Colnago G4-X

If you have a bike that’s winning everything in sight on the road, why not take the same formula off-road? That’s exactly what Colnago has just done with this week's Bike of the Week, the new G4-X.

This bike channels everything the legendary brand has learnt from its WorldTour wins with Tadej Pogačar and mixes it up with its successes in cyclo-cross with the likes of Silvia Persico and Ryan Kamp. The G4-X is the bike that Colnago’s gravel racing team, the Club of Aces, will be riding to attack the biggest events in the UCI Gravel Racing Series, starting with the Traka in Girona. Joining them this weekend were Signature's Abraham and Andrés, taking on the 200k and 360k races respectively.

With geometry inspired by the Colnago V4RS of UAE Team Emirates and Team ADQ, the G4-X has revised steering compared to the previous G3-X, a more compact cockpit and an increased reach for a longer, more aero riding position. Compared to the G3-X, the new bike has more tire clearance – up to 45mm from 40mm – allowing wider wheels and higher-volume rubber to improve rolling resistance over rough ground. It also features a redesigned seatpost clamp that improves comfort and reduces the chance of slippage under high impact conditions.

Handling, lightness, downhill rideability, stability and frame responsiveness are all vital qualities of the new G4-X. And of course, with a frame silhouette derived from its road-going counterpart, aerodynamics.

It’s clear this is a bike designed for high performance, but Colnago underlines that the G4-X cannot be defined by just one metric. Instead, it’s the result of balancing many factors that combine to supply the ultimate off-road riding experience.

The Colnago G4-X is compatible with all electronic and mechanical groupsets, both 2x and 1x, and can be used with UDH, the universal derailleur hanger standard for thru-axles designed by SRAM. The bottom bracket is the oversized, threaded T47 type for reliability and serviceability.

For long-distance racing the frame has four riveted mounting points – two in the standard bottle cage locations, one on the top tube and another on the underside of the down tube.

There are three liveries inspired by the natural terrain in which the G4-X is designed to excel. The one featured here are our Bike of the Week is a gorgeous gloss green (Colnago code PIGR) with silhouettes of pine trees that recalls woodland trails. There’s also distinctive yellow (code MYTL) with contours around the logo that echo the dirt road; and a shiny blue (ICBL) with dark blue texturing and a silver logo to reflect ice and snow.

There are three stock builds available and this is the top one – SRAM Red XPLR with Zipp 303S wheels. It has a gravel-dedicated version of Colnago’s CC.01 integrated cockpit that incorporates extra flare. The other two are Force XPLR with Fulcrum Rapid Red 500 DB wheels and Shimano GRX 820 2x with Fulcrum Rapid Red 900 DB.

So, how did it do when faced with the Traka, the formidable and epic gravel race?

"I think the perfect gravel bike doesn’t exist, because on gravel, there are so many variables in preference that can affect the “perfect” bike. However, the new Colnago G4-X has all the qualities of a gravel bike that will make it perfect for me. It is light, it is fast, it is stiff and very responsive. It is a bike that is designed for speed and performance, the type of bike I prefer for racing gravel, and it was the perfect ally to help me take on “The Traka”.

The bike responded perfectly, it felt like my race bike but on gravel, it was also stable for cornering and the trail of the bike made it feel playable and fun to ride. It definitely made my experience at The Traka a lot more enjoyable, it made me feel like a better rider. It also resembles the shape of the bike that Tadej Pogačar is racing with the team UEA, with clean lines and thick tubes to sustain the abuse of the gravel.

It might not have the cargo capabilities or storage like others but to me, it had everything needed to provide me with a fantastic gravel experience. My deepest appreciation to Colnago for allowing us to test and race this beautiful bike at The Traka, it was a wonderful experience” — Abraham

There are five sloping sizes available – 450, 480, 520, 540 and 570.

The Colnago G4-X will be available from the second half of June, with only the Club of Aces racing it from May. Prepare to see a lot more wins for Colnago.