Best high end Road bike bargain you have ever seen?

[BroDeal]

Cool. It comes in a total of four--count 'em, FOUR--sizes. Hey, remember back in the day when a quality frame meant it came in increments of 1 centimeter? Of course back then there were stems sold in 5mm increments. Ain't progress grand.

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

Cool. It comes in a total of four--count 'em, FOUR--sizes. Hey, remember back in the day when a quality frame meant it came in increments of 1 centimeter? Of course back then there were stems sold in 5mm increments. Ain't progress grand.

Yeah, that's why we ride custom!

What are you looking at? M10 is 8 sizes, C59 is 22.

 

[BroDeal]

Yeah, that's why we ride custom!

What are you looking at? M10 is 8 sizes, C59 is 22.

I am looking at Durian's great deal. Four sizes: S, M, L, XL.

Luckily there is a $600 Nashbar carbon frame that comes in 5 sizes.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_543482_-1___202389

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

I am looking at Durian's great deal. Four sizes: S, M, L, XL.

Luckily there is a $600 Nashbar carbon frame that comes in 5 sizes.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_543482_-1___202389

How's the almighty Moots doing? You ready for a disk brake road bike yet?

 

[42x16ss]

Cool. It comes in a total of four--count 'em, FOUR--sizes. Hey, remember back in the day when a quality frame meant it came in increments of 1 centimeter? Of course back then there were stems sold in 5mm increments. Ain't progress grand.

Interesting you noticed that. Azzuri are starting to turn over more of these bikes and a lot of people buying them tend to be new(ish) to the sport and are really looking at value for money first and foremost. The result is most Azzuri riders I have seen are in rather poor positions. No excuses really, even Giant and Merida do 5/6 frame sizes.

 

[simo1733]

From what I understand you can get a mold made for $10,000.4 or 5 sizes is ridiculous.

 

[42x16ss]

Especially when the Cannondale ranges and mid priced Colnagos come in 8 sizes and mid price Pinarello's come in 10 (iirc).

 

[kuoirad]

How's the almighty Moots doing? You ready for a disk brake road bike yet?

Road disk....want.... *drools*

Stupid money...

 

[ElChingon]

Still no super deals :?

Looks like no Xmas gifts for you naughty kids.

 

[biker jk]

Giant is probably producing the M10 if past history is any indication.

Yes, Giant do produce the M10, along with the CX-1 and CLX-3. Which begs the question of why these frames cost so much more than a Giant? I don't believe it's R&D or marketing, since Giant would spend significantly on these. Possibly due to low production runs by Colnago versus Giant but that's only a small part of the price difference. The rest is branding (perceived versus real superiority in quality).

 

[FignonLeGrand]

Before you go slapping each other on the back, you can't compare Toyota or any other auto to Trek, a freaking bicycle. I had the unfortunate pleasure of working at two Trek dealers, by far some of the worst QC for a big brand.

Well thats handy because I never did that. My observation related to your sweeping statement regarding volume and quality. Of course a high volume brand can also be high volume rubbish, crp in, crp out

 

[FignonLeGrand]

Trek, Giant, Cannondale Specialized, Azzuri etc give lifetime warranty cos they believe in their product.

Colnago don't give lifetime warranty cos they don't believe in their product.

Pretty straight forward to me. The Ernesto fanboyz make some interesting theories though.

Cervelo gave me a lifetime warranty a fact I was very happy about when the bottom bracket insert fell out. My new Storck (nice dealer said I could choose any frame of replacement value) doesnt. I hope I am not proven wrong however I dont expect the bottom bracket to fall out.

I have a Wilson from the 60s, a Raleigh from the 70s, a Vitus from the 80s and a Gazelle from the 90s none ever offered a lifetime warranty because there was no need to provide marketing gimmicks as part of their value propositiion. Lifetime warranty is simple you throw it out there, most people never need it for the few who do you can easily swallow the cost and it looks good on a brochure. Colnago dont have a lifetime warranty becuase they dont need to, probably they can sell the volume they produce.

On the orther side of the arguement Colnago have probably never had a recall in part because they are not US based and sht scared of liability and being sued.

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

Well thats handy because I never did that. My observation related to your sweeping statement regarding volume and quality. Of course a high volume brand can also be high volume rubbish, crp in, crp out

You used an automotive comparison when we're talking about the bike industry. Doesn't work. High volume DOES usually mean lower quality in this industry. Go work for a distributer and tell us what you find.

 

[FignonLeGrand]

You used an automotive comparison when we're talking about the bike industry. Doesn't work. High volume DOES usually mean lower quality in this industry. Go work for a distributer and tell us what you find.

yeah ok but it is a high end thread, Im sure you are not comparing decathlon to Colnago. Having seen your posts and name etc I might assume you are a camagnolo devotee, as I am. Shimano however are high volume and quality, no?

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

yeah ok but it is a high end thread, Im sure you are not comparing decathlon to Colnago. Having seen your posts and name etc I might assume you are a camagnolo devotee, as I am. Shimano however are high volume and quality, no?

Comparing frames, high end of course, not parts. Shimano makes excellent fishing reels btw. You speak as if we haven't spoken before. I'm not new to the forum, look at my signature.

 

[simo1733]

Yes, Giant do produce the M10, along with the CX-1 and CLX-3. Which begs the question of why these frames cost so much more than a Giant? I don't believe it's R&D or marketing, since Giant would spend significantly on these. Possibly due to low production runs by Colnago versus Giant but that's only a small part of the price difference. The rest is branding (perceived versus real superiority in quality).

If these Colnago's are made by Giant this is a good thing.Giant has an excellent reputation and a slightly conservative approach to engineering lightweight frames , as does Colnago.
Many other high end brands (Cervelo,Specialized)could have their frames made by Giant but instead choose China purely for the cost saving not for the quality.

