Let’s fly with EPS!

Made from hand-rolled carbon tubes, with design input from Ferrari engineers, the second incarnation of Colnago’s top of the range EPS promises plenty. Warren Rossiter of Cycling Plus magazine took a first ride at the recent Eurobike trade show.

The EPS is Colnago’s flagship road machine, and unlike some of the Italian marque’s lesser ranges, it’s still made at the Italian factory. It’s also made in an astonishing 22 different frame sizes, 14 with traditional geometry and eight sloping. This is because it’s constructed using Colnago-specific lugs, developed in conjunction with a team of Ferrari engineers and produced in multiple sizes and shapes from 150 different moulds.

The tubeset isn’t off the peg either. Colnago uses a pre preg carbon cloth which is wound by hand into tubes to ensure the correct lay up and to control the amount of resin to create the best characteristics for each tube.

The top-tube and down-tube also feature what Colnago calls 3PRS, which can best be described as three 10mm wide carbon ‘ribs’ on the inside of the tubes; the thickness tapers along the length of the tubes and the ribs prevent any lateral movement. The result is a chassis that’s rock solid even when you’re sprinting out of the saddle and wrenching on the handlebars.

The chainstays are new Colnago Power Stays, massively oversized and shaped to add maximum strength and resistance to twisting forces from the bottom bracket. A dedicated EPS fork is also used with a specific tapered headset, 1 in at the top and 1¼in at the bottom, to stiffen the front end for more precise handling.
What we really wanted to know, though, was whether all of these design tweaks and technical claims would transfer to the road.

As you’d expect with a bike decked out with a top flight groupset and a lightweight set of wheels, the EPS really flies. It’s smooth on the climbs and quick to whip up to speed on the flat, but where it really excels is on descents; push the EPS fast into a corner and ride on the limit and it feels surefooted and confident. There is also a distinct feeling of solidity – not necessarily what you want to hear when talking about a top-of-the-line superbike, but it’s really the best way we can describe the EPS. It’s sturdy and surefooted, but with a lightness that only the very best can provide.

The frame may not set any records for low weight, being over the kilo mark, but you don’t ride a frame you ride a bike. The rest of the equipment on our test bike was fairly mid range – an aluminium bar, stem, seatpost and saddle – but if you were to spec finishing kit befitting a frame of this calibre you could easily shed a couple of pounds.

As it is, the EPS manages that rare balance of comfort, stability and agility, which is high praise and a definite recommendation.

Tags: EPS, Colnago, Ferrari, 3PRS, Colnago Power Stays

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