Just in: Colnago C59

Colnago's all new C59 range-topping super bike certainly turned a few heads at Eurobike. Hand made and hand painted in Italy, this is Italian top end carbon at its finest and something of a statement of intent from Mr C - there's none of your BB30 bottom bracket shenanigans going on here, and Colnago continues to go its own way when it comes to integrated headsets and tapered head tubes: the C59 is high end carbon in the classic mould, indeed the top tube has a profile shaped like that of the classic steel Colnago Master series.

Except of course there isn't any moulding going on here, well not in the monocoque sense of the word, with the C59 Colnago sticks to its guns when it comes to lugs and tubes for their Italian built models.The major advantage here is that it means they can build in a vast number of sizes and subtly tune their frames for different sized riders in to the bargain. It's a light way to build too - fully decked out our C59 barely grazed the road.cc scales at a feathery 6.73kg; that's 14.8lb in old money.

The C59 will be available over here as a frame and fork package for £3299.99 and for that you get the frame (naturally), fork, Colnago's new C-HS semi-integrated headset which gives you the clean lines of an integrated design with none of what Colnago see as the disadvantages of some integrated designs, namely the extra stresses placed on the head tube. The bearings in the C-HS sit in an aluminium cup and the headtube itself is further protected by a lightweight internal aluminium sleeve. The C59 uses the C-HS 2 version of Colnago's headset with 11/8 bearings top and bottom.

Internal ribs on the top and down tube increase stiffness, say Colnago, and the squared chain and seatstays further ensure that as much of your effort as possible is transmitted to the back wheel with the minimum of fuss. The C59 is available as a custom option, although given that there is a staggering 22 stock sizes why you would need to go the custom route is something of a mystery. Oh, and all the sizes are available in two options - a Shimano Di2 frame (just let UK distributor, Windwave, know if you want one of those) or for standard mechanical groupsets.

Our test frameset came built up with some very droolworthy kit including a mainly Campagnolo Record drivetrain complemented with an FSA K-Force light chainset, bars, and brakes, and FSA Vision carbon semi deep section wheels, a very funky looking Smanie saddle and some cool looking bar tape from the same source.

Not surprisingly the new Colnago C59 hasn't hung about the road.cc offices. Since coming in for testing no sooner than it had floated out of the box, on to the scales, and fluttered its eyelashes for the camera than it was off out the door to get some serious miles under its wheels.