The Colnago C72 Shimano Di2 Custom Bike brings together two of the most trusted names in road cycling — a handmade Italian lugged carbon frame limited to 3,000 units per year, and Shimano's Di2 electronic shifting system that has defined the standard for drivetrain reliability in professional and amateur road cycling alike. The result is a road bike that performs at the highest level and demands almost nothing from the rider mechanically.

The C-Series has been the most sold bike series at RA Cycles across our history. The C72 continues that lineage — a balanced road platform built for cyclists who want genuine speed, genuine comfort, and a bike that improves with every ride rather than fighting against you.

Lugged Carbon Construction — Handmade in Italy

The C72 frame is built from seven separate carbon tubes bonded into distinct lugs — the construction method Colnago has refined across the entire C-Series. Each tube section can be laid up independently, giving Colnago precise control over stiffness and compliance in every part of the frame. The ride character this produces is one of the C-Series' defining traits: responsive and planted at the same time, with a quality that full-monocoque frames rarely match.

For 2026, each lug junction is finished with a panel gap detail that Colnago describes in automotive terms — a visible, precise join between tube and lug that rewards inspection and signals the level of attention built into every frame. The frameset weighs 895 grams in size 48.5, 30 grams lighter than the C68, and is made entirely by hand in Cambiago, Italy. The name C72 marks the 72nd year of Colnago's existence since Ernesto founded the brand in 1954.

Geometry, Ride Character & Clearance

The C72 uses a slightly higher stack-to-reach ratio than the C68, arriving at a geometry that's genuinely fast without being demanding. It's not a race-position-only bike — it's a bike that rewards both aggressive riders and riders who want sustainable speed across longer rides. The two are not mutually exclusive on the C72, which is why it appeals to such a wide range of serious road cyclists.

Tire clearance runs to 35mm on standard 700c wheels, giving you the full range of modern road tire options from 25mm race rubber to 32mm training tires without changing anything about the frame. Axle standards are 12x100mm front and 12x142mm rear thru-axle with flat mount disc brakes. Seven sizes are available: 42, 45.5, 48.5, 51, 53, 55, and 57cm. Colors at RA Cycles: HFRD (Black/Red), HFWS (Black/Silver/White), HFBK (Black Glossy/Matte), and HFTB (Blue/Light Blue).

CC.02 Integrated Cockpit & Down Tube Storage

The C72 includes the CC.02 integrated carbon handlebar and stem — 15 grams lighter than the previous CC.01 with a revised drop curve and increased flare at the drops. Sizing is proportional to the frame, and all cables route internally through the cockpit and frame for a clean, aerodynamically tidy front end. The fork is a full carbon monocoque disc unit with a 1-1/8" steerer and fully integrated cable routing.

The down tube features a flush-mounted storage compartment housing a pouch with a mini ratchet wrench, CO2 cartridge inflator, and TPU inner tube. Bottle cages sit flush with the frame. These details exist so that a long ride on the C72 is self-sufficient — without adding bags or disrupting the Italian silhouette of the bike.

BSA 68 Bottom Bracket — Clean Shimano Compatibility

The C72 uses a BSA 68mm threaded bottom bracket shell — the traditional standard that Shimano's threaded BBs were designed for. Shimano's sealed threaded bottom brackets install directly into the C72's BSA shell without adapters, delivering the creak-free, long-service reliability that BSA threading is known for. There are no press-fit tolerances to manage, no noise after wet rides, and no reason to think about the bottom bracket again after it's installed.

Shimano Di2 — Choosing Your Tier

At RA Cycles, we build the C72 with Shimano Di2 across three tiers. Dura-Ace R9200 Di2 is Shimano's flagship road groupset — the lightest components in the Di2 lineup, the most refined shift quality, and the drivetrain trusted by professional road teams worldwide. Ultegra R8100 Di2 is the tier we recommend most often for serious road cyclists: the performance difference between Ultegra and Dura-Ace is narrow in real-world riding, but the price difference is meaningful, and that margin is better spent on wheels or fit. 105 R7100 Di2 brings Shimano's electronic shifting to a more accessible starting point — the right choice for riders stepping into Di2 for the first time or optimizing budget across the whole build.

All three tiers share the same Di2 battery and wiring architecture, the same shift logic, and the same fundamental reliability that made Shimano Di2 the benchmark for electronic road drivetrains. Your build consultant will work through tier selection, cassette range, rotor size, and wheel pairing based on how you ride and what you're building toward.

Building Your C72 at RA Cycles

RA Cycles has been an authorized Colnago dealer since 1976, and the C-Series has been the most sold bike series in our store's history. When you build a C72 with us, you work with a team that has built this platform many times and knows it in detail — from frame sizing to Di2 tier selection to wheel specification. Every build is configured for the rider receiving it, not assembled from a generic spec.

The C72 ships as a custom build. Contact us to begin the build process, discuss configuration, and confirm availability.

Key Specs

Frame: Lugged carbon construction, seven-tube bonded assembly, handmade in Italy | Weight: 895g (size 48.5, unpainted) | Bottom Bracket: BSA 68mm threaded | Fork: Full carbon monocoque disc, integrated cables, 1-1/8" steerer | Tire Clearance: 35mm (700c) | Cockpit: CC.02 integrated carbon handlebar and stem (included) | Storage: Down tube compartment with tools pouch | Axles: 12x100mm front / 12x142mm rear | Brakes: Flat mount disc | Sizes: 42, 45.5, 48.5, 51, 53, 55, 57cm | Colors at RA: HFRD, HFWS, HFBK, HFTB | Production: Limited to 3,000 frames/year