dalava

Bought a new-to-me C59 frameset recently and finished building up over the last a few weeks. Here it is:



Rode the first time today to and from work... it's so smooth, and on rails. I am hooked, and am sure will continue to be surprised in the coming days. A long ride planned for this weekend with some good climbing.

For all you Colnago owners, what are the things you like about your Colnago?

dalava

BTW, I can assure you the saddle is level. Just the angle of the shot made it look like tilted downward.

Billy1111

i dont like it....I LOVE my colnago!!

dksix

I don't own one and can't put into words but they do appeal to me from a beauty standpoint more than any other brand.

TrojanHorse

Your garage door is not white.

Frankly, I haven't met anybody with a Pinarello that doesn't like that either. Ride it in good health.

kbarch

As Colnagos (Colnaghi?) go, that one looks rather plain, but sounds like it's still a Good Times bike - who else remembers custom painted vans from the '70s?

dalava

It was a good deal on a frame that I can't pass up, so I didn't really have much of a choice. I got it mostly because I heard so much about the Colnago magic carpet ride quality and want to try it myself. It's taking the place of the Cannondale EVO hi-mod in the stable, and their ride quality cannot be more different judging from my one day commute experience. Cant' wait for the long ride tomorrow and see how it climbs compare to the Cdale EVO which was a super lightweight race horse of a bike. I guess that's all it matters at the end of the day, getting a bike that you can't wait to ride it. Hopefully it lives up to its reputation and my expectation.

Ridelots24

To like Colnago's you have to be at least 49 yrs old..... which i am...

OldsCOOL

The racing heritage. I bought my '77 Super from a guy who built and raced it as a teen in 1978, setting a state record in JR Men's. He put it away and didnt ride it for decades....I got it last July and the restoration was a dream. It doesnt ride, it glides. Full Campy and Cinelli, it's my gentleman's racer.

growlerdinky

I got my Colnago Super in 1997 for $220. It rides amazingly, and holds tremendous sentimental value. Its upgraded to 11 speed, with an 11 tooth cog that I occasionally use, along with WI T11 hubs, which are quite nice.

thin_concrete

I would love to try a Colnago as I've read it has a soul like no other. I love my Pinarello, but I would like to do a compare and contrast with its Colnago peer to see how they differ.

colnago62

What liked about my Colnago was that it was a very balanced frame. Stiff, but not do much that killed you. Great handling without being twitchy.

Shuffleman

I was first attracted to Colnago by the looks and the fact that they are rare where I live. Mine fits me perfectly and is the best riding bike that I have been on. It is understated and elegant looking. I like most Italian bikes but there is just something special about Colnago.

Trsnrtr

2016 Colnago Arabesque lugged steel Road bike Frame & Fork White [fara54rh] - $3,799.00 Velomine.com : Worldwide Bicycle Shop, fixed gear track bike wheelsets campagnolo super record vintage bike

The 2016 Arabesque

Vince Canepa 

I am very interested in your experience after a few more miles. A few years ago I was talking with the dealer in Georgetown (DC) and he talked me out of a C59, saying it was too stiff and punishing. I eventually bought a Cannonade Supersix Evo Red Racing (the early version that came with tubulars). Reports always comment that the Evo has a very complaint ride for a race bike and my experience confirms that. I still feel the draw of a Colnago though and would very much like to hear the comparison from someone who has experience with both.

Silvercivic27

God, man...that thing is gorgeous!

StanSeven

The current issue of Velo has a good review. They agree it's gorgeous. They describe the comfort as silky but handling as squirms under heavy loads, great for cruising but unsteady when crushing, and not about stiffness.

So if someone wants it for looks and taking it easy on rides, it's good.

Erzulis Boat 

I'm a Pinarello guy myself, but I like the Colnago for what it represents.

The Colnago is perhaps the most identifiable top shelf bike, and even a non cyclist will recognize the name. From a distance, they are gorgeous, but upon closer inspection, you can see the little flaws. The flaws have no effect on ride quality, but even the 2016 Arabesque holds true to the tradition. We wouldn't want it any other way.

My next frameset will probably be a new Colnago Master, but from a pure performance standpoint, I feel the Pinarello is superior as a general rule.

When I got into bicycles, the Gios, Guerciotti, Masi, Faggin, and Colnago etc. were the dream bikes, and the Colnago perhaps the most lusted after. That is why I love Colnago. More of a fantasy, not a performance based reality. The modern lugged steel offerings from Colnago are "overpriced" but that is Ok by me.

That the marque is still lusted after by cyclists half my age, speaks volumes. The Colnago mystique is very much alive. What is there not to love?

dalava

Now that I have close to 150 miles on the Colnago with commute, flat, and some climbing; although still not that much, but enough to give me some good initial impression.

I am very surprised by what you were told by the bike shop. My personal experience of the Cdale EVO is that it's a great race/climbing bike, very light and lively, but it's not exactly an everyday bike. It's a bit twitchy (with 110mm stem), and on rough roads, you feel the EVO bounces quite a bit and can definitely feel all the bumps in the roads. Even though I don't think it feels as stiff as the Cervelo S3, but the power transfer is instantaneous, e.g. when you get out of the saddle on short punchy hills. The C59, on the other hand, rides very differently from the EVO; the one stands out the most from my first 150 miles is how muted the road feel is: I no longer try hard to avoid some of the imperfect road surfaces that I normally would with the EVO or the S3. The C59 is also more stable on cornering and descents than the EVO, your feel confident that the line you are on will be line you will hold. In terms of stiffness, I don't think it's as stiff as the EVO overall, the power transfer is not as instantaneous as the EVO, feels a bit more sluggish. Overall, the C59 has a bit of the steel bike feel: smooth but feel a tad heavy, while the EVO is a through and through modern light weight race carbon bike.

I hope to put more miles over the holidays on the C59 and see how it does.

rmfnla

I bought my first one in Gainesville in 1974, at a place called Center Bike Shop...

silversx80

Almost went with Colnago as a replacement for my Scott after insurance paid out for the property damage. I ended up with a Titanium so I could have my "forever bike", but this thread is doing me no favors as I look for my n+1.

D1andonlyDman

Some 30 years ago, I was looking to buy my grail bike, and I had come down to a choice between a Colnago, a De Rosa, and a Tommasini. I ended up buying the Tommasini, which I still ride to this day, still equipped with all of the original Campy Super Record. And a couple of weeks ago, I picked up a De Rosa for a steal of a price, equipped with much more modern mix of Campy indexed 9-speed. But at this point, I can comfortably say, I'm never going to buy a Colnago.

indyfabz

My Dream Plus cracked not long after I bought it. I later discovered a crack in the replacement outside the warranty.

OldsCOOL

From the movie "White Men Cant Jump" nearly 25yrs ago...

merlinextraligh

What's not to love? A frame that's made in an antiquated lugged and glued manner, and is 50% heavier than its comparably priced competitors?

I realize I'll be pilloried by all the Colnago owners here, but a whole lot of the love for Colnagos is based on nostalgia, and aesthetics, rather than actual performance.