Ok, so first ride with C68.
First of all, why I considered this bike in the first place. For me, C64 was my first high-end bike. I still recall my first ride with it and switching from Canyon ultimate to the C64 felt like switchin from Volkswagen to a Rolls Royce. C64 had an amazing ride quality , plush , comfortable ride, very stable in descents (compared to nervous canyon) and was a pleasant ride experience in general. It did not feel particularly fast or aggressive, it was just an extremely suiting bike. Like a tailored suit from high end italian wool.
When C68 came out, I was at first disappointed by the loss of exposed lug design, but when i saw the bike in real life, it has grown on me and I have decided to order it back in the fall of 2023. For me, it would feel like a sacrilege to equip it with anything else than full italian build (lets be honest to ourselves, bikes are also a fashion acessory for most of us cyclists) and went with Super record wireless, together with bora wto ultras.
My previous C64 was size 52s (i am 182 cm tall) and matching equivalent for 68 is size 51. Bike is a little bit longer and has significantly lower frontal part. Seattube has however steeper angle so it more or less compensate for increase in top tube length. In order to compensate for lower stack, I had to add 1.5-2cm of extra spacers to achieve same fit. I will see after couple of rides, whether to cut steerer tube or keep it this length.
Ok so first impressions...
Boy this bike feels fast. It is incredibly stiff around the bottom bracket. Not that C64 was gummy or what but this is completely different. Bike invites you to stand up and start sprinting. You really do feel that every single watt you put into pedals is transferred to the drivetrain. This one thing really blew me away. The way this bike pushes you further and dares you to pedal harder with rewarding increase in speed makes you really smile. Stiffness around bottom bracket can be compared to stiffest Dogmas without adding any jittery characteristics to the ride quality.
The rear seatstay does not have any more the Colnago "magic carpet" ride feel but it doesnt feel unconfortable or harsh at all. Part of this is definitely caused by larger tires (28 compared to 25 on C64). I presume that other part of the comfortable characteristic of the ride comes from shorter seat tube that exposes larger part of the seatpost that is allowed to flex and make ride a bit more comfortable. I did not feel any difference when it comes to aerodynamics but i guess loss of lugs adds you a watt or two.
Steerinq characteristic is very similar to the old C64. Bike feels very well positioned on the road, feels stable but not lazy or difficult to handle. I personally like the way C68 handles much more than for example Specialized SL8. I find CC01 integrated cocpit to be fitting. I have it with 41cm width and 11cm "stem" length (previously 42 and 11 on C64). Position on the hoods as well as on the drops is comfortable.
As for the groupset. Aesthetics is very subjective but one does have to admit that SR WRL is a chunky groupset. Especially rear derailleur. This is true mostly when it is in the smallest cog when the mass of the derailleur is really evident. Once you shift some gears up to the middle of the cassette and derailleur arm stretches out a bit, it starts to look much less bulky. My general complaint towards the design of the groupset is that it feels a bit boring. Last generation with red accents felt a little bit more special. I do understand that Campagnolo probably wanted the design to be more "general" and matching to the different frame coulour schemes, but to me it looks a bit "bland"
When it comes for shifting performance. Everything works as it should. Starting with the ergonomics, I got immediately used to the new shifting scheme and did not miss the thumb shifter at all. What i had to do is to switch gearing logic in the campy app with upper button shifting to smaller cog and lower button shifting to larger cog, which seems more logical to me, however this is a matter of personal preference and can be adjusted in the app quickly.
I also do like shape of the hoods more than previous generation, they are a bit longer and fit better to larger palms. However, the buttons for shifting are quite a way down from the hoods. This is not an issue if you are an average sized or taller man (just right distance for me) , but if you are a shorter or a woman with smaller hands, definitely try it before buying as you may struggle reaching for the shifter buttons. The buttons themselves are well shaped and separated from each other. Unless you wear very thick winter mittens I dont really see a possibility for misshifting.
Shifting performance is very good. I did not notice significant change from previous Campy EPS with rear derailleur performance. But when it comes to front derailleur there is definitely a huge improvement. Shifts are super smooth and I would not hesitate that front derailleur shifting is best in class. Not that rear is bad in any way, but I do not see huge difference compared to latest generation of DI2. Front derailleur shifting is where Campy outshines competition.
Boras Ultra WTO are a very nice wheel set but as I rode Boras WTO on C64 there is no perceivable change in ride quality. They are just a little bit more bling and lose few grams.
Bicycle weighted without pedals but with 2 tune bottle cages and aluminium wahoo mount is 6.65 KG (with PU tubes - Pirelli smarttube) which for me is very good. My was just above 6.8 without pedals. Most of the weight savings comes from wheelset but i guess loss of cables saves you few grams as well. My frame is full gloss , so with matte naked carbon colour scheme, Im pretty sure weight would be somerwhere around 6.5 kg, touching 6.8 UCI limit with pedals, so this bike is definitely not an anvil.
To make a summary. This bike is a very fun , fast bike to ride that really challenges you to step out of the saddle and push hard without being uncomfortable or harsh. If you can afford it, it rewards you with perfect handling, comfortable ride and fast feel. It certainly isnt a TT machine but definitely has lots of aero qualities too.
Weight: 9/10
Handling: 9/10
Comfort: 8.5/10
Power transfer: 9.5/10
Aeroness: 8/10
Price/Added value: 6/10
