago has ever produced. Due to a revised carbon layup and refined manufacturing, the frameset is available in at simply 1027 grams, placing it in league with the Specialised S-Works Tarmac SL8 or Cervélo R5.
But, the V5Rs didn’t simply go on a weight loss plan. It was designed to be sooner, extra aerodynamic and extra responsive. In different phrases, a real all-rounder purpose-built for in the present day’s dynamic racing and one racer particularly.
Highlights:
- Weight Financial savings: At simply 685g unpainted (dimension 485), the V5Rs is Colnago’s lightest-ever body — 12.5% lighter than the V4Rs.
- Improved Aerodynamics: The V5Rs includes a new tube profile, slimmer fork blades, a drastically thinner seatpost, and a diminished frontal space. Wind tunnel assessments present a 9-watt saving at 50km/h.
- Shared Improvement with Y1Rs: Aerodynamic learnings from the Y1Rs venture helped form the V5Rs – particularly designed for riders preferring solo assaults and high-speed breakaways.
- Racing Geometry Tweaks: Barely steeper head and seat tube angles, refined path and fork rake for faster dealing with and higher climbing. Additionally: size-specific forks.
- New Backside Bracket: The V5Rs switches from T47 to a BSA backside bracket
Whereas the silhouette stays acquainted, a better look reveals the adjustments made. The newest gen comes with some stealthy aerodynamic enhancements. These adjustments are most evident within the refined tube and joint shapes, a slimmer head tube, new fork blade profiles and an impossibly skinny seatpost. (A lot in order that the Di2 battery required a brand new residence. It now lives simply above the underside bracket within the downtube, accessed through a devoted port.)
Whereas the Y1Rs serves as Colnago’s out-and-out aero machine for the quickest, flattest races, we’re certain to see a number of the V5Rs this July as Pogačar’s go-to weapon on the Tour.
I’ve had this next-gen all-rounder in my possession for the previous two months. Right here’s the way it fared.
The Trip
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
“You’ve been driving {that a} bit.”
I’ve heard it greater than as soon as from driving buddies who seen how typically I used to be out on the V5Rs. As somebody who will get to trip and check a number of the finest bikes in the marketplace, it’s not typically they see me trip the identical check bike time and again. At first, I didn’t discover it myself, however the V5Rs grew to become the bike I saved reaching for, week after week. That alone says rather a lot.
Off the bat, I’ll let you know: there may be nothing flashy concerning the V5Rs. It doesn’t even have an apparent “wow” issue. There are lighter, sooner and snappier bikes on the market. However the extra I rode it, the extra I reached for it. It’s quick and enjoyable to trip, sure, but it surely’s received a quiet competence to it that saved drawing me again.
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
The bike as reviewed:
- Make & mannequin: Colnago V5Rs
- Dimension: 455
- Colourway: UAE Emirates staff colors (SDM5)
- Drivetrain: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 (word my bike got here with 167.5mm crank arms, which isn’t an choice within the on-line ordering course of)
- Wheels: Enve SES 4.5
- Cockpit: Colnago CC.01
- Saddle: Prologo Skratch M5 Tirox
- Tyres: Pirelli P Zero TLR Race SL
- Bottle cage: Colnago bottle cage x 1
- Tape: Colnago Grip Handlebar Tape
- Precise weight: 15lbs /6.8kg able to trip with 1 bottle cage
First Impressions
These wind-channeling traces, particularly the place the highest tube flows into the top tube, add a way of pace even when standing nonetheless.
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
Whereas aesthetics are a matter of non-public style, I believe the V5Rs is an efficient trying bike. The black-white-and-red colourway has been completed dozens of instances earlier than, certain, however the UAE Staff Emirates version V5Rs nonetheless turns heads. In individual, the white has a pearlescent sheen that catches the sunshine good. And the slimmed-down silhouette makes it look stylish but trendy on the similar time. A detailed-up look will reveal not a single spherical tube but you wouldn’t comprehend it from afar. Plus, these wind-channeling traces, particularly the place the highest tube flows into the top tube, add a way of pace even when standing nonetheless.
Match-wise, I examined a dimension 455 (I usually trip a 51cm in most manufacturers) with a 90mm stem and 39cm vast bars. The bike match me effectively with out the necessity for any changes past swapping out the saddle for one I choose. If the bike had been mine for a long term, I in all probability would have eliminated one of many 5 3mm spacers however now we’re simply nitpicking! I did recognize that my check bike got here with 167.5mm cranks, which isn’t one thing that’s supplied in the course of the shopping for course of – no less than not on-line. Right here, 170mm is the smallest choice. Likewise, the built-in cockpit with a 90mm stem and 39cm bars is as small because the choices go, even on the smallest, dimension 420 bike.
And eventually, one other notable limitation when ordering your Colnago on-line is the shortage of seatpost choices. The bike comes with a 15mm setback seatpost. A zero-offset put up is on the market solely as an aftermarket buy. Contemplating the bike’s astronomical price ticket, I’d count on seatpost choices to be included as a part of the construct. However extra on the pricing later.
On the street
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
The V5Rs could have one of many stiffest entrance ends of any bike I’ve ridden. That stiffness interprets into exact, predictable steering and a notably planted really feel. Whether or not you are out of the saddle climbing or sprinting, or cornering on tough tarmac, the bike does not flinch or drift. It merely holds its line and goes precisely the place you level it.
