Colnago C35 equipped with Campagnolo Super Record gold: it is not only an artwork, but it is also a milestone in the history of cycling technology. It was produced in 1989, as a commemorative model created in celebration of Colnago’s 35th anniversary. Developed from the work with Ferrari Engineering, it was one of the first frames to be manufactured using a carbon fiber composite and was equipped out with a gold-plated Campagnolo Super Record groupset.
How Colnago C35 was born
Italian luxury sports car manufacturer Ferrari began using carbon fiber in their Formula One chassis during the 80s. In 1986, aware of the importance of gaining knowledge on materials outside of the bicycle industry, Ernesto Colnago met with Enzo Ferrari to discuss the idea of working together. An enthusiastic Enzo Ferrari told him: “Do you want to work with carbon fiber, this is a good idea: it will be the future.”
The C35 frame itself was manufactured at the Colnago factory in Cambiago (Italy) under the experienced guidance of Ferrari. The Ferrari Engineering badge is seen on the downtube of this C35, and it’s also visible on the legendary, exceptionally comfortable Selle Italia Novus saddle. To stand out from all the other C35s on the road, however, you really need an all-over mural of a Ferrari F50; enjoying a moonlit mountain road on the drive side, and carousing the beachside promenade on the other.
The Colnago C35 was liveried as stock in Rosso Corsa or black, but one enthusiastic owner decided to take Italian flamboyance to another level with a custom paint job.
Sources
- Colnago official website
- Alto de l’Angliru: the hardest climb in cycling’s Grand Tours - September 13, 2023
- Complete List of UCI Elite Men Road Race World Champions - August 6, 2023
- Tour de France Winner Groupsets [Year by Year, from 1937 to 2023] - July 23, 2023
