On the eve of the Italian Grand Tour, Colnago unveils an all-new carbon TT1 time trial bike with pretty wild new aerodynamics.
Developed as the new race weapon against the clock for UAE Team Emirates, the TT1 time trial bike finally adds disc brakes. The team still rode its rim-brake predecessor on the way to wins in the last two Tours de France.
Editor’s note: this article was originally published on Bikerumor.
Colnago TT1: The New UAE Emirates Time Trial Bike
The UAE team will debut the new disc brake TT1 time trial bike this weekend from the Giro d’Italia’s start in Budapest. Colnago calls the TT1 a more integrated evolution of its K.One time trial bike, which has been in use since 2017. But really, this is a ground-up redesign.
The new TT1 cuts a more distinctively angular profile through the wind. Sharp edges, deeper tube profiles, complete integration, and a set of deeply dropped horizontal seat stays that transition smoothly through a nutrition and hydration box into the downtube.
While the previous bike still was built up with the prior generation of Campagnolo’s electronic groupset, this new bike is teasing an all-new set of Campy Super Record EPS brakes and shifters!
Faster, and Finally With Disc Brakes
This new TT1 is the first-ever Colnago time trial bike fitted with disc brakes. But it’s also the fastest, saying the new TT bike “represents all of Colnago’s knowledge in maximum aerodynamic performances.”
Developed first in CFD, and then refined in the wind tunnel at the Politecnico di Milano University, the TT1 obtains unprecedented performance at high speeds.
The Italian designers may have been slow to adopt discs but say that hydraulic braking freed them up for more neatly integrated internal cable routing without compromising braking performance.
The accompanying 12mm thru-axles also allowed them to engineer a stiffer bike overall without minimal weight impact. And at the same time, it allowed them to reduce the width of individual tube profiles in the wind.
Time trial bikes naturally put the rider in a narrower, more precarious position on the bike. The more predictable disc brake performance means increased rider safety, allowing them to hold off braking longer to maintain their aero tuck on the bike.
Thanks to the front thru-axle, the heralded brand says it was able to create the bayonet fork with the legs more or less serving as two separate thin, aero plates.
They only connect at the top and bottom without sacrificing torsional rigidity. That means a “drastically reduced” frontal area at the front of the bike where airflow is not yet disturbed.
The TT1 also gets a new lighter monocoque carbon base bar that is more aero, rigid, and highly modular. It works with Colnago’s aero cockpit (coming soon, this autumn) or most popular aftermarket aero bars. This gives the UAE team — and you —ultimate flexibility in dialing the ideal aero position.
Tech Details on the Colnago TT1
The integrated box above the bottom bracket is one of the hard-to-grasp details, as it’s still in a 3D-printed prototype stage. It appears to be a shaped aero water bottle and interlocking cage ‘kit.’
Colnago says the Elite-produced bottle holds 500ml of water (available this autumn, too). Presumably, making it an actual bottle will get it through UCI approval while resulting in undeniably sleek aero integration.
The new carbon time trial bike will come in just three sizes (S, M, L). The sizes have a wide enough range to fit most riders via cockpit adjustability and a massive seat post rail.
Colnago dramatically chopped down the TT1’s headtube length (frame stack height) to optimize aerodynamics, with the thought that it gives more fit flexibility.
Riders can dial in their aero position with taller aero bar riser stacks, and riser stacks result in less drag than taller frames. Plus, it allowed the TT1 to move to a completely horizontal top tube versus the K.One’s slightly sloping design.
The new carbon TT1 is disc brake-only and is only compatible with wired or wireless electronic shift groupsets. However, you can run either a 1x or 2x setup with its removable front derailleur mount.
Colnago TT1: Availability
The new TT1 is officially still in development, so it received UCI approval to allow UAE to race it as a prototype. Colnago expects some minor modifications necessary to get it through the approval process. The state consumer availability should be in the autumn of this year.
Find out more on the brand’s website.
