Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada, and a past host of the Single Speed Cyclocross World Championships — a weekend of general debauchery and outlandish costumes aboard, well, single speed cyclocross bikes.
The city is also home to a particularly well-kept example of Colnago’s recent ventures into carbon fiber: the Colnago Extreme Power road bike, owned by commercial photographer, Geoff Robson.
Geoff didn’t race at the SSCXWC, but he was there with a camera in hand. He shoots mainly with film, and his coverage of the event is well worth checking out. The Extreme Power was Geoff’s dream bike, as it was designed for the big, fast power-rider that he is.
“I saw the frame at Straight Up Cycles where my friend worked,” Geoff says. “It belonged to the owner of the shop, and wasn’t for sale. The first time I saw the frame on the wall, I wanted it. It hung there for a couple of years, until one day my friend sent me a text message and told me that the owner decided to sell it. I told him to consider it sold.”
Geoff then spent the next six months collecting parts for the ultimate build. The first piece of the puzzle was Campagnolo’s titanium eleven-speed Super Record gruppo. After that, he acquired 3T Ergosum bars, an ARX-Team stem, and a Dorico Seatpost, Fizik Arione Carbon saddle and Look Keo Blade pedals.
Geoff continues: “I hand-built two set of wheels for it: a set of Reynolds Assault carbon tubulars were built to Chris King R45s, which matched the frame colour, spot on. And a set of Easton EA-90SLX wheels, which I built with a Powertap 3G hub for training.
“It was my first carbon framed bike, so compared to my steel frame Pinarello which was smooth and luxurious and handled like a classic sports car, the Colnago is fast, snappy and aggressive. You stand on the pedals and it just goes; it descends like it’s on rails. The ride is exhilarating.”
Victoria sounds like a good home for the Extreme Power: “I’ve enjoyed taking it on long relaxed rides along the ocean front on warm summer days, and climbing the steep rolling hills and twisting technical descents that surround Victoria.
“There’s one particular single-lane road in the highlands of Victoria that flows like a roller coaster: tight, fast and technical. Everyone who’s ridden it will know exactly what road I’m talking about without even naming it. Victoria really is a cycling paradise. We can ride year-round, and it’s easy to find roads with few cars.