Yes, you learn that proper. The famend Italian bike producer Colnago has unveiled a rim-brake-equipped highway bike at this time, breaking away from the bike business’s steadfast willpower to shun them.
The model proudly describes this bike as a “wildcard in a household of aces,” acknowledging the irony of the launch which places it alongside the 4 current fashions within the C68 vary, the Road, AllRoad, Titanium, and Gravel.
Over the previous decade, the bike business has largely turned its again on rim brakes, favouring disc brakes as an alternative. Disc brakes are most well-liked for his or her superior braking efficiency and constant energy supply in each moist and dry circumstances. Despite a staunch following from rim brake fanatics, the dwindling availability of suitable frames, wheels, and groupsets has made rim brake-equipped bikes more and more tougher to purchase or construct.
Colnago acknowledges that its choice to launch a rim brake bike in 2024 is “unconventional.” However, it describes the transfer as “a deal with for the rim brake aficionados,” emphasizing that “as a result of the C68 is a handcrafted, handmade, modular product, it’s potential for us to create frames just like the C68 rim brake in an economically sustainable method.”
A very telling line from the model’s press launch states, “Colnago needs to be there for these devoted and passionate cyclists,” a sentiment which underscores Colnago’s repute for – and dedication to – catering to the traditionalists.
Rim brake purists can even recognize that the brand new bike, like all fashions within the C68 vary, is constructed solely in Italy and assembled by hand in Colnago’s manufacturing facility in Cambiago. While factories within the Far East are able to producing high-quality bikes, there stays a sure status and heritage related to Italian craftsmanship.
To make the brand new C68 Rim Brake mannequin a actuality, the fork has been modified to host direct mount, double-pivot brake calipers, and the seat stays have been structurally bolstered to simply accept the identical. Additionally, in one other (seemingly unintentional) nod to the old-meets-new method, the body and fork dropouts – which settle for quick-release skewers – are crafted from 3D-printed titanium.
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True traditionalists could be disenchanted to listen to that the bike doesn’t assist mechanical groupsets. It’ll need to be run with digital shifting.
The ‘large three’ groupset producers – Campagnolo, Shimano, and SRAM – every supply a rim brake possibility, with Campagnolo Super Record EPS, Shimano Dura-Ace R9250 Di2, and SRAM Force AXS all listed as suitable.
However, the C68 Rim is offered solely as a body equipment, which incorporates the body, fork, seatpost, and headset, however excludes the bar and stem.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, embracing your traditionalist sensibilities through this route comes at a premium value. The body equipment is priced at €6,930.00 / £6,299.99 / $7,750.00.