The all-new Colnago G5-X has landed – and HYPT Bike Performance is now taking pre-orders for the first UK delivery, due in December.
Forget simply updating the previous G4-X. Colnago has gone back to the drawing board and created an entirely new gravel platform, designed around the demands of modern gravel riding.
The result is the Colnago G5-X: faster, more capable and considerably more versatile, with revised geometry, huge tyre clearance, integrated storage and the kind of beautifully considered engineering you'd expect from Colnago.
Whether your idea of gravel is racing, long-distance endurance, technical off-road riding or disappearing for an all-day adventure, this is a very interesting bike.
Not a G4-X Update – An Entirely New Bike
Perhaps the most important thing to understand about the G5-X is that this isn't simply a revised G4-X.
Colnago describes the G5-X as an entirely new gravel platform, developed by looking closely at the way modern gravel bikes are actually being ridden.
And that makes sense when you look at what has changed.
Gravel riding has moved on rapidly. Bigger tyres, rougher courses and increasingly technical terrain mean today's bikes need to offer much more stability and capability without sacrificing the speed that makes a performance gravel bike exciting.
The G5-X has been designed around exactly that brief.
One Bike, A Lot of Possibilities
What makes the G5-X particularly appealing is that Colnago hasn't pushed it too far in one direction.
It's clearly a performance bike. There's Colnago racing DNA running throughout it, and the Force XPLR build with carbon wheels certainly isn't pretending otherwise.
But the 53mm tyre clearance, internal storage, multiple mounting points and dropper compatibility give it a much broader remit.
Set it up light and fast and you've got a serious gravel race machine.
Fit big tyres and tackle technical trails.
Load it up and head out for an all-day epic or multi-day adventure.
Or simply use it to link together tarmac, back roads, bridleways and gravel without worrying too much about where one surface ends and another begins.
That's arguably what a great gravel bike should be.
Up to 53mm Tyre Clearance
One of the headline changes is tyre clearance.
The new G5-X accepts tyres up to a 53mm nominal width, a significant jump from the 45mm maximum clearance of the previous G4-X.
That opens up considerably more choice when setting the bike up.
Higher-volume tyres can be run at lower pressures, increasing grip and comfort while helping the bike maintain speed across rough and broken surfaces. It also makes the G5-X much more adaptable – from fast gravel racing through to genuinely rough terrain and long-distance adventures.
The Force XPLR model comes equipped with 700x50c Pirelli Cinturato Gravel RH tyres, so Colnago is clearly expecting owners to take advantage of that increased clearance.
New Gravel-Specific Geometry
The geometry has also received serious attention.
Colnago has combined a slacker head angle and increased fork rake with a longer wheelbase and lower bottom bracket.
The aim is to create more stability when descending quickly over loose or unpredictable surfaces without making the bike feel lazy when the route becomes tight and technical.
It's an interesting balance.
The longer geometry helps the G5-X hold its line when things get fast and rough, while the increased fork rake helps retain responsive steering.
The lower bottom bracket also lowers the rider's centre of gravity, giving the bike a more planted feel – particularly useful when you're running the larger-volume tyres the G5-X has been designed around.
Carbon Designed for the Rough Stuff
There's a newly engineered carbon layup too.
Rather than chasing stiffness at all costs, Colnago has designed the G5-X frame to combine efficient power transfer with the compliance needed to take some of the sting out of broken gravel and rough tracks.
Put the power down and the bike is designed to respond immediately, but over longer distances the frame also helps manage the constant vibration that contributes to rider fatigue.
That's an important distinction for a modern gravel bike. Speed isn't simply about outright stiffness – if you're several hours into a gravel race or epic ride, reducing fatigue can be every bit as important.
Storage Inside the Frame
Another major addition is integrated downtube storage.
A removable section in the downtube gives you space inside the frame for essentials such as tools, a tube, CO₂ and puncture-repair equipment.
It's a simple idea, but an extremely useful one.
It keeps essential spares protected from mud and water while freeing your jersey pockets and removing the need to hang everything from a saddle bag.
Six Mounting Positions
The G5-X isn't restricted to short, fast gravel rides either.
There are six mounting positions, including conventional bottle locations plus additional mounting points on the top tube, underneath the downtube and on the fork.
That gives you plenty of options for carrying extra bottles, luggage or cargo for bigger days and multi-day adventures.
Colnago has also incorporated compatibility with the Fidlock Twist Lock system, with three Twist Lock mounts supplied with the bike.
It's a neat example of the G5-X's broader philosophy: build a bike capable of racing quickly, but don't limit what its owner can do with it.
Dropper-Compatible 27.2mm Seatpost
Another welcome detail is the move to a conventional 27.2mm round seatpost.
Aside from offering some additional compliance, the standard round format gives riders far more freedom when choosing aftermarket components and potentially allows the G5-X to be fitted with a dropper post.
For riders tackling genuinely technical gravel and steep off-road descents, that's becoming an increasingly attractive option.
COLNAGO G5X BLUE - SRAM FORCE XPLR
COLNAGO G5X GREEN - SRAM FORCE XPLR
Colnago G5-X Pre-Orders Now Open at HYPT Bike Performance
HYPT Bike Performance is now taking pre-orders for the new Colnago G5-X.
Our first allocation is due to arrive in the UK in December, so if you'd like to be among the first riders on the new G5-X, we'd recommend speaking to us now about securing your bike.
We can advise on frame sizing, specification and setup, as well as helping you configure the bike around the type of riding you actually intend to do.
From fast gravel racing to long-distance adventures, we'll make sure your G5-X is properly set up for you from day one.
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