Colnago

[hondated]

Just wondering whether in my old age I am getting a little senile in still aspiring to buying a Colnago before the Grim Reaper comes a calling.
Still not any richer than when I was younger when they were still made of steel and had great paint designs so money is still a limitation.
Years ago I remember asking a fella who was an official in British Cycling and at the time his thoughts were that a Look bike was preferable.
If you wanted to buy a bike with some cache what would you buy.

 

[Master50]

Put me in the old school category. My last 3 road bikes have been Colnagos. He makes great bikes. I have not owned one of the Taiwanese bikes but I have no reason do think they are inferior either.
I saw Guiseppe Sarroni in San Francisco on a Colnago Master PIU in 1986. That set the dream. I bought a Master Olympic in 97 and I can only say I wished I had not taken so long to realize that dream. I came to own a C40 then a Team C-50 when Navigators sold off their bikes at the end of the 2007 season. Just never should have sold that Master Olympic. Some of this is pure romance but After 2 Marinonis, a Vitus and a Bianchi as well as a dozen CCMs growing up the Colnagos all were tangibly better. They just do what racing bikes should do and do it well.

 

[hondated]

Thanks Master50 for taking the trouble to reply.

By what you have said I really do need to get the money to buy a Colnago in the near future. The closest I have got so far is a Roberts hand made Tourer and a Bianchi low spec model.
I have even got a catalogue of their old models on my book shelves so that certainly is not helping me to try and forget about buying one either.

 

[fatsprintking]

You can buy a nice lower model colnago steel frame for not that much and for a couple of hundred more have it painted in any design you like - all the decals are easy to get. I had a nice super that I did many many miles on after a quick respray - it was a lovely bike that I got for a few hundred bucks. I then sold the frame for a few hundred bucks so it really cost me nothing for the 10 odd years of service it gave me.

If you just want a nice bike to ride and are a bit older, a 90's colnago, with a more modern group like campag veloce would be a lovely thing that would be everything other than super light. In a world where 8 out of 10 bikes look pretty much the same to me, a nice steel colnago is always lovely to see. You treat it like a classic car though and understand that you are not competing against the latest and greatest - you are riding it to enjoy. That means you might be one percent slower up a few climbs... I reckon I could have a really sweet bike built up with all new gear for about 2k. That would be a sweet bike that would last for years and never go out of date, but it would be a cruiser rather than a racer.

 

[avanti]

Just wondering whether in my old age I am getting a little senile in still aspiring to buying a Colnago before the Grim Reaper comes a calling............................

You are never too old to buy the bike of your dreams.

At my age though I buy bikes that have a tall head tube and stack (Last year I bought a Ti Lynskey road bike but my second choice was a Colnago).

 

[Master50]

My latest the C-50 was raced by a pro for a year. It was crashed and the paint was chipped, the bars were bent and the shifters were replaced because the seller said they were embarrassing. I saved over %66 of the new bike retail. It could use a touch up if not a repaint but otherwise it is as good as a new one. Used CF frames can be a great value as long as you can verify it is not broken. That said Colnagos made with carbon lugs are very repairable. Entire tubes can be replaced and the bike can really be as good as new.
Look at used bikes especially if you are a common sized rider.
Pro bikes are not gently used but they are very well maintained. I will stick to old school Italian and a Pinarello or De Rosa are as wonderful. Calfee makes my list and we are looking for a tandem.

 

[nickel999]

Master, just curious do you find listings for used pro bikes on eBay or LBS?

My latest the C-50 was raced by a pro for a year. It was crashed and the paint was chipped, the bars were bent and the shifters were replaced because the seller said they were embarrassing. I saved over %66 of the new bike retail. It could use a touch up if not a repaint but otherwise it is as good as a new one. Used CF frames can be a great value as long as you can verify it is not broken. That said Colnagos made with carbon lugs are very repairable. Entire tubes can be replaced and the bike can really be as good as new.
Look at used bikes especially if you are a common sized rider.
Pro bikes are not gently used but they are very well maintained. I will stick to old school Italian and a Pinarello or De Rosa are as wonderful. Calfee makes my list and we are looking for a tandem.

