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colnago ac-r

there is, should such a word exist, a genericity about the modern carbon monocoque frame. it's a feature that is all but impossible to avoid; the method of construction is bound to hold many similarities, similar, in fact, to those that once composed the lugged steel frame. but aside from the manufacture, the design stage now encompasses a number of resemblances due to increasing if not exclusive use of computers. fluid dynamics and finite element analysis cannot but concur where the same questions are being asked and the same answers being sought. differentiation is often left to the superficialities provided by unimaginative paint schemes and ever larger decals.

in the case of the latest budget bicycle from colnago, the decals are inarguably over the top. on a single bicycle, it strikes me as a bit unnecessary to plasteer the word colnago a total of thirteen times, not to mention twice on the saddle and on the brake calipers. if nothing else, and taking into account the size of those on the downtube (including the underside), no one will ever be in doubt as to the bike you are astride.

though the simple black and white paint scheme is quite striking, including the white panels on top of the flattened top tube, i can't help longing for the days of art decor. but then, i've said this all before.

perhaps the most noticeable feature of pretty much any carbon monocoque you care to mention, is the somewhat gargantuan size of the bottom bracket shell. many, if not all, more or less dwarf the component they have been designed and constructed to contain. for how else is the hapless manufacturer to provide the level of stiffness expected by the contemporary rider? whether this is all truly necessary is hardly a discussion for this, or any other bicycle review, but i figure it's worth taking into account when appreciating the ever-increasing size of the tubing on modern day carbon.

aside from the thin, flattened top-tube which tapers from the substantially sized head tube to the narrower rounded seat tube, the triangulation of that colossal down-tube ironically makes the frame seem a tad more compact than is truly the case. it also offers up (or down) a flattened base on which the word colnago can again be applied. except in the latter case, i think it looks rather cool.

the head tube, now bereft of the multi-coloured colnago logo that has featured since time immemorial, contains the semi-integrated headset. this follows a modern trend of 1.125" at the top, expanding to 1.25" at the crown race, rather obviously necessitating a tapered (carbon) steerer. though colnago are currently touting their return to a 27.2mm seatpost on the cx-zero, in this case, the oversize theme is continued through the 31.6mm alloy seatpost. colnago state that the frame is based on its considerably more expensive big brother, the m10, and visually the heritage is clearly visible.

similar to my longing for some art decor paint schemes, i also have a great fondness for the so-called leaf chainstays that appeared on the late-lamented colnago eps, the original clx and rather delightfully on my carbon b-stay colnago master. however, i would freely admit this has just as much to do with aesthetics as it has with ride quality.

the component setup on the ac-r (the 2014 replacement for the colnago arte) also adopts the colnago marque by way of the badged dual-pivot calipers and the colnago artemis wheels. while the wheels definitely look the part with deeper than standard rims, attractive red spoke nipples and a twenty-spoke radial front and 24 spoke two cross rear, they are undeniably heavy. the rubber is provided by vittoria in the shape of their 23mm zafiro treadless tyres. the bicycle can be purchased as frame only, a 105 equipped edition and an ultegra version.

the model on review arrived with shimano 105, a remarkably efficient and economic choice nowadays, perhaps only let down by what looks like a lack of finishing on the inner faces of the sti levers. though the rear brake cable is externally routed along the underside of the top tube, the gear cables enter at the top of the down-tube and reappear just ahead of the underside of the bottom bracket shell. whether this would allow for internal routing of electric cables should your budget allow for an ultegra di2 upgrade (or even 105 when the technology trickles that far), i doubt i'm qualified to say.

colnago have also ignored the dubious trend of press-fit bottom bracket bearings, retaining the once standard outboard bearing cups originally popularised by shimano a long time ago. these house a shimano bottom bracket spindle attached to a 105 compact chainset (50/34, 170mm cranks) that is strangely matched with a 12-28 cassette. presumably the sportive market is demanding larger sprockets these days, though the ultegra model is specced with a 12-25 cassette.

thoughtfully, colnago now seem to fit a badged resin bottle cage as standard, a fact that has put paid to my scrabbling through the bikeshed trying vainly to figure out where i put the spare cage i used last time round. squared 100mm stem and bars are by dedacciai, and the stylish saddle is also ostensibly from colnago, according to the applied logos.

pedalling for all i'm worth

i'm at a bit of a loss as to where to start with this part, for having read the pr from colnago, they've stated that the ac-r carbon monocoque frame is based on the far more expensive m10, as ridden to good effect in the tour de france by pierre rolland. unfortunately, i wasn't as impressed with the m10 as i'd hoped i might be; sure, it's a really good frame, but after the c59, i'd been hoping for a really great frame. thus, on receiving the ac-r, which costs far less than the m10's frame alone, i cannot tell a lie; i expected to be underwhelmed.

it just goes to show that you should never underestimate and italian framebuilder, particularly one with such a fine palmares as ernesto colnago. there's every likelihood that the m10 of today is better than the one i rode a year or so back, but whatever developments have taken place in the interim, they've been carefully fed into the ac-r frame. i'd consider this an excellent ride no matter the price tag hanging on the bars.

strangely, considering my visual impression that the bike looked rather compact overall, my first clambering aboard appeared to bear out my apprehensions. the cyclists' rule of thumb would have it that if the front axle can be seen ahead of the bars, either the stem, top tube or both are a tad too short. however, it all depends on slightly more than line of sight, and the measuring tape tells no lies. my aging 54cm c40 also offers up a top tube length of 54cm, and lo and behold, so did the 50cm (sloping) ac-r.

