Fancy this one-of-a-kind Colnago C68? Price: unknown!

A lustworthy Colnago C68 road bike in a unique finish from Japanese designer Motoki Yoshio is going up for auction at Sotheby’s this week, and if you want to be in with a chance of owning it, you need to make a sealed bid; the winning price will not be seen by any participating bidders, and won’t be publicised.

We introduced you to the limited edition Motoki Yoshio Colnago C68 over a year ago. The Colnago C68 is the latest model in the C-series range and for many people, it’s among of the best road bikes on the market. The C68 features a lugged construction that has defined the C-series for decades. Colnago says this frame “blends tradition with performance”.

> Take a look at the limited edition Motoki Yoshio Colnago C68 

Motoki Yoshio took the C68 and produced a limited edition finish – which you can find out about here. At the end of the creative process, two versions of the frame were put forward for selection for the limited edition run, one with a glossy finish and the other with a matte finish. The shiny one was chosen.

That left the single matte finished frame, in size 51s, without a home. It was originally going to go to a member of the Colnago executive committee, but the plan has changed and it’s now going to be auctioned instead.

Bear in mind that Colnago’s geometry is different from that of other brands. A size 51s C68 has a stack of 557mm and a reach of 388mm. The ’51’ refers to the length of the seat tube in centimetres – but the frame has a sloping top tube which means the seat tube is shortened. The effective top tube length is 55cm, and the head tube is 14.8cm.

The Motoki Yoshio x Colnago Matte comes as a complete bike built with a 12-speed

Campagnolo Super Record WRL (wireless) groupset, and Campag Bora Ultra WTO 45 wheels fitted with Pirelli P Zero Race tyres. You get a Colnago CC.01 integrated handlebar and stem, and a Selle Italia SLR Super Flow saddle with carbon rails. It’s a very lust-worthy spec, then.

The Motoki Yoshio x Colnago limited edition – the glossy version – was £16,000. The amount you’ll need to pay for this one-off matte model is anyone’s guess and, as mentioned up top, the final price will remain private.

If you do want to be in with a shout of owning it, you’ll need to make your bid at Sotheby’s from 19-26 January 2024. A Sotheby’s Sealed online sale allows bidders to see how they rank within the top 10 highest bids placed and they can increase their bid until the sale closes. The final price isn’t seen by any participating bidders, nor is it publicised.

There’s no reserve price so put in a cheeky bid and you could get an absolute bargain. Let’s be honest, though, that’s very doubtful. Sotheby’s gives an estimated price of $25,000 to $30,000 – which is about £19,700 to £23,600.

Still, that’s a hell of a lot cheaper than the Colnago Gioiello Numero 1 that we told you about last May. That bike, also based on the C68 frame, was decorated in gold leaf to mark the 2023 Giro d’Italia. It was available in a limited edition of 50 for €22,000, which was around £19,300 at the time, but the extra special number one model was sold by Sotheby’s in Geneva for $133,000 (around £105,000).

> Check out the limited edition Colnago Gioiello

Technical information
Frame: Colnago C68 Road Motoki Yoshio x Colnago Matte size 51s
Handlebar and stem: Colnago CC.01 integrated for the Motoki Yoshio x Colnago Matte
Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record WRL 12 speed
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Super Flow carbon
Wheels: Bora Ultra WTO 45 db
Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Race

Get more info – and place a bid if you’re feeling flush – here .