# What was Dekker riding?



## crashjames (Jan 14, 2003)

I noticed in yesterday's TDF coverage that Erik Dekker from Rabo was riding what looked like a b-stay (non HP frame) Anyone know what he was riding?


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## Number9 (Nov 28, 2004)

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE_NUM=2&PAGE=WHATS_NEW&PRSET_VERSION=1


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## crashjames (Jan 14, 2003)

*link no workie*



Number9 said:


> http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE_NUM=2&PAGE=WHATS_NEW&PRSET_VERSION=1


my firewall blocked this - is it the E1?


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## Number9 (Nov 28, 2004)

"Colnago: Our customers are eagle eyed, and one of them was nice enough to point out this picture to us of Erik Dekker and Michael Boogerd on what appear to be old C40's. Check out the old-school slender tubesets, the lack of an HP chainstay, and what appears to be a 1" headtube. Given that this pic is of the 2005 Amstel Gold race, and that the Amstel Gold is more important than the World Championships to the Dutch, we knew Dekker and Boogerd weren't on their "B" bikes, and that something was most certainly afoot.

Fast forward to one month later at the Giro d'Italia and you saw the same bikes under Panaria, Rabobank, and Domina Vacanze. Upon closer inspection, here's what you saw: Indeed, round tubes throughout. Nary a bit of Colnago's bi-conic tube profiling. A 1" headtube, plus standard (non-HP) chainstays with some serious ovalization to them, and a B-Stay seatstay. Everything about the bike revolves around one thing: Making it light, light, light. From what our sources tell us, it'll be called the "C50 Extreme" or the "Extreme-C". It will be available in sloping geometry only. The rider weight limit is rumored to be in the 140-150lb range, and the price will be around 15% more than the C50 HM. When will it be available? Your guess is as good as ours. Its official unveiling most certainly won't happen 'til the Milan bike show in September, so we'll just be in one big holding patten 'til then, but you can say you heard it here first."


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## dnalsaam (Dec 6, 2004)

Number9 said:


> From what our sources tell us, it'll be called the "C50 Extreme" or the "Extreme-C". It will be available in sloping geometry only. The rider weight limit is rumored to be in the 140-150lb range, and the price will be around 15% more than the C50 HM. When will it be available? Your guess is as good as ours. Its official unveiling most certainly won't happen 'til the Milan bike show in September, so we'll just be in one big holding patten 'til then, but you can say you heard it here first."


Since when is Erik Dekker less than 150 lbs? I doubt that Ernesto would give a bike near its weight limit to any pro that even comes close to the weight limit of the frame. Looking at the two Rabobank riders who just won back to back stages on Colnago bikes at the Tour, it seems like Weening was using a C-50 while Rasmussen was riding the new lightweight frame. It up to you to say whether they are sloping frames or not, but it would appear that they are being made in traditional geometry. It is funny how the Rabobank frames have Columbus decals on their forks. I wonder why?


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## Number9 (Nov 28, 2004)

I presume English is your second language. The quotes indicate that the text was excerpted from the link posted earlier, so feel free to take up your argument with competitive cyclist if you wish to argue further - I have no interest in your dispute. As for your taking issue with a stated RUMOR about future product releases, your speculations are no better than theirs - unless you happen to be the product marketing manager for Colnago. I guess it's true that no good deed goes unpunished...


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

crashjames said:


> I noticed in yesterday's TDF coverage that Erik Dekker from Rabo was riding what looked like a b-stay (non HP frame) Anyone know what he was riding?


it was really boring looking whatever it was. No pizazz at all. What happened to the Rabo paintjob?


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## dnalsaam (Dec 6, 2004)

Number9 said:


> I presume English is your second language. The quotes indicate that the text was excerpted from the link posted earlier, so feel free to take up your argument with competitive cyclist if you wish to argue further - I have no interest in your dispute. As for your taking issue with a stated RUMOR about future product releases, your speculations are no better than theirs - unless you happen to be the product marketing manager for Colnago. I guess it's true that no good deed goes unpunished...


I was not arguing, simply pointing out that both of the frames shown on the Competitive website photos were traditional geometry frames and that Dekker is not a lightweight rider, all elements at odds with the stated rumour. On the photo of the propped up bike, you can read what appears to be Extreme on the top tube, so that part seems to be correct. The fact that Weening was riding what appears to be a standard C-50 would seem to point to the likelihood that these new bikes were only reserved for certain favourite riders, or are only favoured for certain specific riding conditions.

