Colnago's E64 e-bike does not look like an e-bike

Colnago's E64 e-bike does not look like an e-bike

E-assisted version of C64 road bike built around Ebikemotion hub-based motor

From the outside, it's hard to tell the new Colnago E64 is an electric bike at all

Colnago

Jack Luke

Published: March 28, 2019 at 3:15 pm
From the outside, it's hard to tell the new Colnago E64 is an electric bike at all - Colnago
The e-bike system is controlled via a button behind the top tube - Colnago
The bike is available in one build - Colnago
Is this a sullying of the club marque or fair game? - Colnago

Colnago has today launched the E64, an e-assisted version of that resembles the C64, the Italian brand’s latest race bike.

The E64 is built around an Ebikemotion motor, which can deliver up to 250 watts of assistance. This is a hub-based system, which is connected to a battery that is stored in the down tube. An additional external auxiliary battery can be added to boost range.

The e-bike system is controlled via a button behind the top tube
The e-bike system is controlled via a button behind the top tube - Colnago

The motor is controlled by a button that is moulded into the top of the top tube just behind the head tube. This system is also used in Orbea’s Gain e-road bike. We rode a prototype version of this system back in 2017 and found it quite intuitive to use.

The whole system is claimed to weigh 3.7kg, bringing the total claimed weight of the bike to 12kg in an unspecified size.

Further information on range and battery life is not specified.

Despite its looks, the bike doesn't actually use the same lugged tube-to-tube construction as the C64 — the frame is just painted to mimic the Colnago's signature construction method. With that said, unless you’re looking closely, it’s honestly hard to differentiate the E64 from a regular non-assisted bike.

Colnago E64 specs

The bike is available in one build
The bike is available in one build - Colnago

So far, the bike is only available in one Ultegra R8050 Di2-based build.

  • Frameset: Colnago E64
  • Seatpost: Colnago C64 aero seatpost
  • Handlebars: Deda Zero RHM alloy
  • Stem: Deda Zero 1
  • Saddle: Prologo Proxim W450
  • Wheelset: Mavic Aksium Elite EVO UST EBM
  • Tyres: Continental Ultra Sport II 28mm
  • Groupset: Shimano Ultegra R8050 Di2, 34/50 crankset, 11-30 cassette
  • E-bike system: Ebikemotion 36v 250w

Pricing and availability information was not available at the time of writing but we’ll update this story as soon as we have this.

Is this a sullying of the club marque or fair game?
Is this a sullying of the club marque or fair game? - Colnago

What do you think of the E64? Is Colnago right to cash in on the undoubtedly massive electric bike market or is this an unacceptable sullying of the legendary club marque? As always, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Jack Luke

Deputy editor

Jack Luke is the deputy editor at BikeRadar and has been fettling with bikes for his whole life. Always in search of the hippest new niche in cycling, Jack is a self-confessed gravel dork, fixie-botherer, tandem-evangelist and hill climb try hard. Jack thinks nothing of bikepacking after work to sleep in a ditch or taking on a daft challenge for the BikeRadar YouTube channel. He is also a regular contributor to the BikeRadar podcast. With a near encyclopaedic knowledge of cycling tech, ranging from the most esoteric retro niche to the most cutting-edge modern kit, Jack takes pride in his ability to seek out stories that would otherwise go unreported. He is also particularly fond of tan-wall tyres, dynamo lights, cup and cone bearings, and skids. Jack has been writing about and testing bikes for more than six years now, has a background working in bike shops for years before that, and is regularly found riding a mix of weird and wonderful machines. Jack can also often be seen zooming about with his partner aboard their beloved tandem.
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