Colnago's new disc-equipped C59 and K.Zero aero bike caused quite a stir when they were unveiled last week and we had the chance to check them out for ourselves at the Taipei International Cycle Show in Taiwan, where we bumped into the main man himself, Ernesto Colnago.
With the C59 Disc, Colnago say they've "taken a bold step towards the future of road bike evolution". They've redesigned the C59 frame and fork to cope with the forces generated by disc brakes, and have partnered with fellow Italians Formula to create a hydraulic road brake based on the R1 mountain bike brake, complete with integrated Shimano Di2-compatible electronic shift levers.
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Video: Colnago C59 Disc
The K.Zero is a whole new bike, rather than just an evolution of the Flight TT, with an integrated bar/stem and brakes, full internal cable routing and all-new tube profiles. There's no word yet on pricing for either of these bikes. You can read all about them in our C59 Disc and K.Zero launch articles. Check out our image gallery for more pics, as well as these videos.
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Video: Colnago K.Zero
Lost in translation
Now in its 25th year, Taipei Cycle is not only Asia's biggest bicycle show but has also become one of the premier events on the international cycling calendar. While most of the companies showing their wares there are manufacturers, rather than brands as at Eurobike and Interbike, it still packs a punch – after all, Taiwan is now the world's largest maker of high-end bikes (with China the largest producer overall).
While the bikes on show may be cutting-edge, the show can be a bit of a culture shock – not least when it comes to language. In Taiwan, integrating traditional imagery into your company's name is thought to enhance your chances of financial success. Unfortunately, translating these titles from Mandarin into English doesn’t always work. Check out our image gallery for a light-hearted look at another side of the Taipei show.
We think this could be pretty hard to live up to