it took only a smattering of kilometres before the ac-r felt as if it had been in the family for years. contrary to my judgment applied to the veracity of the frame's liveliness, this machine can seemingly be chucked right, left and centre with impunity, sailing remarkably close to grass verges and cornering as if on rails. the only bits that seemed contrary to such impressions were acceleration and climbing, both of which felt as if being constrained from somewhere other than the frame.

the answer to this conundrum arrived rather unexpectedly. a friend had asked if i might true his wheel just a smidgeon, and since the truing stand was confined to barracks behind a fleet of bicycles, i opted to remove the rear wheel from the ac-r and true his wheel off the brake shoes (don't try this at home). my friend's rear wheel is hardly state of the art, but was noticeably lighter than the artemis removed from the rear triangle. a quick check of the front wheel confirmed from whence originated the bicycle's retardation.

shod with particularly adept vittoria zafiro treadless 23c tyres (which delighted with muted squealing on corners when brand new) colnago's artemis wheels (not available separately) are aesthetically pleasing, especially black spokes tipped with red nipples. however, there is perhaps an over solidity apparent in the rims. rotating weight of this magnitude undoubtedly aided the bike's damping qualities (read more about this below), but were less than keen to be cajoled up to speed in a short space of time, and added less than welcome heft when attempting to defy gravity.

lest you think this reviewer's conjecture, i sneakily replaced the wheels with a pair of mavic ksyrium sl wheels of an evening, and the grin barely left my face. bluntly put, the artemis wheels are too darned heavy. however, at an all up price one penny less than £2,000, compromises have to be made somewhere.

however, even bearing in mind the result of all that weight in the wheels being at least partially responsible for a flattening of roadway lumps and bumps, the frame must take the bulk of the credit. for even when kitted out with the mavics there was very little discernible difference in ride comfort. you need only take a momentary stare at the bottom bracket area and the size of that down-tube, to realise the ac-r owns a level of stiffness that marcel kittel would love to bits. yet colnago has an uncanny knack of isolating that stiffness from whoever is sat in the saddle, to the point of making worn surface dressing appear as smooth as baby's tarmac.

the fact that piling on every ounce of pressure that a ten stone weakling can manage, without suffering front mech rub or rear triangle squiff is, i'd figure, at least some testament to the ac-r's resilience in the face of adversity. no doubt there are those more boonen-like than i who might inflict more damage, but it certainly wouldn't be more than a minimal number of millimetres. i am less than averse to seeking out the crappest roads and oldest cattle-grids in an attempt to expose any weaknesses that might give cause for concern, but i feel this time round, i failed miserably.

on a flat island such as my home, there is really no necessity for anything like a 28 tooth rear sprocket, but if, as i suspect, the market for the ac-r might include a number of cyclists who might enjoy the odd british or european sportive, it's a few extra teeth that might be more than welcome. quite why the ultegra version offers only 25 at the rear, i know not, for to the best of my knowledge, the dearer bicycle is fitted with the same wheels.

though i've mentioned it before, the right-hand sti flip lever behind the brake blade has a far longer travel than is particularly pragmatic or desirable, and i sometimes wonder if shimano might not be better working on improving this aspect of the mechanical gear change than infusing electricity to all and sundry. though perhaps there's a modicum of method in their madness.

though i have a remarkably saddle-agnostic bum, i did find the colnago badged edition on the ac-r to be particularly comfortable. as part of this particular review, i rode the ac-r for all 162km of the ride of the falling rain, a ride that includes a 14% climb at one point, achieved without (thankfully) resorting to that 28 sprocket. though i'd be fibbing if i said i was as bright and shiny at the end of the ride as at the start, i still had enough get up and go to pedal the 15km home from debbie's, and nothing like any ill-effects. and during all those kilometres, it was a much-admired bicycle.

i'll likely be making a fool of myself by mentioning it, but i found the colnago badged dual pivot brakes to offer several handfuls of modulation more than their shimano brethren. for there's every possibility that the black-painted colnago stamped calipers are indeed made by shimano for all i know. however, where i have continually managed to lock up the rear wheel on a shimano equipped machine, that never happened at all in this case.

just saying.

this certainly isn't colnago's lightest bicycle, a factor that has been already explained above. however, i think it unlikely that those with a budget into which the ac-r fits comfortably, would have an extra £400 or £500 to replace the artemis wheels with a lighter set from someone like derek at wheelsmith. the ultegra equipped version retails for £600 more than this one (frame only is £1600) and i could see those in that budgetary realm opting for that, oblivious perhaps that lighter wheels might make better sense.

however, it is very hard to deny the amount of sense this bike makes from almost every aspect. a full carbon frame, equipped with a groupset that works every bit as well as its big brother for only £2,000 seems close to a bargain from where i'm standing. there will be many whose eyebrows are now suffering apoplexy as a result of that last statement, and i'm well aware that buying a colnago brings with it a certain price premium. but the ac-r is a real colnago, no matter its country of origin.

as mentioned at the front of the top tube, accompanied by an italian flag, the ac-r is designed in italy, and designed by folks who know a great deal about what makes a superb bicycle. if i was in the market, i'd be overjoyed to own one of these. and that's even with those thirteen colnago frame decals

friday 9th august 2013