Weight Weenies

Yes, cracks, cracks and more cracks. Cervelo is notorious for it. I used to follow https://forums.cervelo.com/forums/5.aspx until the day I realized that there's nothing magical about their bikes. I give them kudos for aesthetics, that's all. Mast majority of cyclists prioritize aesthetics over anything. It's the pivotal point in this sport.

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I've nothing against Cervelo but almost everyone I know of who has one seems to be on their second or third warranty replacement, and this is considered normal(!) Maybe I'm old fashioned but if I'm dropping a healthy four figure sum on a frame I expect it to have a long service life free from structural failure under normal use.

Mockenrue wrote:I've nothing against Cervelo but almost everyone I know of who has one seems to be on their second or third warranty replacement, and this is considered normal(!) Maybe I'm old fashioned but if I'm dropping a healthy four figure sum on a frame I expect it to have a long service life free from structural failure under normal use.

Same here in New England. Many I know in local club with Cervelos have had to send them back due to cracks in frames. I just don't want to deal with that kind of hassle, besides, I've never been keen on the Cervelo aesthetic. Thus, you'll find me on my C60 in these parts.

I spoke to a high end bike shop in the area. Their opinion is that Cervelo is just too aggressive in their designs

Another +1 to the cracks on Cervelo frames. Their forums are full of posts of cracked frame pics, sometimes people get lucky with replacements, sometimes not so much. Saw an S5 fall over at less than 15km/h and the seatstay cracked, that's pretty damn fragile.

The problem is that many modern consumers are happy to buy an inferior product as long as it is covered by warranty. For me supporting companies that make cheap-disposable products is not a wise choice in the long term (for environmental, ethical and other reasons) but each consumer is responsible for his decisions.

I personally admire companies like Colnago that keep high standards in their production and at a competitive price (a C60 cost as much as an R5 btw).

Or it could be, consumers want a modern product.

C

I like the heritage of Colnago. It rides like a tradional old-school bike though. I was disappointed climbing on it as well as handling through a series of very quick sharp to turns after trying out several other bikes. If I were buying a new bike and in your shoes, I would seriously consider the new Cervelo R5. It should be available soon.

stanseven wrote:I like the heritage of Colnago. It rides like a tradional old-school bike though. I was disappointed climbing on it as well as handling through a series of very quick sharp to turns after trying out several other bikes. If I were buying a new bike and in your shoes, I would seriously consider the new Cervelo R5. It should be available soon.

I'm not sure if you realize this but wheels and tires make a big impact on handling and climbing. Riding 2 bikes with different wheels and tires is comparing apples and oranges.

It rides like a tradional old-school bike though.

I'm not even sure what that means. I feel like my C59 is the best handling bike I've ever had.

As far as I can tell the major thing that sets Colnago apart from the crowd geometry wise is slack head tube angles. Depends on size of course as to how different, but in the middle sizes the difference is about one degree. That's probably what accounts for the different handling feel. I like it but it has it's pros and cons. There is also the fact that most people could probably ride two or three different sizes creating two or three distinct riding experiences. The key is to find the size you like.