Weight: 6.6kg (50s)
Type: Road
The right bike for: Someone who wants a strong and stable race bike – and a dash of nostalgia to go with it.

I have a thing for Colnago’s top-end carbon frames. There’s a magic to them: Their ride and performance hold their own against anything. Yes, they are undeniably expensive, and sometimes quirky. And, yes, I’ll admit to having misty-eyed nostalgia for the fact that they’re made underneath Ernesto Colnago’s apartment in Cambiago, Italy. But every time I get on a high-end Colnago, I swoon.

That streak continues with Colnago’s latest flagship race bike, the C64. With this frame, the brand’s product team completely redesigned the C60. The C64 frame is a claimed 186 grams lighter and has better tyre clearance (up to 28mm, officially, but wider may fit) than the C60. It’s also a touch more aerodynamic, more vertically compliant, and slightly stiffer as well.

Despite these upgrades, the C64 looks very similar to the C60. The seatpost is the biggest giveaway. In a move to save weight and improve ride comfort, Colnago borrowed the D-shaped post from the V2-r (the brand’s lightest frame, which is made in Taiwan) and stuck it into a complementary seat tube with a hidden binder. The brakes are also different, with the C64 adopting the two-bolt, direct-mount-caliper standard.

The C64 has the heart of the C60, but the new frame is unquestionably better. It’s more reactive, jumping quicker when you change tempo and climbing up hills with a bit more float. It feels more alert, too. It hops farther when you juke and is a bit faster to turn. Still, its handling is on the staid side for a race bike. It requires less attention than many similar models.

It’s calm and totally confidence inspiring, even when you’re in a deep tuck at eye-watering speeds. The ride is damped and more compliant than before. There are fistfuls of road feedback at the handlebar, but not stinging jolts or soul-sucking buzz. The ride is sporty, not plush, which is as it should be.

Perhaps the most important trait this bike shares with the C60 is its substance. It feels built to last: strong, tough, and durable underneath you, without the fragile and brittle notes that many high-end race bikes have. And that, in combination with all its other strengths, is truly magical.

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