# It's official - bought a colnago too big for me



## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

Well, it's official - I purchased a colnago one size too big. I did the fit kit, I looked at the geometry I did everything I could, but I couldn't test ride one, cause no one had one - from Boston to NYC - there was no one with a 56 sloping, 60cm, 62cm or 58 slope - they had unbuilt frames, but that was it.

So knowing I needed a 59cm top tube and looking at the geometry and trying to match it up with my cannondale 60cm - I got a 58 sloping.

It's too big - specifically it's too long :mad2:

How do I know. I have a merckx team SC - I actually got it after the colnago EPQ - get this, it has a top tube that is half a centimeter longer but is 2cm shorter on reach.

I did a TT test on the colnago outfitted with record and mavic ultimates. Then I did it with the merckx outfitted with Chorus and hand built wheels. Yea, I know - wind and all that can have an effect, however, I kept my HR pinned right at an average of 170 for half an hour (to be be fair it was 169 on the merckx). The Merckx was almost an 1mph faster. A ten year old frame with non-aero wheels that weight 500 grams more. Pathetic. 

More to the point - I just "feel" more comfy on the merckx. I feel like I can crank on the cranks a lot better. I have the bikes setup the same, but the reach - it's way longer on the colnago. I could put a 110mm stem on I guess, but that's just wrong on such as big frame.

Well, this guy is upset and just sad. Gonna be selling a great frame that I always, alaways wanted. Will I get a 56 sloping? Maybe. Maybe I"ll just go custom, but to go to Ti when carbon has so many things going for it seems just silly. I digress.

Look for a great frame to be posted in the classifieds soon.


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## EightFiveTwo (Oct 12, 2011)

:mad2::mad2: that sucks. what is the effective toptube for a 54 sloping?


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

EightFiveTwo said:


> :mad2::mad2: that sucks. what is the effective toptube for a 54 sloping?



The 54 has en effective 56.5 - so it will be too short. I need a 59, but given some of the geometry of the colnago the reach becomes too much.

I should be fine on a 56 sloping - I sure would like to test ride one, though.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Does the 58S have a steep seat tube angle? I've never looked at the larger sizes. In my size of 55, it has a 74 deg STA so it kind of throws people off, especially if they have long femurs and have to have a lot of setback for the seat rails.


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## FrenchNago (Jan 1, 2011)

ronderman said:


> Well, it's official - I purchased a colnago one size too big. I did the fit kit, I looked at the geometry I did everything I could, but I couldn't test ride one, cause no one had one - from Boston to NYC - there was no one with a 56 sloping, 60cm, 62cm or 58 slope - they had unbuilt frames, but that was it.
> 
> So knowing I needed a 59cm top tube and looking at the geometry and trying to match it up with my cannondale 60cm - I got a 58 sloping.
> 
> ...


You could of sent a mail out to Ernesto with a pict of you in your gear a few key measurements and he would have told you immediately.....
otherwise there is a really good system on competitive cyclist to measure you up and it gives you 3 different approaches to start from.

Too bad but then again hopefully you will get a good price for your frame and get the right size after that.....


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## vladvm (May 4, 2010)

get a shorter stem & shorter reach handle bar, not a big deal if you are off up to 6cm. but if you constantly hit your nuts on the top bar, then the frame is too big for you.


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

FrenchNago said:


> You could of sent a mail out to Ernesto with a pict of you in your gear a few key measurements and he would have told you immediately.....
> otherwise there is a really good system on competitive cyclist to measure you up and it gives you 3 different approaches to start from.
> 
> Too bad but then again hopefully you will get a good price for your frame and get the right size after that.....


I have the competitive cyclist measurments - I basically can't get the saddle to handlebar and saddle position dialed in - even though all their measurements say I need a 59cm top tube - which I have.

I'll try the email to ernesto - what's the address? I only see [email protected] - is that really gonna go to him?


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Start a thread on Bici da corsa | bdc-forum.it or write a PM to crock there, he works for Colnago.

Direct link to the Colnago Forum Colnago - Bici da corsa | bdc-forum.it


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## FrenchNago (Jan 1, 2011)

You should post a pic of your bike so we can take a look and tell you............:thumbsup:


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

*Pics*

Fair Enough - Love to hear people's thoughts. I feel a bit too stretched out. Me on the hoods, me in the drops and the bike.


hoods by thevelomonkey, on Flickr


drops by thevelomonkey, on Flickr


colnago EPQ by thevelomonkey, on Flickr

Here are the measurements I should use - I really can't get any of them to match. A 110cm - would I REALLY have to do that - or is it colnago equals minus 1 and I should have gotten a 58cm frame.


