Nathan Haas’s throwback Colnago G3-X might be the coolest bike at Unbound Gravel

This throwback-style Colnago paint job takes inspiration from Kansas for gravel cycling's premier event.

Unbound Gravel, the biggest event in gravel cycling, is not until this weekend, but we may have already found the coolest bike in the race.

Nathan Haas will line up Saturday in Emporia, Kansas, aboard a custom Colnago G3-X with styling inspired by both 1990s paint jobs from the Italian brand and the state of Kansas. It’s the second of five custom G3-X bikes Colnago will be creating this year for its athletes.

“It’s the biggest race on the US calendar,” Haas told VeloNews, “so we sat down with Colnago and thought, ‘let’s think back to the last time Colnago was exceptionally cool, rad.’ We thought that the early 1990s, with the acid wash, color fade for the bike, and the iconic rider on the top tube would be a really fun throwback.”

In addition to the blue-yellow fade paint, Colnago has included a chrome fork and chain and seat stays as another nod to its paint schemes of the ’90s.

As well as tapping into Colnago’s history, the bike celebrates the state of Kansas, where Unbound takes place. The blue and yellow color scheme comes from the Kansas state flag, and the state motto “ad astra per aspera,” meaning “to the stars through difficulties,” adorns the top tube.

The result is a bike that calls to mind classic Colnago team bikes of decades past, while creating something new. “We’ve combined elements of the past with a futuristic gravel bike,” said Haas.

We got a closer look at Haas’s G3-X, which, despite the paint, is a fully modern gravel racing machine.

Specification:

  • Groupset: Campagnolo EKAR
  • Wheels: Campagnolo Shamal
  • Chainring: 42T
  • Cassette: 9-42T
  • Crank length: 170mm
  • Tires: Vittoria Tirreno Dry 38
  • Saddle: Fizik 3D printed Antares Versus EVO R3 Adaptive