# Need Recommendation: Comfortable Performance ?



## Lagavulin12 (Sep 3, 2009)

I'm looking for a bike that is a relative performance road bike, but also fairly comfortable for 50 mile or so club rides. I'm moving up from 70's steel frames w/ Campy and DA (I was a Cat 1) Thus far the Felt Z-15/25 has seemed the best. One shop recommended a CLX and another a CX-1. Any recommendations and input from folks on here would be greatly appreciated. This will be primarily for fast club rides but I may do a few Cat 3/4 races next year if my fitness improves enough.

Thanks,


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## icsloppl (Aug 25, 2009)

IMO/

The comfort/performance model is usually considered to be the C-50. It's price point is somewhat above the Felt, though there are some deals available (R&A has a DA version ~ 5k$) and nice ebay units can be easily found if warrantee / LBS / fitting is not a concern.

The CLX and CX-1 are considered more full-on race bikes, at least in terms of rider position. Colnagos have a more relaxed handling nature, with the CLX typically coming across as a bit quicker, at least of the reviews i've seen.

/IMO


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## Lagavulin12 (Sep 3, 2009)

Thanks! Any thoughts on vertical compliance on the CLX and CX-1 compared to the C-50? I'm used to riding in a fairly aggressive tuck and would likely continue that for the next few years (unless some of the older folk on here educate me that I've got some pains to look forward to in the near future  

Thanks!


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## icsloppl (Aug 25, 2009)

> Thanks! Any thoughts on vertical compliance on the CLX and CX-1 compared to the C-50?


The C-50 has B-Stays. The CLX has arched tubes. The CX-1 probably has by some amount the most even overall rigidity, though my personal experience with the two monocoque frames is limited.

IMO if you're looking for comfort and shock abatement go with 25mm tires, a carbon bar and seatpost, and a high quality saddle such as the Aliante and gel tape. Few frames that attempt to be significantly compliant end up with superior handling characteristics (the C50 as a very notable exception :thumbsup: ).


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## haydos (Sep 17, 2007)

i'd go handbuilt wheels in a 3x also.....


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## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

You should test ride as many bikes as you can. I test rode a CLX and found it to be too quick for my old body.


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## mtbbmet (Apr 2, 2005)

C-50 would be my recomendation.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Lagavulin12 said:


> Thanks! Any thoughts on vertical compliance on the CLX and CX-1 compared to the C-50? I'm used to riding in a fairly aggressive tuck and would likely continue that for the next few years (unless some of the older folk on here educate me that I've got some pains to look forward to in the near future
> 
> Thanks!


I've got a Cristallo, which is the made in Italy monocoque frame before they went to the CLX. That thing isn't very comfortable for more than 3 hours in the saddle and I am using some hand built 3x wheels on old school box rims. With Zipps on it, it is uncomfortable after 2 hours, difference being my hands start to hurt instead of my butt with the 3x wheels.

I just finished building a C50 in the hope that it will be more comfortable. It still provides a very aggressive tuck. In fact, most of the Colnago frames are about the same in geometry, with the exception of a new Taiwanese frame they just introduced, the name of which escapes me.

The C50 was used by pro riders in the Tour, etc. until the Extreme C (i.e., climbers frame) and the Extreme Power (i.e., sprinter's frame) came out. Now, the new frame, the EPS (Extrem Power Super) is supposed to be as light as the Extreme C and as stiff, if not stiffer, than the Extreme Power, so those two have been discontinued. The C50 is still available this year, but there is some talk about the EPS being as comfortable as the C50. If that turns out to be the case, the C50 might be discontinued next year. I'll post a pic of my C50 set up for me. I've done the fitting, but haven't had the opportunity to ride it yet (i.e., Lyme disease), so I cannot give you a review of its comfort level versus the Cristallo. Once I put some more time on it, I might drop the bars a little more.


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## Jbartmc (Sep 14, 2007)

*Get Well*

That sucks about the Lyme Disease. Get well so you can enjoy your bike, as well as your family! I had pneumonia a few years ago over the summer, and it absolutely ruined summer for me, my wife and our young daughters.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Jbartmc said:


> That sucks about the Lyme Disease. Get well so you can enjoy your bike, as well as your family! I had pneumonia a few years ago over the summer, and it absolutely ruined summer for me, my wife and our young daughters.