 

[The GCW]

Something illegal.

hondated: "If you wanted to buy a bike with some cache what would you buy."

At present, one of the 1st bikes I'd investigate is the Ridley Helium SL.

Considering only honest upper end quality frames that are below 900 grams or well below that, some deciding factors to investigate further along with size of course:

Road feel. Avoid extra plugged holes made for internal / external / mechanical / electric options. Avoid built bikes with areo carbon wheels for assorted reasons. Forget electric. Complete bike must be illegal light that's under 15 lbs. For what bikes cost, get it below 14 lbs. No compromises.

I'm light and climb high passes pretty much... regularly.

-0-

For the most part, Colnago and Italian bikes are too heavy. Another bike to consider though is the Wilier Zero 7.

Along with the DeRosa etc. on the retro end of the spectrum and mentality, add Masi and Cinelli.

 

[blutto]

...looked over that precipice a long time until I made the plunge....and gosh, was the landing wonderful....the Colnagos I have are all great for long rides, sprint like champs, and corner like they are on rails...

...and...its a good time to buy one used as the "Component of the Month Club" members are dumping last year's shiny toy for the new C60 and the V1-r ....the C50 is a gem and if money is an issue the Dream B-Stay or the CT1 or the CT2 are bang for the buck winners....

Cheers

 

[hondated]

fatsprintking that's a great idea as I really do like those 90's paint designs thanks.
Avanti Thanks your also spot on re taller head tube. I cannot help regretting buying my Roberts Tourer at £2500 now when I could of brought a Colnago.
Being retired is great but boy does it take some engineering when it comes to acquire funding for a new bike.
Master50 Thanks again interesting to read how safe they are to repair. Good luck with the tandem search.
The GCW Thanks for so much information.
blutto thanks for all the useful information. If only money was never a problem.
At least at this time of year when I was a child I could hope Santa would bring me one.
Oh sorry hope I have not put my foot in it !

 

[Benotti69]

A mate went from a Scott foil to a Colnago AC-R and was astonished how better the Colnago is.

He bought the frame and change his DA over from the foil so only difference between 2 bikes is the frame.

 

[jischr]

I bought my first Colnago at 57, a well used Dream for under $1,000 with Art Deco paint that gets a positive comment every time I ride. The Dream has a smoother ride than the mid-level steel bike I had before the Dream. Bought my second Colnago at 61, a used C-40 for under $2,000 that is so smooth. My third will probably have to wait till I retire. A C-60 with DA or Chorus might be under $3,000 by then. You could buy something other than a Colnago but.....why?

 

[42x16ss]

A mate went from a Scott foil to a Colnago AC-R and was astonished how better the Colnago is.

He bought the frame and change his DA over from the foil so only difference between 2 bikes is the frame.

The geometry of Colnago's is a huge part of what makes them so special. Where other major producers mostly use angles to the nearest 0.5 of a degree Colnago use much smaller fractions, even on their cheaper frames. Ever wondered why you never see headtube and seattube angles on their geometry charts?

I bought my first Colnago at 57, a well used Dream for under $1,000 with Art Deco paint that gets a positive comment every time I ride. The Dream has a smoother ride than the mid-level steel bike I had before the Dream. Bought my second Colnago at 61, a used C-40 for under $2,000 that is so smooth. My third will probably have to wait till I retire. A C-60 with DA or Chorus might be under $3,000 by then. You could buy something other than a Colnago but.....why?

I still train on an early 90's Master with 9s Chorus. A superb bike, beautiful paint job and still lovely to ride, I've moved on several newer bikes in the time I've owned it. It's even nicer than my Super Six but that's only for racing (it's easier to throw around like a lunatic ).

