Originally Posted by hamster

I don't see how they justify the price tag. Like others said, all significant features seem to be available from a number of other manufacturers, including Trek and Giant, at a 2x lower price. And since Colnago outsources manufacturing to Taiwan, its v1-r and competitors may even be made by the same third party from the same molds.

Find 10 differences:
https://colnago.com/wp-content/upload...AGO-V1r-03.jpg
https://s7d4.scene7.com/is/image/Trek...0,0&iccEmbed=0

The biggest redeeming factor is weight. 835g for an aero frame is extremely low. Other manufacturers get away with charging 4 grand for aero frames that weigh mid-900's. Though it remains to be seen how much it will weigh in a non-midget size.

Originally Posted by Jiggle

Posted a Cyclingnews.com, modified for truth by Jiggle.


Colnago may be an Italian brand steeped in history but it's also a company that isn't afraid to copy Trek’s last year models.

Announced today is its latest collaboration with the automobile brand Ferrari: the 835g V1-r carbon fiber aero road bike, but made no comment on whether it is designed to snap in half on contact with a telephone pole.

Colnago says the new V1-r is a generally "more aggressive" race bike than the recently introduced C60. According to Colnago America national talking head Billy Kanzler, as he carefully avoided saying “Laterally stiff yet vertically compliant” while still packing in as many sexual metaphors as possible, the V1-r has a stiffer, racier, firmer, and more responsive feel than the Italian-made C60 flagship, and at 835g for a bare frame (size 48s, verified actual weight, midgets only), it's also the lightest frame Colnago has ever offered by nearly 150g.

Another departure for Colnago is a move to direct-mount brake calipers, including a rear caliper that's now located below the chain stays. Colnago says that this design looks different than the last one so they should be able to sell more frames, but more importantly, the design gives greater stiffness and modulation for those who use their rear brakes regularly, such as that guy on Youtube who rides his bike backwards down mountains. Additionally, the brake position acts as a sort of dirt catcher for the vulnerable bottom bracket shell area. Shimano-equipped complete bikes will come with Shimano brakes but Campy builds will avoid East Asian contamination and get Colnago-branded aluminum calipers made by Hayes.

As good as direct-mount brakes can be, Colnago also has a disc version of the V1-r in development for people who like to spend money on disc frames that can’t take greater than a 28mm tire. At both ends there will be some form of Hayes' slick – and very fast –and unnecessarily heavy – HexLock quick-release skewer system.

Airfoil tube profiles, ThreadFit 82.5 bottom bracket system

Subtle Kamm-style tube shaping lends the new V1-r a purported aero advantage over round-tubed bikes, too, with the truncated airfoil profiling being applied to the down tube, head tube, seat tube, and seatpost. Colnago says the sculpting makes the V1-r faster than a conventionally shaped frame "in all conditions" – although we should point out that there was no test data provided to support those claims, nor will there ever be.

Nevertheless, Colnago has never set out to create the absolute lightest, stiffest, or most aero machines – for a Colnago - and Kanzler stresses that the usual company hallmarks faithfully carry over. In particular, Kanzler says that despite the low weight, the V1-r is as durable, strong, and safe as any other frame by Scott that is 100g lighter.

Rest of story and pictures at the link.

Colnago launches the V1-r aero road bike | Cyclingnews.com

Originally Posted by chaadster

Second, the V1-R is made in Italy,

Originally Posted by merlinextraligh

It's reportedly made in Asia.

The New Ferrari Inspired Colnago V1-R Road Bike

This is likely true, given that previous molded Colnago's have been made in Asia, by Giant, with the tubed and glued bikes made in Italy.

But the good news is that Giant is great with CF.

Originally Posted by Jiggle

Everything on this bike is copycat from other manufacturer's last year model.

Originally Posted by chaadster

Yes, you are right...my mistake. I was thinking C60.

Yet, my point still remains that even if the mold is the same-- it does look different than the Trek to me, though-- but even if the mold is the same, as I said, what goes into the mold makes the difference. Type of carbon fiber, orientation of fabric, support structures, adhesive, etc., all contribute to how the bike will feel and respond when ridden.

So it's precisely the differences you can't see that can be most important.

Originally Posted by Bob Dopolina

I'm sure they seem every bit the same to some...