There’s suggestions too. Each good and unhealthy. It’s not a harsh trip by any means, however the entrance finish doesn’t mute the street both. You’ll really feel the feel of the floor, the grip of the tyres, and, often, your shoulders and decrease again will remind you to cease skipping your power exercises.
The V5Rs is stiff however not punishing. Gentle with out being twitchy. Some bikes are so reactive that for those who a lot as sneeze, you’re veering off your line, however Colnago has struck a outstanding stability right here. The dealing with consists, responsive, and by no means nervous. It’s not the snappiest or most playful of bikes however I trusted it instantly. And for me, belief is the whole lot in terms of driving quick. It is advisable to know, instinctively, that the bike will reply the best way you count on it to, with out having to battle it or push it into place.
The V5Rs earned that belief shortly. It put a smile on my face as I bombed down technical descents and railed by tight corners, assured that it will maintain its line. Assured that it will transfer in line with the shifting of my physique.
Geometry performs a giant half on this, too. The V5Rs places the rider in an aggressive, slightly ahead, place however not uncomfortably so. The V5Rs is completely suited to lengthy back-to-back days in addition to quick, all-out efforts like a criterium (although Colnago-sponsored groups can have the choice of driving the Y1Rs for that).
The pinnacle and seat tube angles are nominally steeper than its predecessor and Colnago is utilizing size-specific fork rakes to enhance trip really feel for smaller riders. As such a rider, I’m appreciative of this. All stated, one feels engaged with the bike, not perched on it, permitting you to lean tougher, braking much less, and simply benefit from the trip.
My persistent feeling I had whereas driving this bike was that the V5Rs could be an excellent bike for an American stage race. It will be a blast in crits, an excellent companion in climbing levels and, relying on the terrain, it will even be fairly aggressive in an Eddy Merckx fashion time trial.
Once more, it’s not the lightest bike on the market. It additionally doesn’t have the whip-like snap another superbikes have but it surely’s a really succesful, very full bike, one that can serve you effectively in nearly any racing situation. It is probably not a motorcycle that can WOW you when first you clip in, however it can win you over.
There isn’t a faulting the construct equipment both. The ENVE SES 4.5 wheels are glorious: competitively gentle, aerodynamic but secure, and with a superbly easy trip high quality. Good sound, too. Shimano’s trusted top-tier componentry delivers a number of the finest ergonomics in the marketplace, paired with acquainted, dependable and exact shifting and highly effective braking.
However, for the worth tag, I’d have appreciated to have seen the inclusion of a energy meter and, perhaps, ENVE’s AR One-Piece Handlebar. Not that there’s something mistaken with Colnago’s CC.01 cockpit, quite the opposite, I fairly prefer it. However between the worth tag and this being a UAE staff concern, it will have accomplished the construct.
To that finish, let’s dive into one of many largest speaking factors of this bike: the worth.
The worth
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
The V5Rs, as examined, comes with fairly the sticker shock or Tadej tax, as I wish to name it.
It retails, as is, for $16,500 / €15,900 / £ 13,689.59. Even in in the present day’s superbike market, that’s… rather a lot.
Specialised’s S-Works Tarmac SL8, additionally with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 construct, is available in at $12,999 / £12,000; the Canyon Aeroad CFR Di2 retails for $10,499 / £7,899.00; and the newly launched Cervélo S5, with a Shimano Di2 and an influence meter, is available in at $14,250 / £12,500.
Let’s break it down, we could:
Drivetrain: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 — $4,200
Wheels: ENVE SES 4.5 — $2,950
Cockpit: Colnago CC.01 — $965
Saddle: Prologo Scratch M5 — $219
Tyres: Pirelli P Zero TLR Race SL (x2) — $180
Tape + Bottle Cage: ~$68
That provides as much as $8,582 in elements. The frameset itself retails for $6250, and that further $1600? Colnago’s margin? The Tadej Tax? Who’s to say.
All joking apart, for the worth of the entire bike, I’d count on an influence meter, the ENVE AR One-Piece Handlebar, and extra choices for crank size, bar width and seatposts. These aren’t wild requests at this stage, and for my part, clients spending this type of cash deserve that stage of match and personalisation.
Ultimate Ideas
(Picture credit score: Anne-Marije Rook)
Let’s be trustworthy: for those who’re even occupied with shopping for a $16,500 race bike, there’s an excellent probability you’re a masters racer — or no less than within the earnings bracket that features medical doctors, legal professionals, CEOs and other people who can swing that type of cash on a pastime. And if that’s you? You received’t remorse it. The V5Rs is a really succesful, very full bike that can serve you effectively in nearly any racing situation.
Now, if in case you have no plans to pin on a quantity, I would level you towards Colnago’s C Collection as a substitute. One thing a contact extra relaxed with a superior trip high quality. However, with that stated: I don’t race anymore, and from the second I clipped in, I felt at residence. And I saved selecting to trip it. I very a lot loved driving the V5Rs, so why wouldn’t you?
The worth is difficult to disregard however for those who’re on the lookout for a contemporary all-rounder with refined class and WorldTour pedigree—and also you’re prepared to pay for it—the V5Rs received’t disappoint.
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