This Rare and Stunning Italian Road Bike Won’t Stick Around for Long

Honoring the brand’s 70th anniversary, Colnago’s Steelnovo is a breathtaking blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published November 20, 2024

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Updated November 20, 2024

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Reaching 70 years — of age or business — is no small feat. So forgive Colnago if its celebration of this particular milestone is a bit more ambitious than balloons and cake.

The Steelnovo is unique in both its materials and its craftsmanship. All the components come from specialized suppliers based in Italy, and these bikes aren’t coming off an assembly line. It requires one full working day to produce a single unit.

Instead, the icon of Italian cycling — and supplier to the rider who has won three of the past five Tours de France — has rolled out a steel-framed bike that simultaneously honors its illustrious heritage and incorporates modern innovation.

Bonus: The Colnago Steelnovo Settanta, aka the Steelnovo, looks downright gorgeous, too.

colnago steelnovo beauty shot — Dunno about you, but we can see Dave Stoller losing his mind over this one.

Historical florishes

The Steelnovo is unique in both its materials and its craftsmanship. All the components come from specialized suppliers based in Italy, and these bikes aren’t coming off an assembly line. It requires one full working day to produce a single unit.

When it comes to recognizing the Cambiago-based brand’s roots, this bike nods to them in a couple of key ways. First off is the simple fact that, in a bike world drowning in carbon fiber, the frame is steel.

colnago steelnovo handlebars — Campagnolo is a historic Colnago partner … that just happens to make fantastic wireless groupsets today.

This material is not only fundamental to bicycles, historically, but also it was Colnago’s go-to material until the late ’90s, by which point it had such classic models as the Super (1968), the Mexico (1972), the Master (1982), and the Arabesque (1983) under its belt.

The Steelnovo also reps the past with its incorporation of a couple of longtime Colnago partners, Columbus and Campagnolo. The former, which has helped develop custom tube shapes and even proprietary molds over the years, supplies the bike’s tubes.

steelnovo map — This map of Northern Italy showing all the suppliers got us thinking: Which country could make the best bike using only parts from its own brands? But that’s a story for another day. And the answer is probably Italy.

The latter, which is itself an icon of Italian cycling, introduces specially customized versions of its latest innovations to this particular bike: the Campagnolo Super Record Wireless groupset and the Bora Ultra WTO wheelset.

In addition to these brands, several other Italian stalwarts play a role, including Pirelli, Selle Royal, Carbon-Ti and Additiva.

Contemporary features

It should be noted that Colnago did not set out to make a museum piece. While we don’t doubt that a good number of the 70 $18,000 units the brand is producing will end up on display rather than on the road, they have the chops for actual use.

Thanks to Additiva’s 3D-printed lugs, the tubes connect seamlessly with each other while also incorporating internal cable routing, custom nylon headset components and a seat post-clamp system integrated with the seat stays.

colnago steelnovo seatpost — The seamless craftsmanship here is easy to miss — in fact, that’s kind of the point.

The carbon fiber fork is lean, mean and ready to race. Boasting modern geometry, the frame and fork can accommodate tires up to 35mm, wide enough for reliable grip and comfort in a variety of conditions.

Meanwhile, an oversized bottom bracket increases stiffness to boost response during acceleration, and a UDH Rear Dropout Standard is compatible with all current electric groupsets.

As for the chainrings, the bike features Campagnolo 32/48 special limited edition custom Colnago x Campagnolo Sprockets: 12-speed, 10-29t. Pirelli P Zero Race tires won’t hold you back while disc brakes — 160 front / 140 rear — will, when needed.

colnago steelnovo derailleur — This Campy derailleur should prove as smooth to shift as it is stunning to behold.

A Brooks Cambium C13 seat, Colnago CC.01 and Carbon-Ti custom Colnago thru-axles, handlebar caps and bottle cage screws round out the premium components.

The bike is available in seven sizes — 420, 455, 485, 510, 530, 550, 570 — and features a brand’s logo 3D-printed in relief on the front as well as Ace of Club logos on the thru-axles and handlebar caps. Because if you actually do ride this beauty around town, you sure as hell want people to know who made it.

Availability and pricing

The Colnago Steelnovo Settanta is available now in seven different sizes for (gulp) $18,000. Only 70 units are being produced, so it’s not something to snooze on for long.