Colnogo construction methods.

Trek construction methods.

See any differences?

Originally Posted by hamster

You are missing the point.

If the mold is the same, it's because they both outsource manufacturing to the same Taiwanese OEM. They may have specific instructions to the manufacturer resulting in subtle differences between resulting frames, but there will be more similarities than differences in every aspect of production.
Trek was just a random example. I'm not sure who exactly makes frames for Trek and Colnago. Colnago used to get their carbon manufacturing outsourced to Giant. However, V1-r looks unrelated to Giant's current aero offering.

Originally Posted by thehammerdog

Please .all you folks running out to buy Aero frames when your 15-20lbs overweight and riding carbon wheels. The BELLY is huge.....you lackpower or the felxibiltiy toactually benefit from said frame.

Originally Posted by StanSeven

Your point is what? Overweight riders don't deserve aero frames and carbon wheels?

Originally Posted by thehammerdog

No silly Pay attention......Ifg we roadies took the time to actually be in shape the aero stuff would not matter it is as always the engine.....All this hype over saving 20 secs over 20 Kilometers if and only the wind does not change direction is silly. Ride the bike RIDE

Originally Posted by chaadster

Trek gets credit for recycling a brake position that MTB bikes used 25 years ago? Pfftt. Whatever, dude.

Originally Posted by hamster

Small workshop, Caucasian guys, only a handful of frames visible. These look like design workshops rather than actual manufacturing facilities. Here's what a real factory looks like:

Originally Posted by Bob Dopolina

I'm familiar with the insides of carbon factories. Giant is the largest bike manufacturer on the planet. Colnago isn't. What we are looking at is scale.

The top o' the line frames from both Trek and Colnago are not produced in Asia. They are made in-house.

Originally Posted by Campag4life

Where is 'in house' for Trek Bob?

Originally Posted by grolby

Believe it or not, the job of a tech reporter is not to perform an investigation of every single claim made by a manufacturer about their new product. Their job IS to report on new product releases that the journalist thinks are interesting or relevant to the readership. Colnago clearly either had an event or sent their rep around with a bike for some photos and some information. That's basically part of the game. If you pay attention, Huang makes it abundantly clear that these are claims by the manufacturer and that it looks interesting, but also says he's planning on reviewing it when that becomes possible.

There are definitely criticisms to be made of the symbiotic relationship between manufacturers and the press. This is true in any industry, but especially in niche ones like cycling. It's problematic in a lot of ways that many of these publications are dependent upon advertising revenue from these manufacturers to exist, and that manufacturers depend on them to spread information about their products. Dealing with that problem doesn't mean that every story on a new product has to be a piece of investigative journalism; that would be ridiculous.

I'd dare to venture that you have no idea how much of the job of a bike tech journalist like Huang involves getting press releases and pitches about products that really ARE B.S. and really are ridiculous. A major part of his job involves sorting through the crap that you'll never see and publishing information about products that are (as above) interesting, relevant, and credible. Colnago is talking up their bike, of course, but they are not making ridiculous claims about it. It's a pretty normal (and actually pretty boring) product release article. Neither derpy nor particularly guilty of advertorial content.

Originally Posted by Bob Dopolina

I'm familiar with the insides of carbon factories. Giant is the largest bike manufacturer on the planet. Colnago isn't. What we are looking at is scale.

The top o' the line frames from both Trek and Colnago are not produced in Asia. They are made in-house.

Originally Posted by AndyK

I love all things Italian when it comes to classic bike manufacturers. But, WHY put the rear brakes where they would get the filthiest - along the bottom bracket?? Makes no sense.

Originally Posted by AndyK

I love all things Italian when it comes to classic bike manufacturers. But, WHY put the rear brakes where they would get the filthiest - along the bottom bracket?? Makes no sense.

Originally Posted by hamster

Placement along the bottom bracket is optimal from aerodynamic standpoint. It's very common on triathlon bikes, and some manufacturers do that on road bikes too nowadays. There's even a couple of U.S. patents on this placement (owned, strangely enough, by Felt). Patent US7946605 - Aerodynamic time trial bike - Google Patents Patent EP2353984A2 - Brake system for reduced aerodynamic drag - Google Patents