I've noticed that most who dismiss Colnago do so on the premise of vale for money, you can't do that, once you ride one it all makes sense. Either that or they have little knowledge or appreciation of the brand and prefer the marketing of Cervelo/Specialized/Trek etc.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Just wondering whether in my old age I am getting a little senile in still aspiring to buying a Colnago before the Grim Reaper comes a calling.
Still not any richer than when I was younger when they were still made of steel and had great paint designs so money is still a limitation.
Years ago I remember asking a fella who was an official in British Cycling and at the time his thoughts were that a Look bike was preferable.
If you wanted to buy a bike with some cache what would you buy.

Colnago-without doubt. Ernesto knows what he is doing. I'd also mention DeRosa but Ugo has outsourced a lot of production to Asia(as has Ernesto-lower end models), and QC can be an issue with some DeRosas I have seen. Pinarello comes to mind also, altho all are made 'offshore', and they look goofy, IMHO.

Look is french, case closed.

 

[Master50]

Master, just curious do you find listings for used pro bikes on eBay or LBS?

In my case I knew the team owner. but Garmin for example sells surplus equipment off their web site. Many Euro teams have brokers, I wonder if they also help out the thieves during the season. Some teams Ebay.

GCW
why a Colnago when there are lighter bikes? Reliability, toughness are two reasons. They are built to withstand life and recognize racers crash. lots of super light bikes get recycled after a crash.

 

[hondated]

Thanks again everyone.
Benotti69
Sounds good and a great way of getting a better bike for less money.
jischr

I dare say once you have owned a Colnago you definitely don't want anything else.
It seems that change isn't always for the better.

42x16ss
That's interesting given the popularity of CF bikes it may pay to wait a little longer for the early Colnago's to come onto the market.
Bustedknuckle
Your definitely convincing me that I should only get a Colnago.

Take your point about Look but its still a great country to motorcycle in.

Master50
I remember standing by Indurain's team at a Tour and thinking if only I could just wheel one of the bikes away.

 

[winkybiker]

Thanks again everyone.
Benotti69
Sounds good and a great way of getting a better bike for less money.
jischr

I dare say once you have owned a Colnago you definitely don't want anything else.
It seems that change isn't always for the better.

42x16ss
That's interesting given the popularity of CF bikes it may pay to wait a little longer for the early Colnago's to come onto the market.
Bustedknuckle
Your definitely convincing me that I should only get a Colnago.

Take your point about Look but its still a great country to motorcycle in.

Master50
I remember standing by Indurain's team at a Tour and thinking if only I could just wheel one of the bikes away.

DSC_4733-Edit by winkyintheuk, on Flickr

 

[The GCW]

Master50,

I understand the many reasons why a cyclist would want a Colnago.

However, one type of cyclist who may want something else is a light weight climber or person who ends up getting to climb a lot due to where they live and would rather spend the moolah on a bike which weighs less. It's business hours.

For them a 750 gram Ridley's Helium SL, Wilier's Zero7 and others etc. are right up there with Colnago's quality and weigh considerably less. A Calfee Dragonfly can be well under 14 lbs.

The C60 now is 900 grams, which is respectable but other Colnago's are 950 grams and up. Weight matters less to the masses...

 

[42x16ss]

I understand the many reasons why a cyclist would want a Colnago.

However, one type of cyclist who may want something else is a light weight climber or person who ends up getting to climb a lot due to where they live and would rather spend the moolah on a bike which weighs less. It's business hours.

For them a 750 gram Ridley's Helium SL, Wilier's Zero7 and others etc. are right up there with Colnago's quality and weigh considerably less. A Calfee Dragonfly can be well under 14 lbs.

The C60 now is 900 grams, which is respectable but other Colnago's are 950 grams and up. Weight matters less to the masses...

I always get annoyed when someone not only calls a 950gm frame "heavy", but then complains that their super lightweight frame is flexy, or too harsh, or can't be ridden every day.

The difference between a 950gm frame and a 750gm frame is the same as a pair of small bidons and a pair of large ones. There's bigger, better savings to be made elsewhere IMHO, and the biggest savings are generally made on the engine

Winky, I never get sick of seeing that pic

 

[nickel999]

Thank you Master 50

In my case I knew the team owner. but Garmin for example sells surplus equipment off their web site. Many Euro teams have brokers, I wonder if they also help out the thieves during the season. Some teams Ebay.