I agree that the Colnago colours are quite depressing and hope that they come up with something more than black in the future.


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## Number9 (Nov 28, 2004)

The bland graphics have a simple explanation. The lack of paint showcases the carbon fiber and reduces weight. Note that the '05 C-50 colors are mostly minimal graphics with just clearcoat. I express no opinion on whether or not this is a good thing, but fortunately, I was able to get my C-50 HM in one of last years colors.


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## dnalsaam (Dec 6, 2004)

*The answer is revealed*

I guess all the speculation is rather trite now, as the truth has been revealed, including photos: http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/tour05/tech/?id=/tech/2005/features/tour05/rasmussen_colnago

Dekker, like Rasmussen at the Tour have been riding on Extreme-C frames. Weening on the other hand was riding a stock C-50 when he won his Tour de France stage. It would also appear that Oscar Freire has been riding exclusively on a C-50 this season.

As can been seen in the photos of Rasmussen's bike, the Extreme C is obviously available as a traditional frame. Then, given that Alessandro Colnago quotes a frame weight for a sloping frame, one can deduce it will also be available as a sloping frame too.

Delivery us claimed to be available from October onwards. The sole questions that appear not to have been answered are at what price and whether or not there is a weight limit on the frame. Dekker and Boogerd, who have both been seen on the same frame, both weigh more than the earlier suggested weight limit of 145 lbs. It would therefore seem that if there were to be a weight limit, it would obviously be higher than 145 lbs. As far as price goes, it would be interesting to know what the difference will be.


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## KATZRKOL (Mar 4, 2004)

*Wow. .Number9*



dnalsaam said:


> I agree that the Colnago colours are quite depressing and hope that they come up with something more than black in the future.


. .Seems to be getting his panties in a bunch! Yea, I agree with you on the color thing, IMO the new bikes look like crap. If I want a plain looking carbon frame I'd by a Parlee (aswome frame, but plain). I don't think weight has sh*t to do with it. It's rumored some painters quit(?) at Colnago. Besides the 99.9% buying public of a C50 frame could give two sh*ts about 50 grams of beautiful paint.


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## elviento (Mar 24, 2002)

*Very interesting marketing strategy*

First, E. Colnago adds shaped tubing for claimed improvement in strength and stiffness (I think it's BS), then he adds HP for better power transfer (which again I think is BS), then he converts C40 into C50, increasing headtube size, adding stiffness and other benefits (which I think is true, but adding weight like the other "improvements"). Now he goes back to non-HP, round tubes in the Extreme C and then charges more than the C50, because of the weight reduction. So basically he can keep doing the same thing over and over again, i.e., in 2007 adding shaped tubing to the Extreme C and charge $500 extra, in 2008 adding a fancy seatstay similar to HP and adding another $500, in 2009 increasing the headtube to 1 1/8" and add $500 to the price, in 2010 going back to Extreme D and shave another 200 grams added in 2007 and 2008 and 2009 and add another $500 to the price, then you would end up with a frame substantially similar to a non-HP C40 but costing $2K more. Right? 

That said, I am still a sucker for Colnagos because they are pretty and very well made bikes;-) Anyone has a 2001 Mapei C40 for sale?


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## toast (Jan 6, 2005)

*Line us up*



elviento said:


> So basically he can keep doing the same thing over and over again,
> ...but costing $2K more. Right?


Yup. Beautiful business model, isn't it? Harvard should write a case study on it.

...now I am off to ride my 1500g C50. But boy, does this baby transfer power!


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## brewster (Jun 15, 2004)

Trek has done the same thing.....they touted their monostay seatstay design for years as being so advanced, stiff, and aero. Now, look at the new Modone, an A frame! A design that's been around since the dawn of the last century.

Why? I think mostly because of such a high wiz bang factor in modern day bikes, they have to have something new every year, or people won't buy it, they want the next best thing and it has to be new. Maybe too they are finding out through all this funkadelic bike design nowadays, that the classic way to design a bike wasn't so bad after all, now they can take advantage of the new materials that weren't available back then.


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