Well, it's done! After ordering the frame during the first week of October, it finally arrived a couple of weeks ago. I've built a number of very high end bikes but without a doubt this has been my absolute favorite. At 53, I'm still as thrilled with getting a new bike as I was back when I started working on them when I was 6 years old. If I sound biased towards Colnago it's because I am. No apologies. It's just the way it is. This is my fourth carbon framed Colnago, beginning with a C40 which I sold to a friend some years ago, followed by two C50's, the second having been acquired in 2008 after running the first one into the top of my garage as it sat proudly on the car rack. I'm sorry for that Ernesto. It won't happen again.

Well, let's get this party started!

First, the build list...

Colnago C59 Build 6.81 kg 15.0 lbs

Atual Weights
(Grams followed by Description

Frame and Fork Assembly:
1126 C59 Frameset including pressed cups for headset bearings
4 BB cable guide and bolt
26 Seat post collar - Campagnolo (Colnago collar weighs same)
362 Fork after cutting approx 6cm length (uncut 384 grams)
32 Fork Insert
54 Headset Bearings
22 Headset Top Cover both short (12g) and tall (10g) combined
8 8mm carbon spacer and 3mm red anodized alloy spacer
1634

Wheels:
1202 Campagnolo Bora Ultra Two - Rear
inlcudes Super Record 11/23 cassette/lockring and Continental Competiton 22 Tubular tire
64 Campagnolo Rear Skewer
1266

856 Campagnolo Bora Ultra Two - Front
inlcudes Continental Competiton 22 Tubular tire
58 Campagnolo Front Skewer
914


Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record 2011
596 Crankset 53/39
44 Bottom Bracket Cups
72 Front Derailleur
158 Rear Derailleur
148 Rear Brake (Dual Pivot)
150 Front Brake (Dual Pivot)
334 Ergopower Shifters
236 Record Chain degreased less 2 links (244 - 8 grams)
246 Campagnolo Cables (uncut)
1984


Finishing Kit:
188 Saddle - Prologo Scratch Nack Pro
184 Seatpost - 3T Dorco LTD (350mm)
180 Handlebars - 3T Rotundo LTD 42 c-c
64 Bartape - Fizik Microtex Softouch
132 Stem - 3T Arx Team 120mm, -17 degree
186 Pedals - Look Keo Carbon Ti Blades
62 Two waterbottle cages - Arundel Mandible Carbon Matte Black
14 K- Edge chain catcher (18g - 4g for the bolt it replaces)
1010


And now the pics... still don't really have a good profile shot but the weather just hasn't really been cooperating. Maybe I'll add some more later...

























This next pic is interesting because I took an old cadence magnet from a Campagnolo Ergobrain computer and am hiding it in the pedal axle of the Look Keo Carbon Blades. It fits perfectly. Nice and Clean!



And this is really the "crown jewel" so to speak. I wanted something, anything, to try and make this mine. With money anyone can go out and buy all the parts, but I took the time to design my own stem cap on the computer then sent it to a machine shop to have it CNC'd and it came out perfect. I also didn't like the red stripe on the 3T Arx Team stem so I used acetone and some careful masking and rubbing to remove it. Also came out perfect, but be very careful with acetone. If it touches the white paint of the other logos they will get removed too. About 30 seconds of rubbing with acetone and fine steel wool is all it took...












So far, I have not found a better designed seatpost collar clamp than the one produced by Campagnolo and it's a no-brainer for me to swap whatever else might be there, so long as they're compatible...



And you gotta love the Made In Italy stamp wherever you see it...






And an 11/23 Super Record 11sp cassette for when I feel really fast...



Oh, and I opted for the "reintroduced" dual pivot rear brake as well. Used to have 'em, then Campagnolo went with the single pivot rear for a few years, but the stopping power and ability to keep them centered just doesn't work as well in my opinion even if you do save a few grams (please don't shoot me for saying that last bit)...



I also love the classic bend of the 3T Rotundo bars. But this is the first time I've had the LTD version and they are really really nice how they taper down the diameter instead of having more of an abrupt change in diamter like the Team version does. Also, they have grooves on front and back making cable routing really nice and smooth...



Well, that's about it for now. Hope you enjoyed the show. Time to get out and ride the stink out of this thing, and hopefully take a few more pics for the "On The Road Today" section of WW...


Ciao!!

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My Colnago C59
My Special Colnago EPQ

The red spacer / bolt and custom top cap are very nice touches. cool trick with the the embedded magnet.

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Custom English Cycles CX Bike
BMC SLC01

Beautiful.

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Thing 1 & Thing 2 & Thing 3

I want to do nasty things to that bike.

I like it a lot!!!

The top cap is a very nice bit and you are right it makes it your own!!!

Great job

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My C59 http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=80193

That is a really neat build. I like the custom cap, as well as the red cable ends.
Nice attention to detail. Hope you enjoy every second of riding it

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Ozrider - Western Australia
Parlee Z5 XL 2011 (6055g/13.32lbs) Raleigh RC Ltd 2008 (7.6kg) Reynolds 653 Custom 1990 (9.8kg, now 8.8kg)
The accumulation of marginal gains is what makes the difference between winning and losing

Great looking bike; very well done

I really enjoyed reading through the detailed, picture heavy post as well.

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My Bikes

My Photoblog

Beautiful bike! Thank you for the detailed post and all of the pictures. Also, thanks for explaining how you tweaked the appearance of the stem. That was one of the first things that caught my eye. It looks so much better than the the stock stem with the stripe.

Gorgeous bike. Really great attention to detail, and what I would call a well-executed "traditional" build in the most modern sense of the term. The top cap is great, too, by the way. Nice to see some effort to make it personal, which is always an important part of any build, I think. Lovely, lovely!

-Gregory

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My 2003 Raleigh Team

Impressive! Both well thought out and executed.

Now go ride it.

ah, there it is.... ;) nice!

"fizik" bar tape does not work to me, plain black one without "name". pyramid headset top ;(

picture on the way. best S.

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diversity.....

""the sheeps get loud... when the wolf is gone....."" Juan Marquez

Great bike, great post. Both display an admirable attention to detail

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2010 Guerciotti Whisper
2007 Bianchi 928L (update Sep '11)
1999 Bianchi MegaPro 25CrMo4

Beautiful!!!

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"black on black, is a crime"

dreambike.
love the black theme and the way everything matches.
neat magnet trick, have to remember that one!

This is a first matte Colnago that I actually like!
Traditional as it was meant to be

I dont even mind the bartape. I would done it with Prologo since it has the same sadlle.

Congratulations!!!



How tall are you?
What is the seat height? From center of BB, to top of the sadlle.
How much is the seapost looking out of the frame? To the bottom of the sadlle rails??
In cm please

BTW, it again looks to me as the stem is pointing a litlle bit downwards...

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EX Colnago C50
TREK Madone 5.9 SL #7