Materials

Materials

There is no one perfect material for a bicycle frame. All have advantages and disadvantages. A very strong material might be very light, but fatigue too quickly for the repeated stresses of cycling. Or it might be simply too expensive for some riders’ budget. At Colnago we use a range of materials to balance these factors.

The immense strength and versatility of carbon fiber has made it the most popular material for top-quality road racing bicycles. We use Toraya carbon fiber in a variety of grades and types according to the specific requirements of the frame or component.

Our one-piece (monocoque) frames use pre-preg carbon cloth, laser-aligned in a mould and heated under pressure to form a seamless, strong, light unit.

The EPS family uses lugged carbon construction which allows for tremendous versatility - it's the only way to offer 22 different sizes and custom options for a carbon fiber bicycle that fits perfectly.

The first Colnago bicycles were made from steel and so steel is still close to our heart. The Master X-Light's Columbus DT15V tubing gets its strength from chromium, molybdenum and vanadium alloying elements and is butted and shaped to our exact specifications.

Aluminum is a great material for less expensive frames. Its low density and relatively high strength for its cost allow it to be built into light, rigid frames that meet the needs of a wide range of riders. With the addition of carbon fiber stays and fork it can be tuned for comfort.

Colnago takes advantage of recent advances in aluminium tubing, using hydroforming to shape and strengthen tubes in crucial areas such as the head tube and bottom bracket.

Alfa carbon

To achieve both stiffness and light weight, our alfa carbon process combines a one-piece molded front triangle with bonded chainstays and seatstays.

The carbon lay-up is tailored to each bicycle to give the correct ride qualities for its purpose. We also select the particular grade of carbon used to keep bicycles like the CLX 2.0 and Ace affordable.

For the CX-1 and CLX 2.0, the carbon lay-up has different thicknesses in the areas where most torque and stress are found – such as the bottom bracket and head tube areas – to ensure better stiffness, power transfer and handling.

Alfa carbon allows us to tune the ride in other ways too. The CX-1 and CLX 2.0 use curved seatstays to improve braking and handling under braking. The CX-1 uses rectangular oversize chainstays for maximum rigidity and precise tracking, while the CLX 2.0 adopts the classic leaf-shaped chainstay used on the EPS.

To keep alfa carbon frames light it's necessary for the use of materials to be as efficient as possible. Carbon composites need only a minimal amount of resin to hold the fibers together. To minimise the amount of resin we use pre-impregnated carbon fiber cloth, aligned by laser and cured under very high pressure. This eliminates voids to reduce weight and increase strength.

All alfa carbon bicycles go through the same tough design and crash-testing process as our EPS and steel models. They dramatically exceed CEN standards.

Omega carbon

Developed in collaboration with Ferrari Engineering, the Colnago omega carbon process provides a combination of attributes unattainable with other composite techniques: extreme strength; light weight and a huge range of sizes for a perfect fit.

The key is Colnago’s proprietary carbon lugs. These superbly engineered components comprise 12 layers of meticulously arranged carbon cloth, combining woven and unidirectional fibers to put strength exactly where it is needed. The laid-up lugs are cured at high heat and pressure to make a seamless whole whose smooth internal surfaces prefectly distribute stress. The result is a supremely strong joint.

Only the best possible tubing can be used to connect these high-tech works of art. Our 3PRS tubes are hand-wound from pre-impregnated carbon fiber cloth. This allows us to perfectly control the composition of the final tube, and the layers and orientation of the fibers, to obtain the exact performance and riding characteristics that make a Colnago bicycle.

A high-precision steel mandrel provides the shape of the three 10mm wide ribs which strengthen the tube and help damp road shock for a glorious, feathery ride, and supports the tube as it is cured for a precise shape, inside and out.

The top tube of the EPS is tapered, with a 40mm diameter at the head tube area tapering down to 35mm at the seat tube area. The rear triangle is the proven B-Stay and the leaf-shaped chainstay.

The tubes and lugs of the EPS are joined with a high-strength bonding agent and cured in a precision steel jig for the most accurate possible alignment.

This combination of tubes and lugs allows us to offer our lugged carbon frames in an astonishing 22 sizes – 14 in traditional geometry and 8 in sloping. We also make additional lugs so that we are able to offer custom options to rides with special requirements. In total, over 150 different molds are used to make the Omega carbon range – there are 30 different head lugs alone.

The design and construction of each carbon lug has been exhaustively studied and tested at Colnago, and in the laboratory. Continuous feedback from our professional riders informs these tests to ensure that the final product conforms not only to the most rigorous technical standards, but also to the high standards of the world’s top cyclists. Colnago frames are tested in all road conditions and situations, including climbs and descents, on smooth-surfaced roads and cobbled streets, in maximum wattage sprints and in time trials. Nothing is left to chance.

Links