00:00 Back in July, Team UAE Emirates went to battle at the Tour de France, but with one very big
00:06 technological difference.
00:07 They were riding what Carl Nago was calling at the time, the Prototipo.
00:11 A source at Carl Nago also confirmed that five different versions of the Prototipo were
00:17 being tested, each with a different carbon lay-up.
00:19 Clearly, given the name and the fact that Tadic Pogacar rode the V3 RS to victory in
00:25 the 2020 and 2021 editions of the race, it was fair to assume that the Prototipo was
00:31 most likely the upcoming V4 RS.
00:35 Today, Carl Nago confirmed that by launching that very bike.
00:44 The outgoing V3 RS has certainly created some rather large boots to fill after being piloted
00:50 to some of the biggest victories in the sport.
00:53 However, the question still stands, what has the V4 RS got up its sleeve to ensure the
00:58 wins keep on coming?
01:00 Well, given the fact that the Prototipo managed to rack up 23 victories and 28 podiums in
01:06 four months of use, we think whatever has been created, well, it seems to be gelling
01:11 with the riders pretty well.
01:13 Clearly, as the V-Series is Carl Nago's dedicated race performance bike, improving
01:18 the offering's aero credentials was very important.
01:22 Carl Nago has tried to achieve this with a multitude of new improvements.
01:26 These start with a brand new fork, which Carl Nago has tried to integrate seamlessly with
01:30 the new head tube.
01:32 This head tube is bigger than the one found on the V3 RS, but this has meant they could
01:36 maintain a circular steerer rather than opting for a D-shaped steerer, and thus meaning it
01:41 could route the hoses through a larger upper headset bearing.
01:45 That's not all for improvements at the front end, though.
01:47 Carl Nago also created a new integrated cockpit to shelter all the hoses from the wind.
01:53 You may also notice that the bottom of the bars are ever so slightly flared.
01:58 I can only imagine that this is for control when descending in the drops.
02:02 To ensure all the hard work of making sure the front end is as slippery as possible,
02:07 Carl Nago have also created their own 3D printed head unit mount.
02:12 So far, it's only compatible with the new Wahoo Bolt V2, but I'm led to believe that
02:17 new head units will eventually be compatible too.
02:20 And it's a good thing that they did create such a mount, because it saves a grand total
02:24 of 0.75 watts at 50km/h.
02:28 Brilliant.
02:30 It must be said, all the wind tunnel testing Carl Nago conducted on the bike was done so
02:35 at 50km/h, much like the Bianchi Altre RC.
02:39 I do wonder if manufacturers are having to test at these higher speeds to extrapolate
02:45 a bigger difference in wattage savings.
02:49 Are the days of testing at a more reasonable 40km/h gone forever?
02:53 Of course, for the pros who do reach these speeds with ease, and amateurs who happily
02:58 hit that on descents, then I guess the testing data is still of value to some extent.
03:04 But since this bike has seen the inside of a wind tunnel, what are the hard numbers?
03:08 Well, since so much work was done to create a brand new cockpit for the V4 RS, let's
03:13 start there.
03:14 The new cockpit is claimed to have a reduced drag surface of 16% compared to cockpits mounted
03:21 on the V3 RS.
03:22 Overall, Carl Nago claimed that the V4 is faster than the outgoing V3.
03:28 Now, you might be expecting Carl Nago to make a weight-saving claim on the new model.
03:33 And you'd be absolutely right.
03:35 However, don't get too excited because I did have to read between the lines to get
03:39 the full picture here.
03:40 The claimed weight-saving is 57g, not a lot by any means.
03:46 The frame itself is actually ever so slightly heavier, but the new fork shaves off 15g.
03:52 In all, when you compare the frame and fork of the V3 to the V4, there's actually only
03:56 a 12g saving.
03:58 You have to look at the total frame module, which includes the headset, handlebars, and
04:02 stem to get the full saving.
