# C-40: help ID ver. and size



## Zampano (Aug 7, 2005)

He says the TT is 54cm c-t-c, but the headtube *looks* tall, although I haven't really seen a C-40/50 in person. Any more info would be appreciated.

COLNAGO C-40 Carbon Road Frame w/ Star Carbon Fork - 54cm | eBay


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## Karbon Kev (Sep 7, 2009)

Also, according to a C40 geometry chart I have, the 54cm TT comes with 54cm CTT seat tube, not 56cm CTT, as the seller states. Can anyone varify this? The headtube length on a 54cm is 120mm btw.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

that's a 2002 C-40 on LX10 paintscheme, it indeed looks like a 54cm

just like the one I have for sale.


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## Zampano (Aug 7, 2005)

Colnago is confusing. Colnago measures ST c-t-t to the bottom of the seatpost clamp, so a seller measuring to the seatpost clamp top could read +1cm. 

If this is in fact a 55 seattube, my chart shows a 543mm TT, and 131mm HT.


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## Karbon Kev (Sep 7, 2009)

No, I think this is a 54cm, but the seller has the wrong ST measurement AFAIK.

Not sure where you got the 131mm HT from, cos a 55 with a TT of 543mm on my chart shows a 129mm HT.


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## Zampano (Aug 7, 2005)

Salsa,
Sorry I didn't see your post earlier. Wish I'd have seen your ad earlier--would much rather have dealt with a forum regular. I looked for it just now without luck. Link?


Kev,
I'm probably looking at the wrong chart.

Edit: Was doing a search, and looks like I'd posted this a few years ago. Appears to have originated from Competitive Cyclist. Lost, now found--complete with HTA.


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## Karbon Kev (Sep 7, 2009)

Yes Zampano i also have that geometry guide for the C40 HP, I am now wondering if the geometry for a C40 is different to the HP version. Have a look at the geometry I have posted here. It really is unclear is the seat tube measurements are from C-C or C-T


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## Zampano (Aug 7, 2005)

To add to confusion the seller indicates his C-40's headtube is 131mm.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Zampano said:


> To add to confusion the seller indicates his C-40's headtube is 131mm.


That's Colnago for you! My 2002 size 55 non-HP, B-stay C-40 has a 131 HTL too and a 54.3 TTL. My 2008 size 55 Ext C has a 141 HTL and a 54.3 TTL. I assume they have identical angles of ST and HT. The HTL length on the Ext C can be made a tad longer at the ends to make up for the extra 10 mm but I can't imagine that my C-40 has a BB drop that is even a few millimeters greater than my Ext C. I would love to figure out this conundrum.


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## Zampano (Aug 7, 2005)

Ride-Fly said:


> That's Colnago for you! My 2002 size 55 non-HP, B-stay C-40 has a 131 HTL too and a 54.3 TTL. My 2008 size 55 Ext C has a 141 HTL and a 54.3 TTL. I assume they have identical angles of ST and HT. The HTL length on the Ext C can be made a tad longer at the ends to make up for the extra 10 mm but I can't imagine that my C-40 has a BB drop that is even a few millimeters greater than my Ext C. I would love to figure out this conundrum.




Thanks. It would be a good guess the C-40 at eBay is probably a 55. I actually want a 54.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

I think this chart is more accurate

it is the same as I have on the Colnago 2006 and 2007 Catalogs











my C-40 has a 131mm head tube and is indeed a 54
my C-50 has a 151mm head tube and yes it is a 56


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Salsa_Lover said:


> I think this chart is more accurate
> 
> it is the same as I have on the Colnago 2006 and 2007 Catalogs
> 
> ...


I don't think that's right with the C40. My TTL is 54.3 but HTL is 131. I've seen/heard of size 55 C40s ranging from 129 to 134, but never seen/heard of a C40 with the longer HTL of 141 like C50 based frames (EP, EC) have. I've always wondered why the discrepancy in the HTL in the C40.


