The new Colnago V4Rs hasn’t exactly been the best-kept secret in the world. In fact, the prototype precursor, dubbed the Prototipo, had what amounted to an unofficial launch. Both the old model and the prototype have what would be respectable palmares for any bike, with the former clocking up multiple victories at grand tours and Monuments, and the latter podiuming at the Tour and picking up Il Lombardia too. It’s hard to dispute that, on paper at least, it’s one of the best road bikes on the market. You’d certainly hope that’s the case given it has a price tag north of €15,000 in the UAE Team Emirates spec model I got to ride during the launch…
While I only got to ride it on the launch day for around 85km, we did pack in a lot of elevation, including ascending the Coll de Rates twice, once from each side. Plus I managed to sneak an extra 50km in the following day by using it as what may be the world’s most expensive commuter bike to go and photograph some WorldTour bikes from other teams that were having their winter training camps in Spain. This is very much a first-ride review, but all being well, I hope to have the bike back early in the new year to put it through its paces in a more familiar setting.
Design and aesthetics
The V4Rs very much resembles the V3Rs, and the intermediate Prototipo, visually at any rate. Colnago doesn’t have an aero bike and a lightweight bike, it instead has a bike for pros (the V series) and a bike to “make the very best feeling” (the C series).
The V4Rs is, as we always expect, lighter, stiffer, and more aerodynamic. Our news piece for the new V4Rs covers all the key details about precisely where it’s lighter, stiffer and more aerodynamic, so if you want to nerd out on it I suggest you head there. The short version is that the whole package (bike and rider) is a claimed 19-20 watts faster at 50km/h, as well as coming in a lighter package; 47g lighter for the frame, fork, headset and cockpit package. Besides the stiffness at the rear, the main gains in weight and aero appear to have been made at the front end with the new integrated cockpit and lighter fork.
Specifics and wattage claims aside, as those are more or less impossible to verify, the ethos of the bike appears to be very much pro-facing. The presentation, given to a small gaggle of cycling media after breakfast at the UAE Team Emirates hotel in La Nucia, was unashamedly pro-facing. The bike has evolved to more easily win at the highest…
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