Colnago just announced an all-new V5Rs. Yes — it is the bike everyone speculated Tadej Pogačar was riding recently. No— it wasn’t under the UAE Emirates-XRG team for Pogačars’ second-place finish at Paris Roubaix over the weekend. That was the V4Rs, in its last poetic journey under Pogačar. Now is the rise of the Colnago V5Rs.
The Colnago V5Rs is the latest evolution of its race-proven V-series — and if you’ve been paying attention to UAE Team Emirates-XRG or UAE Team ADQ, you’ve already seen this thing quietly putting in work. The Cambiago crew is calling it their most advanced all-rounder to date. It’s a serious upgrade (weight especially) that will have both the pro peloton and high-performance privateers ready to trade up.
The Lightest Colnago Frame. Period.
Let’s get right to the good stuff: the V5Rs is 12.5% lighter than the V4Rs in a size 485 (roughly 54cm) frame. That’s a full 146g shaved off the total frameset weight, landing at just 1,027g for the frame, fork, and seatpost (685g for the frame alone).
For Comparison;
- Colnago V4Rs total frame: 1173g (size 485)
- Colnago V5Rs total frame: 1027g (size 485)
Colnago says the key was refining the layup—not reinventing it—using improved carbon placement precision and custom-built semi-rigid mandrels to dial in each layer. The new technique offers a cleaner, more precise internal finish for the frame, resulting in a lighter frameset overall.
Return to BSA
Most, if not all, frame manufacturers are returning to a threaded bottom bracket. The V4Rs (and C68) have T47 bottom brackets, so it’s not really a return to thread, but a return to BSA threaded. The stiffness of modern frames is more than enough, and the press-fit fad seems to be a flash in the pan. For Colnago, the weight savings and serviceability (without hammers) are more than enough reasons to return. Also, the Di2 battery is housed in the downtube in a unique spiderweb-style holder. It requires pulling the bottom bracket for service and replacement. Side note: The V5Rs line arrives exclusively with Ceramic Speed bottom brackets.
Colnago leaned hard on FEM (Finite Element Method) analysis to simulate how this frame behaves under load. The result? All the stiffness riders loved in the V4Rs is now in a lighter and more aero package.
Reduced Frontal Area
While the V4Rs wasn’t exactly a barn door rolling down the road, it could be more aerodynamic. The V5Rs trims down the frontal area by 13% and brings a host of updated tube shapes straight from Colnago’s Y1Rs aero development. The slimmer head tube, reworked fork blades, and thinner, deeper seatpost profiles are all tested via CFD and validated in the wind tunnel with full race builds—mannequins, bottles, cables, the whole nine.
How much faster? Colnago claims a 9-watt savings at 50kph ( what Colnago calls professional race speeds) compared to the V4Rs. In race terms, that’s free speed for the same effort — and likely the difference between making the break or getting yo-yoed out the back.
Stiffness Where It Matters Most
With weight savings and aero gains, stiffness is usually the sacrificial lamb. But Colnago doubled down on their Real Riding Stiffness (RRS) metric — a stiffness standard based on sprinting and climbing loads — to ensure performance didn’t slip.
Thanks to joint shape optimization and strategic layering, the V5Rs hits the same stiffness benchmark as the V4Rs. Translation: this thing still punches like a WorldTour sprinter and climbs like a goat on espresso.
Geometry: Subtle Tweaks, Sharper Feel
Colnago made small but meaningful updates to the V4Rs geometry. Expect slightly steeper HT and ST angles for a more aggressive riding position, revised trail figures for snappier handling, and two seatpost options (0mm and 15mm setback).
Colnago introduces a new seatpost design for the V5Rs, complementing the new seat stays in a newer, more aerodynamic but still compliant shape. The post also features a new clamp, ensuring a better user experience.
The V5Rs’ fork also saw an update, with a thinner headtube resulting in an upper bearing swap. The fork steerer tube is D-shaped to house cables and maintain clean internal routing. Bearing-wise, the headset utilizes two bearings with different dimensions, the top one being 1 1/8″, and the bottom one being 1 1/4″, as in the V4Rs. The fork rake varies by size—47 mm for smaller sizes (420–510) and 43mm for 530–570—ensuring consistent handling across the board. Max tire clearance is any-race-ready 32mm.
Racing DNA: V5Rs vs. Y1Rs
For 2025, Colnago is splitting its race line into two clear tracks:
- The V5Rs is the go-to for all-around racing — light, responsive, all around.
- The Y1Rs is for flat-out speed demons looking for max aero, no compromise.
Expect to see both bikes under UAE Team riders, depending on stage profiles, rider roles, and even weather. Colnago says it’s not just about climbing anymore — aero counts everywhere, and the V5Rs was built with that in mind.
Paint Options
There are four paint options for the Colnago V5Rs. All are classic, with Team UAE leading the most recognizable, and the World Champion rainbows for the super ambitious. Our (my) favorite is the gloss white and blue option (pictured above); either way, I don’t think you can make a bad choice.
Builds and Pricing
The V5Rs starts at €5,940 / $5,750 for the frame kit (frame, fork, headset, bars, seatpost, bottle cages), with complete builds pushing up to €16,500 depending on spec. Options range from Dura-Ace or Ultegra Di2 to Campy Super Record Wireless (with SRAM builds and prices yet to be announced), and wheelsets run from Vision SC45s to Enve SES 4.5s.
- Ultegra Di2 builds start around $11,750
- Dura-Ace Di2 with Enve will set you back $16,500
- SRAM – TBD
- Frameset + cockpit = $6250 + $900 for the CC.01 bars
More at Colnago.com
