Colnago has launched a brand new gravel bike called the G3x. Strongly resembling the V3Rs race bike launched earlier this year, the G3x is aimed at "both gravel and long distance road riding".
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Colnago hasn't provided a great deal of detail about the new G3x, but it looks for all the world as though the bike's designers started with the V3Rs, adjusted the geometry a bit, enlarged clearances and added some gravel-specific frame protection.
For a size 52s (sloping), the G3x has 20mm longer chainstays compared to the V3Rs at 430 (presumably for tyre clearance) and 13mm more stack for a figure of 573mm.
The G3x follows industry trends by going slightly longer than its road counterpart for a reach of 390mm on a 52s, 6mm more than V3Rs. It's designed to take a correspondingly shorter stem, with Colnago estimating that riders will typically run one around 10 to 20mm shorter than they would on a road bike.
Colnago's press release notes that the G3x's bottom bracket is lower too, although at 72mm (just 2mm more than all but the smallest three sizes of V3Rs) it's likely to be cancelled out by the larger rolling diameter of gravel tyres. It does contrast with the Prestige cyclocross bike, however, which gets a drop of 68mm across all sizes.
Generally speaking, a lower bottom bracket is desirable because it lowers the bike and rider's centre of gravity, but it does come at the expense of ground clearance, and increases the likelihood of pedal strikes.
The G3x is designed to accept tyres up to 700×42mm or 650b×47mm, which seems to be pretty standard these days on gravel bikes at the racier end of the spectrum.
It uses hidden seat wedge design that appears identical to that of the V3Rs, but adds rubbery protection to the driveside chainstay and the vulnerable lower portion of the down tube and bottom bracket shell.
It looks like there are also bosses on the top tube for bento box style accessories and an extra set of cage bosses on the down tube.
The G3x will be available in a single build in the UK, kitted out with RX-810 (Ultegra mechanical level) components from Shimano's new GRX gravel-specific range, plus finishing kit from Deda and Prologo, and Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H 40mm tyres.
This will cost £4,299.95 and is expected to be available in the next few weeks. Pricing in other territories is to be confirmed.
