The new Colnago G3-X, dubbed "Purple Rain," solves a problem many of us have experienced. Anyone who spends any amount of time riding is bound to experience some degree of burnout. You've already conquered that distance and achieved the average speed you wanted, so how do you find the motivation to do it again?"

For Nathan Haas, that feeling is exacerbated by the level he has been riding.

For the past decade, Haas has fought and trained at the pinnacle of road racing. When he retired from that racing career, he chose not to ride off into the sunset. Instead, when he retired from Cofidis in 2021, he saw it as an opportunity to return to his off-road racing roots. With the support of sponsors Colnago, Campagnolo, and Deda, Haas jumped into gravel racing in 2022.

In making this transition, he leveraged these sponsors to do exactly what many of us do when we seek new inspiration. Is there anything more exciting than a new bike day?" Except when you have a successful racing career and world-class sponsors, you can move on to even bigger goals. Haas clearly understands this and has come up with the "Full Circle" concept: five bikes in five different color schemes to mark a return to the dirt tracks of his early career. Not just any bikes, but five special bikes with the best products and paint jobs that will stand out like no other in five different gravel racing fields.

At Unbound, Haas rode the Art Deco-themed G3-X. Says Nicolas Rosin, CEO of Colnago: "Working with Nathan gave us the freedom to unleash one of Colnago's traditions: the creative power of color. This latest creation, Purple Rain, is truly unique. We liked it so much that the idea was born. It will be revealed soon, but stay tuned." I was left speechless when they brought this Purple Rain to my attention. I can't believe that Colnago has managed to combine incredible aesthetics with excellent technical performance. I am as happy as a child. This bike is built with passion, built to win, and beautiful. I am literally in love with it.

For this bike, Castelli offers a complete package. This is no different than the other bikes in the "full circle" project, but designer Richard Pierce once again worked with Colnago and Castelli to put together a "total look" design. The kit matches the bike and Castelli's technical experience provides inspiration; the SBT GRVL will run 230 km at an altitude of 2,800 m, and Haas will once again tackle the highest gravel races.

Under its unique paint scheme, the G3-X is the same highly capable gravel bike that Colnago debuted in late 2019. The gravel-focused offering takes its cues from the cyclocross-focused Prestige, but features a number of frame details that are true to its purpose as a long-distance gravel grinder. Tire clearance has been increased to provide room for large 700 x 42c tires. In addition to gravel-specific details, the frame features subtle geometry enhancements that prioritize high-speed stability and ride comfort on gravel surfaces. The wheels and drivetrain are Campagnolo, paired with Vittoria tires, Fizik bar tape as described in our gravel bar tape buying guide, Fizik Vento Ferox carbon shoes, Fizik saddle, and Deda stem and handlebars.

Scroll through the gallery of Haas' latest bikes below.