IN BRIEF
Colnago has unveiled the G5-X, a carbon gravel bike designed for racing. It takes tyres up to 53 mm in nominal width, compared with 45 mm for the G4-X, and adds integrated storage in the down tube. The geometry is longer and calmer to hold its line on fast descents. Three single-chainring SRAM XPLR builds are listed on the brand’s French website: €5,799, €6,899 and €10,999.
| Price | €5,799 (SRAM Rival XPLR), €6,899 (Force XPLR), €10,999 (Red XPLR) |
| Drivetrain | SRAM XPLR single chainring (Force XPLR E1: 13-speed, 10-46 cassette) |
| Wheels | Vision TC45 carbon (Rival, Force), Zipp 303 XPLR SW (Red) |
| Tyre clearance | 53 mm nominal width (6 mm of clearance) |
| Chainrings | 1x up to 50 teeth; in 2x, gravel chainrings or compact and super-compact road chainsets |
| Seatpost | round, 27.2 mm, potentially dropper-compatible |
| Mounts | 6 points, 3 Fidlock Twistlock included, UDH hanger |
| Head angle | 70.5° to 71.5° depending on size |
The G5-X is aimed at those who race off-road, and Colnago has focused above all on two areas: tyre clearance and high-speed handling. The new frame takes tyres of 53 mm in nominal width, with 6 mm of clearance, and hides a storage compartment in the down tube. The official product page is online on the Colnago website.
The Colnago G5-X makes room for big tyres
Escape Collective points out that the G4-X was limited to 45 mm tyres, with a geometry close to that of a road bike. The G5-X goes up to 53 mm. Colnago also claims broad drivetrain compatibility: with a single chainring, up to 50 teeth; with a double chainring, all gravel chainrings, but only compact and super-compact road chainsets.
The seatpost changes shape. Escape Collective notes that the G5-X drops the G4-X’s D-shaped post for a round 27.2 mm seatpost, which opens the door to a dropper post.
A calmer geometry at high speed
Colnago presents a revised geometry designed to hold its line better on tricky descents and rough gravel, especially at high speed. Road.cc gives the figures: a head angle of 70.5° to 71.5° depending on size, a wheelbase of 1,044 mm in size 51, a bottom bracket drop of 77.5 to 80 mm, more pronounced than on the G4-X, and a fork offset of 52 mm across all sizes, intended to make the steering livelier at low speed.
The frame is equipped for long rides: six mounting points (two standard bottle cages, one under the down tube, one on the top tube, two on the fork), three Fidlock Twistlock attachments supplied and a UDH derailleur hanger. The down tube storage can carry a pouch with tools and spare parts, which Colnago specifies is not included.
Three SRAM builds, from 5,799 to 10,999 euros
Escape Collective specifies that all three builds use single-chainring SRAM XPLR. On the French website, the Rival XPLR build with Vision TC45 carbon wheels costs €5,799, the Force XPLR with the same wheels €6,899, and the Red XPLR with Zipp 303 XPLR SW wheels €10,999. Escape Collective specifies that the Rival version gets an aluminium cockpit, and the Force the new CC.01 Wide one-piece carbon bar-stem.
