Colnago C60 Inflammatory Thread

[zappafile123]

(Buckle them britches Calnago)

I thought I'd share my thoughts on having just acquired my first Colnago - a C60 Dual. Having worked in the industry, I'd had a few chances to climb aboard Colnagos for mini-test rides but, up till this point, I've never had a proper bash on one. As such, there remained a slight tinge of the mythical reverence associated with the brand; people worship these bikes, and unlike any other brand, they retain a healthy resale value on the second-hand market. To me this says there's a pretty good chance they're good.

Well... I'm surprised to be honest. Seriously... what the *f##k*. I want to stop short of saying the C60 is shit... but given the pedestal C-series Colnago's are put on I'm just going to have to say its shit (relatively speaking) in that it doesn’t come close to living up to the hype and mystique associated with the brand. If I step back and ask myself: what are the pure performance characteristics of this bike - does it feel cool, does it feel fast, is it fun to climb on, does it put a smile on my face - I'm going to say more or less no. It doesn’t feel fast, it doesn’t feel unique/cool, it climbs like a potato and it doesn’t put a smile on my face. Frankly it feels like a generic mid-level carbon bike with a touch of spice. It’s got no pizazz, it’s got no snap, you jump on the pedals and it begrudgingly lurches forward (relatively speaking). On the plus side it is super comfortable - you could ride it all day. To that I say, aren’t C-series Colnago's race bikes? (yeah yeah, I know there is such a thing as a comfortable race bike... I've owned them, XR4 is a great example). It's all well and good to be a good endurance bike, but that’s another category of bike altogether. This is what we call in the industry an 'old man’s bike'. All I can say is that I sure am glad I've got a bike with balls I can ride (the Protos) cause I'm selling this humdinger (pejorative).

[velov]

... but given the pedestal C-series Colnago's are put on I'm just going to have to say its shit (relatively speaking) in that it doesn’t come close to living up to the hype and mystique associated with the brand.

tbh the pedestal was never justified beyond the C50 Ex Power

[morganb]

... but given the pedestal C-series Colnago's are put on I'm just going to have to say its shit (relatively speaking) in that it doesn’t come close to living up to the hype and mystique associated with the brand.

tbh the pedestal was never justified beyond the C50 Ex Power

This makes me feel worse about the time I passed on a great condition Extreme Power in my size for a fantastic deal to buy a second race bike.

[RTW]

A friend of mine has had 2 (or was it 3) and yet agrees with you.

Part of it is about which brands speak to you and which ones don't.

[lieutenantDomestique]

...I'm just going to have to say its shit (relatively speaking) in that it doesn’t come close to living up to the hype and mystique associated with the brand. If I step back and ask myself: what are the pure performance characteristics of this bike - does it feel cool, does it feel fast, is it fun to climb on, does it put a smile on my face - I'm going to say more or less no. It doesn’t feel fast, it doesn’t feel unique/cool, it climbs like a potato and it doesn’t put a smile on my face. Frankly it feels like a generic mid-level carbon bike with a touch of spice. It’s got no pizazz, it’s got no snap, you jump on the pedals and it begrudgingly lurches forward (relatively speaking).

Sounds exactly like the V2-R, which granted is not the C-Series but was jarringly disapointing to me given the huge hype passed around.

Not worth half the price and none of the hype.

IMO, the Colnago mystique is manufactured and manipulated BS today.

[RTW]

I found the same with expensive German cars, compared to Korean, Japanese and Czech ones.

[fa63]

I once rented a C60 for a day. It was a Campy Super Record build with Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels/Vittoria tires, so a pretty high end build. I had the shop put on my favorite saddle and pedals, and adjust the stem/spacers to get the position more or less where my other bikes are. I then went on a 100 km ride, and came away wondering what the big deal is about; it was completely underwhelming. I remember it being sluggish on the climbs, compared to the Giant TCR Advanced SL I was riding at the time.

[VTR1000SP2]

This is what we call in the industry an 'old man’s bike'.

