Colnago has unveiled the Y1RS – a radical new aero race bike, which is claimed to be quicker than one thing throughout the market.
The Y1RS selections tube shapes that make use of the UCI’s newest 8:1 depth-to-width rule and seatpost-placement regulation.
Colnago says the consequence makes the Y1RS quicker than the rivals, doubtlessly giving UAE Emirates crew chief, Tadej Pogačar, the quickest bike contained in the peloton.
However Colnago furthermore says it has made the Y1RS merely as stiff on account of the V4RS, whereas claiming a weight of seven.45kg in a crew assemble with pedals and cages.
Nonetheless, there are a number of voices calling this a relatively ugly duckling. Listed below are the necessary particulars, together with my first impressions.
Effectivity claims: lowering by means of the wind
Colnago’s white paper on the Y1RS incorporates wind-tunnel knowledge highlighting necessary aerodynamic optimistic elements.
Notably, the Y1RS is claimed to avoid dropping 20 watts at 50kph and 0º YAW as in contrast with the V4RS. In course of an unnamed competitor, this revenue narrows to 1 watt.
Colnago wouldn’t, when requested, title the bike it describes on account of the “finest competitor”.
The info furthermore suggests the deep tube profiles might act as sails in crosswinds. Whereas drag will enhance from 0-5º YAW, it then declines by means of the 7.5º and 10º measurements.
Colnago advised me its designers regarded to take full advantage of the UCI’s revised tube sort pointers. This modified in late 2022 from a depth-to-width ratio of three:1 to eight:1, enabling producers to make tubes tons deeper whereas retaining slender widths.
As a part of this, Colnago made the best tube deeper whereas lowering its width by a claimed 19 per cent, as in contrast with the V4Rs.
The UCI’s frame-design revisions furthermore included adjustments to the place the seatpost is also part of the physique. The revenue, Colnago claims, is twofold.
Firstly, the design is alleged to strengthen verticle compliance. The speculation here’s a rider will uncover it extra comfy to journey of their aero place and on account of this fact have the ability to hold tucked down for longer.
Secondly, it says angling the tube ahead on this technique effectively will enhance the depth of that tube. This, Colnago claims, results in “extra likelihood for the air circulation to be linear, in an space already affected by the rider’s spinning legs”.
Weight
Though weight is way a lot much less necessary for aero freeway bikes, Colnago has managed to handle the crew assemble at a aggressive 7.45kg claimed weight (in a measurement medium, with Dura-Ace PD-R9100 pedals and bottle cages).
Whereas the Y1RS frameset is heavier than the V4RS by 242g, based mostly totally on Colnago, it is similar to utterly completely different main aero fashions paying homage to Canyon’s Aeroad CFR.
The outcomes of this weight is the Y1RS’s versatility might lengthen to some mountain ranges, the place riders normally optimise their setup for bigger than only one remaining climb.
Stiffness for energy swap
Given the Y1RS’ intention to be a bike for quicker days and dash finishes, Colnago says stiffness was a precedence, considerably on the doorway finish.
It claims the Y1RS affords a 3.5 per cent enchancment in energy swap for out-of-the-saddle efforts as in contrast with the V4RS.
This determine resulted from a combination of rear-triangle stiffness, bottom-bracket stiffness, fork stiffness, and vertical and lateral handlebar stiffness. Colnago acknowledged the try used a splash of 1,500 watts, accounting for a rider weight of 75kg.
Inside the meantime, Colnago claims to have maintained the an an identical rear-end stiffness for seated climbing on account of the V4RS.
This try simulated a 60kg rider producing 390 watts and mixed backside bracket stiffness, fork stiffness, vertical handlebar stiffness and seatpost stiffness.
Physique shapes: one issue borrowed
The Y1RS represents a daring departure from Colnago’s historically understated designs, with its aggressive aerodynamics and cutting-edge engineering.
However, attempting all by means of the frameset, we’ll see examples of concepts borrowed from elsewhere.
The doorway finish – a highlight for producers of their quest to minimise drag – is a working occasion. Colnago employs a dual-pronged aerodynamic method, that contains a hinged head tube design paying homage to the Cervélo S5.
Complementing that is the CC.Y1, a newly designed built-in cockpit with a particular split-stem configuration. Its angular, gull-winged profile is purposeful, though Colnago has not supplied particular drag-reduction figures for this setup.
Descending the physique, the down tube hugs the 28mm entrance tyre rigorously, though Colnago formally claims the physique has clearance for as rather a lot as 32mm tyres.
This raises the potential for the Y1RS making an look in Paris-Roubaix, given we’ve seen The Hell of The North gained aboard aero bikes lately.
The seat-tube affiliation is hanging, resembling BMC’s Timemachine TT bike. Nonetheless, to appreciate UCI compliance, the seatpost is offset rearward from the top-tube junction, creating a particular, if considerably disjointed, aesthetic.
The built-in bottle cages, paying homage to BMC’s Teammachine, spotlight Colnago’s deal with lowering the aerodynamic penalty of normal bottles. In distinction to Trek’s proprietary Madone-specific bottles, Colnago has opted to optimise airflow over customary spherical bottles.
This, Colnago advised me, was a direct request from the UAE Emirates crew.
Seen enchantment: a matter of perspective
Colnago’s daring design philosophy has divided the group. The split-bar system, with its gull-wing aesthetics, evokes comparisons to Specialised’s Venge ViAS, a design that furthermore polarised opinions all by means of its time.
Equally, the rear finish, with its meandering seat tube, has drawn parallels to Bianchi’s angular Oltre RC. Whereas these picks might alienate traditionalists, they arguably underscore Colnago’s dedication to innovation.
Lastly, magnificence lies inside the attention of the beholder. Whereas some might uncover the Y1RS’s aggressive strains fascinating, others might battle with the unconventional physique shapes.
Is the Colnago Y1RS a mannequin new benchmark?
Irrespective of asking very appropriately, Colnago wouldn’t enable me to take the world champion’s new bike for a spin. Nonetheless, having obtained up shut and private with it in Italy ahead of the launch, I’ve some ideas.
If Colnago’s claims protect true, the Y1RS might be the quickest Tour de France bike presently obtainable. Nonetheless, the shortage of readability relating to the rival bikes examined leaves me only a bit pissed off.
The Y1RS seems to blur the road between idea and manufacturing bike. Its aggressive geometry, that options steeper angles and longer reach-to-stack ratios, actually appears to accommodate decrease and longer rider positions.
Whereas some design components, such on account of the gull-wing bars, don’t tickle my fancy, the Y1RS is undeniably an announcement piece. To me, it alerts Colnago’s intent to compete on the lowering fringe of biking whereas robust typical notions of aesthetics and effectivity.
What is apparent is the UAE Group Emirates squad has gained a bike that is elevated optimised for flat and rolling ranges, with potential for necessary effectivity optimistic elements in solo breakaways.
Given we’ve seen Pogačar assault from seemingly unthinkable distances, this may lead to far more stage wins for the Slovenian.
For now, the Y1RS will solely be obtainable to UAE Group Emirates riders. It’s maybe months ahead of we see this machine in wider circulation, to not level out subjected to unbiased testing.
Till then, the controversy over its design and effectivity credentials is for sure to proceed.