Alan Edwards

I know this should go in the valuation section but I'm asking a little more in depth question. Why are they unpopular? They have all the looks of the steel frames and in some cases they wiegh less? They seem to be half the price of the steel frames but what should be the asking price? Are they prone to cracking or other problems that I have not heard of? Can they be called vintage or just old? when did they start-stop making them?

Gary Fountain

Hi Alan,

I think the development of Carbon Fibre for bike frames became more economical and practical around the start of this century which attracted the new bike purchaser. Aluminium was on the way out.

I don't think there is anything 'wrong' with a Colnago Dream in aluminium, I just think it was the 'old' technology. I know they ride surprisingly well for an aluminium frame and are very stiff at the bottom bracket. When you put the effort into your pedal stroke, most of that effort is translated into forward motion. What I have noticed though is the paint seems to chip more easily than on a steel frame.

Personally I have not heard of one cracking.

Are they vintage or classic - no. They are only around 10 years old now.

Chombi

One cannot really say that Al frames are "prone" to cracking. It's just cracking which usually/eventually could lead to full failure is their failure mode and as long as an owner knows the limits of the material and does not abuse/overstress/overtighten things, an Al bike can last for years and years. In contrast, steel can take much more bending and deflection from accidents and abuse without catastrophic failure.
I think AL bikes just seem to have earned a reputation through the years of harsh ride qualities that kinda turned off many bikers away from them and back towards steel or to CF and Ti.

Chombi

Alan Edwards

So ride quality may be an issue. Undesirable because they are old but not classic and a short run of only a couple years?

Gary Fountain

Ride quality would be an issue if you were riding on particularly bad roads but on a reasonable surface they ride quite well. They are light and very responsive. Personally I was very surprised and pleased with the ride - it is a fast frame. I'm not sure about the production run on these frames but I would guess at 1999 to 2003 give or take a year. They also came with a Carbon rear end which must have made them more compliant. The carbon front fork usually had the cheaper aluminium steerer tube.

If you had an '03 aluminium Colnago and an '03 carbon Colnago sitting side by side and you were going to choose one to ride, I think you would choose the carbon Colnago 8 times out of 10.

bbattle

To hear the Cannondale owners, the stiffer the ride, the better.

I certainly wouldn't kick a Colnago Dream out of the garage. Very nice bikes. I know Orbea has made aluminum frames that weighed less than a kilogram. The Arin. Colnago Dream used Airplane tubing, shaped like the Master's steel tubing.

Henry III

I've got a Colnago Mix with has the carbon seat stays and scored mine for 250. I'm not going to argue why their so cheap because I'm happy with mine. I just posted about mine this past week. desirable or not I like it and that's all that matters.

Alan Edwards

Thats what I wanted to hear, that it's a deal and not over priced. The steel frames go for the price of a new frame and the aluminum frames seem to be normaly priced or less. At present I'm looking at Dreams or cyclo crosses of the same years

Giacomo 1 

There was a pretty good thread going not to long ago that you might find helpful concerning aluminum frames and the bonding process that hold them together. While not about your Colnago specifically, it's pretty interesting.

Check it out -

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...D-frames-DEATH

ecsjr

I have the Asso model which is the all aluminum model before the Dream. My rear triangle is aluminum as well as the main tubes.

I like it - but it is harsher than my carbon bike.

But I have done centuries on it with no problem. And it is very light, at 18lbs, only 1 pound heavier than my carbon.

Ed

nintando

I have similar frameset with Pinarello decor

DMC707

Its just a bike. Aluminum got its reputation from the early gen Cannondales up through the 2.8 series. My Gt Edge aluminum is no stiffer than some of my steel rides of that vintage. Choice of rims do matter though

Most aluminum framesets of this vintage will limit you to 25c or so tires anyway so not much chance of running too much fatter

T-Mar

Locally, we had a rash of Colnago Dream and Dream Plus with cracked head tubes, resulting from too tight a fit for the integral headsets.

Eric F 

I have an aluminum Colnago VIP from 2001. I don't think it will take anything larger than a 23 because the rear end is so tight. It's actually one of the more comfortable road bikes I've ever owned. My carbon Time from the same era is definitely stiffer.