Measurements
-------------------------------------------
Inseam: 92
Trunk: 73.5
Forearm: 37.5
Arm: 66
Thigh: 62
Lower Leg: 60.5
Sternal Notch: 154.5
Total Body Height: 186.5


The Competitive Fit (cm)
-------------------------------------------
Seat tube range c-c: 59.6 - 60.1
Seat tube range c-t: 61.4 - 61.9
Top tube length: 59.0 - 59.4 
Stem Length: 12.2 - 12.8
BB-Saddle Position: 88.1 - 90.1
Saddle-Handlebar: 58.3 - 58.9
Saddle Setback: 5.7 - 6.1


The Eddy Fit (cm)
-------------------------------------------
Seat tube range c-c: 60.8 - 61.3
Seat tube range c-t: 62.6 - 63.1
Top tube length: 59.0 - 59.4
Stem Length:  11.1 - 11.7
BB-Saddle Position: 87.3 - 89.3
Saddle-Handlebar: 59.1 - 59.7
Saddle Setback: 6.9 - 7.3


The French Fit (cm)
-------------------------------------------
Seat tube range c-c: 62.5 - 63.0
Seat tube range c-t: 64.3 - 64.8
Top tube length: 60.2 - 60.6
Stem Length: 11.3 - 11.9
BB-Saddle Position: 85.6 - 87.6
Saddle-Handlebar: 60.8 - 61.4
Saddle Setback: 6.4 - 6.8


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## FrenchNago (Jan 1, 2011)

*Imho*


I would rotate the handle bars down, bringing the shifter hoods a bit more horizontal (5-8mm), that would in turn bring your drops (make the horizontal at the back) back a bit... 

you could go for a shorter stem (110 as you suggested it would work) but I wouldn't touch the seat position yet.

then if that's not enough you could try shifting your seat to the max forwards.

If the seat is off balance forwards use a straight seat-post, starting centered and moving back by 3mm increments. (watch your tendons and kneecaps)

Remember to only change one parameter at a time and take a ride every time.......

Love the color by the way and the mavics!!!


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## OrenPerets (Feb 22, 2006)

hi,

Just a quick idea - is the handlebar width the same with the Merckx and the colnago?

(I built a Parlee Z4 M, moving from Cervelo R3 M, but changed the HBar from 42 to 46'ish. this made me so stretched i started thinking the parlee was a wrong size. moving back to 42 cm sorted it out).

Oren.


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## fa63 (Aug 16, 2007)

Looking at those pictures, it looks like you could push the seat back a bit and also a little lower. I know that may sound counter-intuitive, but it looks like you have long legs and could use a bit more setback.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Are you kidding me? You don't look too stretched out at all! I'd say it looks like a very good competition fit. I'd keep that beautiful PR99.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

looks ok to me

just curve your back a little more.


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## Sweeney (Apr 29, 2007)

You don't look stretched out to me either. How about posting a picture of you on the Merckx?


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## icsloppl (Aug 25, 2009)

Doesn't look bad. Stem maybe a cm too long..


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## carbonLORD (Aug 2, 2004)

I think it looks too short from the pics and you look somewhat upright in the hoods. Perhaps you were used to a previous bike that fit you wrong and got too used to it. I see nothing wrong with a 110mm stem. I am 6'3 on a 60 traditional with a 110 stem and 42 bars (shallow drop) and my saddle set forward but my stem is slammed, (short headset cap), this long stem trend looks bad and I personally don't like the way a bike handles when I'm hanging over the axle. I think you need to rotate the bars down, raise the hoods, actually dump the bars and get a set of 3T Ergosums and play around with it some more. Not worth selling, you'd take a hit and there's way more you can do still to make it work.


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

Thanks for the info everyone. I just took delivery of a 56 sloping C59 - got it off another RBR member, actually. I'll build it next week and take some pics for you to see. I took some measurements and the 56 sloping is for me (i.e., 60cm traditional). 

I've heard other people like Frenchnago say that Ernesto made the frame so that is purposely 1cm shorter on the top tube and uses a laid back post and possibly a longer stem. Here is a good review, where the guy, like me, switched sizes and it worked - he went 1cm less. Here is specifically what the rep told him

"Colnagos are designed to use an offset seatpost and a long stem that hangs the rider's weight over the wheels, not over the frame, which results in a short wheelbase and fast handling. The bike is planted. They just handle, like a Ferrari. The weight bias is perfect. That is how Ernesto Colnago intended them to be ridden."

check it out for yourself if you want to give it a read - it's well done albeit old, but still 100% on track.

Bikesport Michigan Online - Reviews - Colnago Dream.

Pictures of the build to follow.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Well I wish you are safisfied with the new frame.

FWIW today I dusted out the EP on 54cm ( 130mm stem ) and went to do my favorite climb, the bike performed beautifully and felt great, I guess I will ride it more often.

The bike, however is built on DA7800 with 7850 C50 TU wheels, exactly like a Milram team bike, I would maybe swap it over to Campagnolo, or maybe just ride it like that for a change.

maybe this will help you a bit, it is an article about the custom EP Marco Velo rode when on Milram, the full article is big and I can't upload it all but I am posting some excerpts for you.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

and here is mine 54cm Trad , 130mm stem, same setup as the 56cm/120stem C50

It feels and rides more lively, stiffer sure, the C50 is lighter though ( 2009 model vs the 2006EP) the EP rides faster but also tires me faster


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## Kenacycle (May 28, 2006)

How does the EP tired you faster? Is it a comfort issue or just that when you are on it, you have a tendency to ride harder because it can take it?


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Not a comfort issue due to fit, because it is setup identical to the C50, but a combination of a stiffer frame+stiffer wheels + as you said the tendency to push harder on it.


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