 

[winkybiker]

On the orther side of the arguement Colnago have probably never had a recall in part because they are not US based and sht scared of liability and being sued.

Those Italian courts can be be pretty punitive with respect to perceived negligence, though. Those seismologists that they threw in jail for failing to predict an earthquake found out the hard way. The Italian justice system went after Williams engineers and management following the Senna crash, too. These were criminal cases, not civil ones.

 

[Giuseppe Magnetico]

On the orther side of the arguement Colnago have probably never had a recall in part because they are not US based and sht scared of liability and being sued.

Then Ernesto should stop sponsoring Gran Fondos here.

Drop Colnago-America a line and tell them of your legal concerns.
1528 W. Adams Street
Suite 403
Chicago, IL 60607
USA

 

[dsut4392]

Those Italian courts can be be pretty punitive with respect to perceived negligence, though. Those seismologists that they threw in jail for failing to predict an earthquake found out the hard way. The Italian justice system went after Williams engineers and management following the Senna crash, too. These were criminal cases, not civil ones.

Punitive yes, but in a completely haphazard and illogical way. For these two examples of unjust persecution of perceived negligence there must be a thousand cases of ordinary negligence brushed under the carpet (with or without greasing of palms).
Have you been to Italy? I love the place, but quality assurance isn't exactly ingrained in the national psyche! It would grind to a halt for years if 1/10 the rules they actually have were ever enforced.
Picking up a hire car at Fiumicino the chirpy rental agent points at a scratch and smiles, "no problem", points at a dent, "no PROBLEM, kicks a new dent in the car, smiles, "NO PROBLEM, OK?", and crosses out the diagram of the car on the hire receipt. And it wasn't an old car from a dodgy agent, this was Europcar and it only had a couple of thousand clicks on the clock. Driving in Rome I was grateful, but it was only when we got to Napoli I truly understood [by the way, if you see a road sign which says "max <-1.5m->", it's probably trying to say your car won't fit - our Lancia barely did, with both mirrors folded in I just nicked one and the other cleared by half a centimetre!].

Have no opinion about the relative quality of Colnago, and the fact they are at least nominally Italian doesn't really influence my view on that either. I would say that to assert a correlation between number of product recalls and average product quality from a manufacturer is showing a poor understanding of quality assurance. The cr4ppiest product out there can have no recalls if the manufacturer doesn't care. And some very high quality products can be recalled by a meticulous (or litigation wary) manufacturer.

Back to the OP, my LBS had a nice looking matt black Scott with full DA and Lightweight Obermayr wheel set on it for under $9k sitting in the window. Frame wasn't my size

 

[laziali]

Yes, Giant do produce the M10, along with the CX-1 and CLX-3. Which begs the question of why these frames cost so much more than a Giant? I don't believe it's R&D or marketing, since Giant would spend significantly on these. Possibly due to low production runs by Colnago versus Giant but that's only a small part of the price difference. The rest is branding (perceived versus real superiority in quality).

You are correct that the two triangles of the CX-1 are made by Giant in Taiwan, but they are assembled and "tuned" in the process (and painted, of course like all other Colnagos) at Cambiago Lombardia.

C59 is still manufactured entirely in Italy. Likewise steel Masters which are all special order these days.

Monocoques and alu are manufactured entirely in Taiwan, although painted in Italy so as to claim the 50% value-add required to lawfully enable the "fatto in Italia" designation.

 

[laziali]

Bwaaaaah ha-ha Are you having a heroin relapse again?



... Actually, word on the street is that the C59 is on it's way out in one or two more seasons. ... If you've noticed there are none, or very minimal Chinese knock-offs of Colnago, not even the M10, the rest of the brands are copied to no end.

Si, it's true. C59 will be replaced with a new ground-up design more suited to disc (although the new frame will also have caliper mounts unless/until (lol) UCI make disc legal). Timing is unknown at this stage, as it depends when Shimano and Campagnolo commit to production of disc brakes. Word is that Shimano are rushing through first-gen cable disc brakes for a 2013 Di2 update, whereas Campag are working on getting hydraulic EPS right. No surprises there.

On your other comment, I too have never seen a Chinese knock off Colnago. Why is this so?

 

[laziali]

... Pretty straight forward to me. The Ernesto fanboyz make some interesting theories though.

Well durian, THIS Ernesto fanboy is quicker than you on a number of longer climbs on Strava (not, I'll admit, on the shorter 15%+ walls where you are more or less unbeatable against all comers - chapeau on that)

Beppe, here's a real one I found on eBay, Buckler colours too

 

[durianrider]

I like that colour way. Hats off to Colnago for really getting creative with their frame colours. They were the first bikes I knew of on a mass level with fancy paint works.

 

[durianrider]

If these Colnago's are made by Giant this is a good thing.Giant has an excellent reputation and a slightly conservative approach to engineering lightweight frames , as does Colnago.
Many other high end brands (Cervelo,Specialized)could have their frames made by Giant but instead choose China purely for the cost saving not for the quality.

Looks like Giant has 2 production lines. One with the experienced workers making the frames with life time warranty and the other lines make the euro branded stuff with poor warranty. That line is for the work experience kids on leave from school. Prison inmates potentially too.

Anyone find a lollypop/bubblegum wrapper stuffed in their Colnago Seat tube?

I remember pulling my DA BB out of my Avanti Team Corsa back in 99 and someone had engraved a smiley face with the words 'HI!'. I thought that was pretty cool.

 

[simo1733]

I am in the market for a good riad frame soon.If we are talking about value for money high end road frames,I would put Giant TCR top followed by Canyon.