Thanks. It was so bad in mid September that I could not pick up my 2 year old or my 4 month old. It literally took me 2 minutes to get out of my chair in my office and another 10 minutes to climb the 2 flights of stairs up to the bedroom. I had to use both of my arms to take as much weight off my ankles as possible. One of my doctors finally prescribed antibiotics on September 30th and I started to see an improvement 2 days later. Went back to him on Tuesday, a day before the prescription was to run out, and told him I was still having pain in my heels and swelling in my left knee. Guess what, he didn't renew the prescription because he thought these were residual symptoms. Now, I have an increased amount of pain in my heels such that it hurts to walk without shoes on, and my ankles are hurting now too. We'll see how this all goes over the next couple of days.

I've had pneumonia and bronchitis too, and those weren't fun either. However, if I had to pick, I would pick both of those over Lyme disease.


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## The_Kraken (Jul 28, 2009)

Fabro, 
That red on your ST02 looks kinda dark. Is that Cambiago or Maestro? I've got a pair of ST02 C50's coming. Lucky me. 

As to the question at hand....and this is in my opinion, I will exclude the Chinese Colnagos. The Ace, CLX, and CX-1. Monocoque to me seems to have a dead feel. Just my opinion.

As for the decision between C50 and EPS. I will have to agree that the EPS is as comfortable as the C50. And in terms of my riding/racing preferences beats it on all levels. I still do not think there is a better descending bike ever created than the EPS or Extreme Power for that matter. The EPS is lighter than the C50 by a touch. More responsive. Snappier. It is, imho, the best Colnago ever made and my bike of choice currently. And just look at the beefy front end. Beautiful.

The C50 may handle cobblestones but I don't plan on doing Flanders or Paris-Roubaix any time soon. It C50 isn't going away next year, but I do believe it will be changing in 2011.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

The_Kraken said:


> Fabro,
> That red on your ST02 looks kinda dark. Is that Cambiago or Maestro? I've got a pair of ST02 C50's coming. Lucky me.
> 
> As to the question at hand....and this is in my opinion, I will exclude the Chinese Colnagos. The Ace, CLX, and CX-1. Monocoque to me seems to have a dead feel. Just my opinion.
> ...


It came from Bellatisport, so I will assume it is from Cambiago. Mr. Bellati has told me I'm actually kind of happy about the depth of the red. When I got my Cristallo in NS03 without ever having seen a Colnago in NS03 before, I was initially freaked out with the orangish red that was on it. Then, I bought another Arte frame in NS03 off of ebay and it had a deep red on it. After seeing the two together, I think I prefer the changing "red" on the Cristallo.

What is changing on the C50 come 2011? I would guess that the headset is going to become an integrated headset. No sense having lugged frames in the lineup being built with different style headsets. I'm dying to ride my C50. Maybe by the middle of November when the weather is really crappy. LOL That is pretty much how my luck is going this year.


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## The_Kraken (Jul 28, 2009)

*Cobbleheaded warrior*



fabsroman said:


> It came from Bellatisport, so I will assume it is from Cambiago. Mr. Bellati has told me I'm actually kind of happy about the depth of the red. When I got my Cristallo in NS03 without ever having seen a Colnago in NS03 before, I was initially freaked out with the orangish red that was on it. Then, I bought another Arte frame in NS03 off of ebay and it had a deep red on it. After seeing the two together, I think I prefer the changing "red" on the Cristallo.
> 
> What is changing on the C50 come 2011? I would guess that the headset is going to become an integrated headset. No sense having lugged frames in the lineup being built with different style headsets. I'm dying to ride my C50. Maybe by the middle of November when the weather is really crappy. LOL That is pretty much how my luck is going this year.


If it is from Bellati, it is from Cambiago. Bellati is only an hour a way from Milan so I suspect that the proximity helps Bellati to some extent. Love the deeper red. I'm not too much of a fan of the orangey stuff. Molteni EPS is awesome, though. Pumpkinhead.

I'm not certain of what is going to be changing for 2011, BUT I will speculate that possibly HP stays will go away. Well, I guess that would make it a C40 again! But, yes, my suspicions are the chainstays and the headtube. Maybe asymetical chainstays and integrated headtube. The HP stays are now a C50 signature, but maybe a little dated at this point.

Although the C50 is a beautiful bike, I can't seem to fight my desires to punish it in the worst weather and dream of the Koppenburg. But since I'm in San Diego, its more like buying an Escalade and getting dirt on the tires.


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