SIZE ::
XS M SK.ZERO COLNAGO
Bicycle efficiency can be separated into two key areas. How well the bicycle converts the power from the rider to power at the rear wheel to drive it forwards – and how well the bicycle resists being slowed down by the air it passes through as it moves. These two things are the decisive factors when it comes to efficiency. All of our bicycles are exceptionally good at turning rider power into rear wheel power, and so the main area in which Colnago could make improvements to efficiency on a new Time Trial machine was how well it resisted the drag effects of moving through air. In its most simple terms, aerodynamic drag is proportional to the square of the speed – in other words if you ride along at 20kph, and then increase your speed to 40kph you will experience four time as much drag. So having a bicycle that has a low amount of drag to begin with gives greater benefits the faster you ride. But there is a balance to be had with reducing drag on a bicycle. We could go too far and make a bicycle that no longer rides like a good bike should. And that is what we have been very careful of with the creation of the K.Zero. It rides likes a Colnago bicycle should, offering compromise performance whilst delivering increased aerodynamic performance.
The mains area we have sought to find performance increases in are the areas that cause air flow over the bicycle to be disturbed the most. We found that by controlling the air flow where we needed to, we could better control the air as it passed over other key areas of the bicycle structure. Our research focused upon the handlebar and stem area, the brake systems front and rear, and also the profiles of the tube sections being used. All of this was done within the tight restrictions put in place by the UCI – ensuring our K.Zero is fully UCI compliant for competition use. As with any bicycle where aerodynamic drag is one of the main design concerns, it is a matter of making small reductions in drag over many areas. When all of the small reductions are added together, only then can large benefits be found. This is one of the mains aspects of the K.Zero – the small details all add up to big benefits
BRAKES
The brakes are fully integrated into the fork and the frame, without compromising the structural integrity of either. With the rear cable fully enclosed to further reduce the aerodynamic drag, the rear brakes are then hidden with an aerodynamic cover which aids the conditioning of the airflow along the undersides of the chainstays.
TUBE PROFILE
Several NACA derived tube profiles were tested throughout the design process, again, all within the UCI regulations. It is the use of these profiles in both standard and modified form when viewed as a complete system that form the basis for the K.Zero chassis. The design looked at the interaction between profiles as a complete system, and not as individual tube profiles. This is an area of design flow that has always been a Colnago way of thinking. A bicycle is a complete system, not just individual parts, and as such is has to be designed from the very beginning as a complete system where all of the parts work in harmony to make the end product the best available in terms of efficiency and performance.
The term road bicycle is used to describe bicycles built for traveling at speed on paved roads. Some sources use the term to mean racing bicycle. Other sources specifically exclude racing bicycles from the definition, using the term to mean a bicycle of a similar style but built more for endurance and less the fast bursts of speed desired in a racing bicycle; as such, they usually have more gear combinations and fewer hi-tech racing features. Certain of these bicycles have been referred to as 'sportive' bicycles to distinguish them from racing bicycles.
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle (abbreviated Mtn Bike, MTB; or ATB, for all-terrain bicycle) is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain. These typically include suspension on the frame and fork, large knobby tires, more durable heavy duty wheels, more powerful brakes, and lower gear ratios needed for steep grades with poor traction.
A single-speed bicycle is a type of bicycle with a single gear ratio. These bicycles are without derailleur gears, hub gearing or other methods for varying the gear ratio of the bicycle.