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## Karbon Kev (Sep 7, 2009)

Makes things kinda harder when you're looking for a decent frameset 2nd hand. It's not so much the HT measurements that's important to me, it's the correct ST measurements coupled with the TT ... I'm also looking for a 54cm by all accounts (!)


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Well Ride-Fly as you made me doubt I went and took full measurements of the bikes

And you are right.

the C-40 I have has HT 131mm, 55cm ST c-t ( top being just under the seat collar ), 54.3 TT c-c

So it is indeed a 55cm

What confused me was my 54cm EP , that one has also a 131mm HT so that's why I though the C-40 was also a 54, but the EP is indeed 54cm ST c-t.

the C-40s have a shorter HT that matches aproximately the charts above...

The C-50 is clearly a 56cm, with its 150mm HT

this is the EP ( also for sale )


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## Karbon Kev (Sep 7, 2009)

coo, talk about a blatant plug (!) eh mate?


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## Zampano (Aug 7, 2005)

Glad we've come to an understanding, just an hour or so from the final bidding duel. Otoh I would have loved to pick up Salsa's C-40. Good info here for future reference.


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## Karbon Kev (Sep 7, 2009)

did you go for it zampano? nice condition for an LX10 I think, not my choice in colour for a C40 but still very nice imo ....


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Zampano said:


> Glad we've come to an understanding, just an hour or so from the final bidding duel. Otoh I would have loved to pick up Salsa's C-40. Good info here for future reference.


Hey Zampano, if you specifically want a 54, I'm assuming it is because you have a shorter inseam? Or you want a bigger saddle to bar drop? If your seatpost shows 4 in or more (my personal standard- I dislike it when seatposts are too far slammed into the seattube) and you can live with a slightly longer HTL, I wouldn't discount a 55. Heck, I have bikes that range from 54.3 to 56 ETT. I could also ride my wife's 54 Colnago or her Titus that has a 53.5 ETT as long as I swap stems to 120. But I haven't done so yet cause I'm too lazy.


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## Zampano (Aug 7, 2005)

Karbon Kev said:


> did you go for it zampano? nice condition for an LX10 I think, not my choice in colour for a C40 but still very nice imo ....



Had a bid in, but near the end did not go forward with the auction as the frame is one size big. In the process I came to like the color.  

Quite a disappointment, though. I miss my Colnago---it would have been my third. On another note I can't believe the current prices on the Master XL. I remember it was about $700 less at shiny bike a couple years ago. I can't quite justify $2500 for a non-Columbus production line Master XL.





Ride-Fly said:


> Hey Zampano, if you specifically want a 54, I'm assuming it is because you have a shorter inseam? Or you want a bigger saddle to bar drop? If your seatpost shows 4 in or more (my personal standard- I dislike it when seatposts are too far slammed into the seattube) and you can live with a slightly longer HTL, I wouldn't discount a 55.



A very short 31.5" inseam for 5'-10" ht. With a 54 there would be just about 4" to the saddle rail from the top of the ST clamp (55cm).


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Zampano said:


> A very short 31.5" inseam for 5'-10" ht. With a 54 there would be just about 4" to the saddle rail from the top of the ST clamp (55cm).


I am 5'11" and have 33" inseam and i find the 56 with -6º 120mm stem and no spacers perfect, I could ride Colnagos from 54 to 58 with similar fit on a combination of spacers and stems though.

Maybe the 55 could be a good fit for you too


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Zampano said:


> Had a bid in, but near the end did not go forward with the auction as the frame is one size big. In the process I came to like the color.
> 
> Quite a disappointment, though. I miss my Colnago---it would have been my third. On another note I can't believe the current prices on the Master XL. I remember it was about $700 less at shiny bike a couple years ago. I can't quite justify $2500 for a non-Columbus production line Master XL.
> 
> ...


I'm 5'10" with a 32 in cycling inseam. Is your measure of 31.5 a cycling or clothing inseam? With my 55 Nags, I have exactly 5 inches from top of seat collar to seat rail. I think you would look fine on a 55. Do you have long or avg or short arms? I have short to avg arms do that is why I use a 110 stem on my Nags. On my 56 ETT frame, I use a 100 stem.


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