# C50 passed the comfort test



## charliekeri (Apr 12, 2006)

This is my first season on a C50 ( 2006 C50 HP, color:LX24, Reynold Stratus DV UL wheelset). I always felt the road being absorbed below me with my C50, but this week they "tarred and chipped" my local roads. For those of you unfamiliar, they take a perfectly nice asfault road, cover it with tar and then they completely cover the road with tiny little pieces of gravel. I still can't figure out why they do this. I assume it is to make the road last longer, but it really just makes life on the average bike (and car) miserable.

Then along came my C50 and of course I still feel the vibration, but it's nothing compared what I used to the bad experience on my Pinarello Prince SL and it's better than my Columbus SLX Gios Compact Pro. I really don't think their can be a tougher surface to absorb and the C50 eats it up. The wheels do help, but I've tried it with Ksyrium SL2 and the verdict is the same. The C50 continues to impress. Every time a new situation pops up where I can test her she does what I want her to.

It's a great great bike. It makes me want to ride all the time.

Charlie


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## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

Good report on the C50. Chip seal is an economical way to stretch the life of secondary roads and is commonly done in many sections of the country. It's hell on the bike when first done but not terrible once the bulk of the gravel is gone. Fact of life I'm afraid.


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## bigdeal (Jul 24, 2002)

*possible*

probably has more to do with your wheelset than the frameset.


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## oneslowmofo (Feb 29, 2004)

*Post a pic of that bad boy*

I'd like to see your LX24 paint on a C50. Was it custom painted?:thumbsup:


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## edmundjaques (Dec 29, 2005)

charliekeri said:


> This is my first season on a C50 ( 2006 C50 HP, color:LX24, Reynold Stratus DV UL wheelset). I always felt the road being absorbed below me with my C50, but this week they "tarred and chipped" my local roads. For those of you unfamiliar, they take a perfectly nice asfault road, cover it with tar and then they completely cover the road with tiny little pieces of gravel. I still can't figure out why they do this. I assume it is to make the road last longer, but it really just makes life on the average bike (and car) miserable.
> 
> Then along came my C50 and of course I still feel the vibration, but it's nothing compared what I used to the bad experience on my Pinarello Prince SL and it's better than my Columbus SLX Gios Compact Pro. I really don't think their can be a tougher surface to absorb and the C50 eats it up. The wheels do help, but I've tried it with Ksyrium SL2 and the verdict is the same. The C50 continues to impress. Every time a new situation pops up where I can test her she does what I want her to.
> 
> ...


My sympathies entirely. I had this problem with almost all of my local loops a year or so ago - drove me mad. it ends up OK after a couple of weeks - vehicle traffic eventually squashes everything down and the pot holes at least get eliminated. And a good rain gets rid of all that ghastly grey dust. Couldn't agree more about the C50. Can you think of any weak area on this bike? My MXL is more "involving" - and sometimes this is what I want, but the C50 simply extends the envelope in every direction that really matters. I see another post on this thread suggests it's more likely to be the wheelset than the frame. Nope. I ride a lot of combinations, all good stuff ( and a bit too numerous to elaborate). The C50 is a masterpiece. I've done 10,000 miles on mine and I don't have any great itch to move on.


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## charliekeri (Apr 12, 2006)

*A pic of my baby*

Here she is. She dirty, very dirty right now. No custom pain, oneslomofo, Mike at Maestro too care of me. Trialtir wanted nothing to do with my wishes for my dream bike. Excuse the light mount on the back of the seatpost, but I ride early, very early (I have an 8 week old and a 3 year old) and most people around here don't look twice for a bike. I got the wheels about a month ago. I went back and forth between these and the 404's. So far I know I made the right choice. Reynolds in 2007 will be impressive. I got the seat off of Fizik's website, they will custom any color combo you want. The Aliante is a friggin 
barcalounger (sp?). Don't really like the Vittoria Corsa CX so far to tell you the truth, not round and are wearing pretty quick.

One thing that let me down. This may sound silly, but I miss the "Colnago Racer guy" on the top tube. Hey it was my dream bike and if they delivered you your new 911 in the wrong finish wouldn't you be a little.....well some of you could relate. If I ever get her repainted and the stencils still exist well see....Mike said it is at the mercy of the painter. I hear the stencils are wearing out and the man may be gone forever. 

In regard to weaknesses, I have yet to find any. It still impresses me on every ride.

-Charlie


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## gibson00 (Aug 7, 2006)

Very nice bike! I'm anxiously awaiting my C50 in PR38, to be built with Dura Ace parts coming from Probikekit (frame from total cycling).
I am also thinking of getting a custom fizik saddle.....but $$$ (about $250-$300 US I think), but I really want a white Arione saddle with something like a black venter section.


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## charliekeri (Apr 12, 2006)

thanks for the props. PR38 is sweet. Be careful clamping down on the Star fork steerer tube. (Read my other post).
I've been ordering a bunch of stuff from probikekit. Love that place- quicker shipping than from a store 3 states away. Great prices too. nothing but great service from them so far.
My saddle was a little over $200. It was way too much to pay, but it was only a little extra than a stock Aliante. It's a nice seat, no issues with my taint at all........
Never rode the Arione, would like to try one out.


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## campagnoloneutron (Sep 15, 2005)

*...on the two Fizik seats*

I have ridden both the Fizik Aliante and the Arione for a year each. The Aliante carbon in 2005 and then changed to the Arione braided carbon model in early 2006. I put a lot of kilometers on each of these (several thousand at least)

I liked the Aliante at first but it kinda locks you into one riding position on the saddle which is perhaps okay for some people but not me. I need to be able to move around on the seat depending on whether riding on the flat easy, jamming on the flats or climbing, etc.. I find the Arione much better for being able to move around on to find the sweet spot for the specific riding situation. For me the Aliante ended up with way too much "deflection" as it squishes down about a full cm with pressure on it, so much you have to allow for it in setting the saddle height. The Arione has much less of this but still provides a very comfortable ride even after 4 to 5 hours a couple of days in a row. So for those reasons, overall the Arione makes a better seat for me. 

I also ride my C50 on "chip and seal" type roads, I would certainly agree on the smooth ride of the C50 over these kind of roads. I have a Colnago Dream (all aluminium version) and the ride difference between the two bikes with the exact same wheels on this road surface is very noticeable. One good thing about these roads is the nice bonus that there are far less cars on them. I'll trade off on the road surface vrs less cars anytime!


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