04:04 When you consider that this is comparing an all-in-one integrated bar from the V4 with
04:10 a separate, more conventional bar and stem system found on the V3, the weight-saving
04:15 isn't too impressive and isn't anything to write home about.
04:19 However, for a bike designed to go fast everywhere, weight really isn't a key priority.
04:24 And just to be keeping very much in the same ballpark, well, it's great for a bike that
04:28 was already pretty light.
04:30 Of course, don't forget the 6.8kg weight limit that the UCI imposes on race bikes.
04:35 And that will always mean that big drops in weight for a bike like this just aren't practical.
04:42 Colnago claims to have increased stiffness by 4% when sprinting and 5% when seated.
04:48 They say they've identified areas which experience differing forces in different riding positions
04:53 and then have gone about laying the carbon up to counteract those forces to ensure all
04:58 the power goes down to the tarmac.
05:01 Colnago's machines and methodologies of testing stiffness are actually patent pending, so
05:06 they weren't able to share too much more information here.
05:10 However, I'm sure when we get our hands on the bike, hopefully, we'll be able to feel
05:15 the increased stiffness.
05:17 The last area Colnago has said they've put time and effort into is actually the robustness
05:22 of the frame.
05:23 Now, I for one am very happy to hear that a big brand like Colnago is actively trying
05:28 to make their top end offering more robust and resilient to knocks and bumps.
05:33 For example, the new seat stays improve on their flexural and stability impact, which
05:38 goes on to helping other components that are found in the frame, such as the headset.
05:44 Now, speaking of the headset, they've actually included a ceramic speed headset, but it's
05:48 very much unlike your normal headset because it's made of a unique solid polymer and it's
05:54 got stainless steel components inside.
05:57 It does mean that it doesn't need re-greasing, much like your normal sealed cartridge bearing.
06:02 And while it may occasionally feel stiff after a duration of not being used, when you get
06:07 it moving again, it'll feel buttery smooth.
06:10 I'm also told that the lifespan of these headsets is incredibly long.
06:14 On to price, and I don't think that it's going to be a huge surprise that the latest offering
06:18 from the Italian brand is punchy.
06:21 It's very punchy.
06:22 At the time of filming this, I've only got the price in Euros.
06:26 So for the V4 RS Team Edition, equipped with a full Dura-Ace groupset, with the power meter,
06:31 with a set of NV 3.4 wheels, and that new Colnago integrated cockpit, well, it's going
06:39 to come in at €15,260.
06:40 Now, if you want to buy the frame set, which includes the frame, the fork, the seat post,
06:46 and the headset, well, that comes in at €5,250.
06:52 To put that frame set price into context, though, it does land itself right in the middle
06:56 of what an S-Works Tarmac SL7 or Pinarello Dogma F frame set would cost.
07:02 Overall, to my eye, the V4 RS represents another step in the right direction.
07:08 They're taking the proven performance of the V3 RS and have gone about making it more responsive
07:14 and better to ride on a wider variety of surfaces.
07:18 And this is only furthered when you consider that the new bike can accommodate 32C wide
07:22 tyres up from the V3 RS's 28C.
07:25 Now, when you pair that with a bike which is claimed to be even more slippery in the
07:30 wind, I'm sure we'll be seeing this bike piloted to many more victories over the next
07:35 couple of years.
07:36 My colleague and resident Colnago aficionado, Simon Smythe, is actually currently out in
07:41 Spain riding the bike.
07:43 So we should hear very soon what he has to make of it.
07:46 Be sure to tune in to January's Tech of the Month where we'll have his first ride impressions.
07:50 What are your thoughts on this new bike, though?
07:52 Sure, it's incredibly expensive and designed for the pros, but would you choose this over
07:58 and above a Pinarello Dogma F or a Specialized Tarmac SL7?
08:03 Let me know down in the comments below.
08:05 If you enjoyed the video, then please do drop it a like.
08:07 Subscribe to the channel for more content, and I'll see you again very soon.
08:10 [MUSIC PLAYING]
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