GCW
why a Colnago when there are lighter bikes? Reliability, toughness are two reasons. They are built to withstand life and recognize racers crash. lots of super light bikes get recycled after a crash.

 

[The GCW]

42x16ss,

42x16ss:

"The difference between a 950gm frame and a 750gm frame is the same as a pair of small bidons and a pair of large ones."

That illustrates My point. Ever notice the pro's on steep climbs, how they not only don't carry a pair of large bottles, they don't carry a pair of small ones either.

In fact, they'll take some gulps and ditch the bottle completely because they'd rather get rid of every ounce / gram of weight possible.

-0-

Why acquire a super lightweight frame that's flexy, or too harsh, or can't be ridden every day when there are super lightweight frames that are not too flexy or harsh and can be ridden every day?

When climbing at nearly 11,000-12,000' (4267 meters) above sea level, feeling delirious, disoriented and about to be dropped, nobody wishes their bike was heavier.

 

[Master50]

I understand the many reasons why a cyclist would want a Colnago.

However, one type of cyclist who may want something else is a light weight climber or person who ends up getting to climb a lot due to where they live and would rather spend the moolah on a bike which weighs less. It's business hours.

For them a 750 gram Ridley's Helium SL, Wilier's Zero7 and others etc. are right up there with Colnago's quality and weigh considerably less. A Calfee Dragonfly can be well under 14 lbs.

The C60 now is 900 grams, which is respectable but other Colnago's are 950 grams and up. Weight matters less to the masses...

until the rules change the weigh limit for bikes makes this almost irrelevant for racers. I imagine if the rule changes, Colnago might respond with an uber light but at what cost to the rest of the cyclists needs? Switch bikes at summits and the base of climbs? At some point a bike becomes so specialized to a single task it becomes inept at other things. Uber light climbing bikes need to come down the mountain too. My C 50 is just over 16 pounds and I could get that down 600 grams with wheels. I suppose I do expect any bike with a $6000.00 frame and fork would be weightless but I am pretty comfortable to carry the extra 300 to 350 grams around just so I don't need a new frame after clamping the top tube on a work stand or a frame crack from bumping the frame? As they get stronger they are getting lighter but not at the expense if reliability. Seems a bike this expensive should have a long life. Lots of 25 year old steel Colnagos around and I expect more than that from a CF one.

 

[winkybiker]

Winky, I never get sick of seeing that pic

Sorry. I just like my bike.

 

[42x16ss]

Sorry. I just like my bike.

That wasn't sarcasm! If I owned a C59 every day would be ride day.

For 4-8 hours.

Beautiful machine

 

[laziali]

I understand the many reasons why a cyclist would want a Colnago.

However, one type of cyclist who may want something else is a light weight climber or person who ends up getting to climb a lot due to where they live and would rather spend the moolah on a bike which weighs less. It's business hours.

For them a 750 gram Ridley's Helium SL, Wilier's Zero7 and others etc. are right up there with Colnago's quality and weigh considerably less. A Calfee Dragonfly can be well under 14 lbs.

The C60 now is 900 grams, which is respectable but other Colnago's are 950 grams and up. Weight matters less to the masses...

This is utter rubbish.

As someone who rides some of Europe's highest cols every summer (well over 2,000m) on a Colnago C59, and has also tested a Wilier Zero7 on the exact same climbs I know. Why? Because although the Zero7 is marginally lighter, it is a LOT less comfortable which means I fatigue a lot quicker and end up with slower times. This really matters when you are climbing for between 1 and 2 hours for each mega-pass and doing 2 or 3 per day. My C59 is so comfortable I can string together 50,000m of vertical ascent in a fortnight.

The other big difference I have noticed between the Colnago and the Zero7 is descending. Nothing descends with the smoothness and confidence of a well-fitting C59. The Zero7 was a very different story. Again, reducing accumulated fatigue is the key.