Thinking about the fella's I know that have a C60 or C64, they're all older, financially successful, passionate about cycling but aren't after KOM's or PB's. Understanding their customer well is perhaps why the Colnago is the way it is.

[AJS914]

I've had a number of ti and carbon frames and I absolutely love my C59. There is nothing earth shattering awesome about it but it's just extremely competent is every category. To me, it's the ultimate all arounder. Let's see I've had:

Litespeed Classic Ti (2 of them)
Time Edge
Time VXS
Calfee Dragonfly
Parlee Z4
Colnago C59

Both time frames were the highest quality carbon I've seen. The Edge was an entry level and the wrong size so I only road it for a bit. The VXS was pretty nice and had razor sharp handling. It also had a lot of toe overlap for me. The VXS was a bit of a mistake. It was the Boonen Paris-Roubaix bike with extra Vectran in the weave which made it feel dead. It was also extremely comfortable and just soaked up every bump like it was nothing. The Dragonfly felt incredibly fast on roads that were as smooth as glass and beat me up like no other frame on rough roads. The Parlee Z4 was a really nice bike. Maybe it was a touch stiffer than I would have preferred but it didn't beat me up too much. I got the C59 and it felt like home from the get go.

The C59 didn't have sharp handling like the Time VXS but it also doesn't have toe overlap and it's just super predictable. The C59 has some of the snap that the Dragonfly but not all of it. The Dragonfly really felt incredible. The C59 though doesn't beat me up on rough roads.

I also really like Colnago stack and reach. Colnagos have a bit less reach than many frames so I can run the 12cm stem where I might be running a 10 or 11 on others. I think this just makes my C59 feel more balanced overall. Basically a Colnago fits me like a glove.

[Mr.Gib]

Is it possible that the comfort factor is distorting the impression of speed and responsiveness to some degree? I don't disagree with your assessment. It is exactly how I perceive my Extreme Power. And yet it is the bike I prefer to ride over racier more modern options. Horses for courses?

[Noctiluxx]

This is what we call in the industry an 'old man’s bike'.

Thinking about the fella's I know that have a C60 or C64, they're all older, financially successful, passionate about cycling but aren't after KOM's or PB's. Understanding their customer well is perhaps why the Colnago is the way it is.

Well said.

[Stueys]

This is what we call in the industry an 'old man’s bike'.

Thinking about the fella's I know that have a C60 or C64, they're all older, financially successful, passionate about cycling but aren't after KOM's or PB's. Understanding their customer well is perhaps why the Colnago is the way it is.

Well said.

Agreed, this. If you want a lightweight, snappy bike you aren't buying a Colnago.

[markyboy]

I have had c59,c60 and now a master and to be honest the later is a absolute joy to ride compared to the other 2,best bike i have had.

[Bigger Gear]

I had a C60 that I recently sold. I personally found the ride a bit harsh, especially the back end. Worth noting the rest of my stable is composed of steel and Ti bikes. For whatever reason, when I rode it on chipseal I felt like I was being beaten to death. I was also less than excited by the front fork tire clearance, I could only squeeze a 25 in there, and a large 25 like a Conti GP4000 did not fit.

I've owned 2 Colnagos, an Extreme Power and the C60. Both bikes had beautifual paint jobs but actually quite poor finishings. The EP had slightly mis-aligned rear dropouts from poor machining that I had to get a local framebuilder to correct. The C60 had a fork steerer OD that was 28.8 and the plastic Acros conical washer barely fit into the upper bearing. Ultimately I ended up sanding the fork down a bit, which is ridiculous for a $6K frame/fork. Also my C60 developed a crack at the rear brake exit hole, superficial but still required a repair from a local carbon repair company. It was out of warranty at this point.

I know the Colnago club is full of happy owners but I doubt I would ever own one again. Fool me twice, shame on me kind of thing....

[micky]

Every now and then there are topics that have been discussed, on and on for pages and then they come appear again.
If you use the "search" option you will find plenty on this subject and few others.

As they say, the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.