# Cristallo reviews?



## [email protected] (Feb 7, 2006)

So has anyone here actually purchased a Cristallo??
Opinions? Pics of your builds?

thanks!


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## foxjbf (May 20, 2006)

*build in process*

yes I am currently awaiting delivery of my Cristallo! I am putting on FSA crankset and awaiting SRAM Force release. This combined w/ Mavic wheelset complete with cycle Ops rear.


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## [email protected] (Feb 7, 2006)

bump! still hoping to read some opinions on these. Even if you've just seen one up close, or taken a quick test ride, I'd like to hear what ya thought!
thx!


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## Hillen (May 13, 2005)

*Talked to Mike Perry about these*

During the course of ordering and spec'ing my C-50 from Mike Perry at Maestro, the subject of the Christallo came up. This was in about February of this year. He did not have kind words for this frame. He specifically suggested that the Rabobank squad had "returned" their Christallo frames due to high-speed frame wobble. Since then, I've tried to see if I could see Milram or Rabobank riding one. My recollection is that I've mostly seen Extreme-Cs or C-50s, though I *thought* I once saw a frame with those distinctive curved seat stays under one of these teams.

I have no personal experience with the Christallo, and this is total hearsay, so you can take it for what it's worth, just passing it on.


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## [email protected] (Feb 7, 2006)

Interesting. Mike mentioned to me on email a few weeks ago that he had built a pair of cristallo jets for a customer. He didn't mention anything to me about not liking them..... I guess that is why I'm hoping for some actual customer reviews....


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## Hardtail (Feb 4, 2003)

*short ride*

I did a short (less than 10 miles) ride on one at a demo day. I didn't notice any wobble or anything like that. It actually rode decent not quite as smooth as C50 but a lot nicer than most carbon stuff Ive tried
$0.02


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## dnalsaam (Dec 6, 2004)

As I have mentioned previously, without anybody contesting the factuality, Mike Perry has absolutely no direct contact with Colnago in Italy and is therefore not privy to any infortmation that is not available to anybody else. You will also find his claimed 'inside information' to be closely linked to what he has for sale at that moment. His reports are no more valuable than anything else that you might read on any forum, in fact because it has been shown that he has frequently lied about 'Colnago information', I would actually be inclined to disbelieve his accounts if it conflicted with information heard elsewhere.

If you look at photos on the web, there are numerous ones of pros riding the Cristallo frames. Ernesto continues to state that he believes the C50 to be his best all-around frame. This is however not to say that the Extreme-C or Cristallo are in any way lesser. Each was built for a different purpose.


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## MWT (Nov 12, 2002)

dnalsaam said:


> As I have mentioned previously, without anybody contesting the factuality, Mike Perry has absolutely no direct contact with Colnago in Italy and is therefore not privy to any infortmation that is not available to anybody else. You will also find his claimed 'inside information' to be closely linked to what he has for sale at that moment. His reports are no more valuable than anything else that you might read on any forum, in fact because it has been shown that he has frequently lied about 'Colnago information', I would actually be inclined to disbelieve his accounts if it conflicted with information heard elsewhere.
> 
> If you look at photos on the web, there are numerous ones of pros riding the Cristallo frames. Ernesto continues to state that he believes the C50 to be his best all-around frame. This is however not to say that the Extreme-C or Cristallo are in any way lesser. Each was built for a different purpose.


Where does Mike Perry get his inventory? From the European distributor of Colnago's? If so, as a retailer, couldn't he have some contact with Colnago? Just curious.


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## dnalsaam (Dec 6, 2004)

MWT said:


> Where does Mike Perry get his inventory? From the European distributor of Colnago's? If so, as a retailer, couldn't he have some contact with Colnago? Just curious.


Colnago distribution is handled by a network of distributors and sales reps. Mike does not buy from the official British distributor Madison Cylces (see the dealer listing here: http://www.colnagonews.com/WORLD/europa/regioni/england.htm?Submit24=List+of+distributors). He also does not buy from Colnago directly as anybody in Cambiago would be more than happy to confirm. I have asked Ernesto, his son-in-law, his nephew and grandson and all confirm that nobody in Cambiago has any contact with Mike. Mike has bought in the past from the Belgian distributor Codagex, but apparently Colnago was not too happy about this arrangement and has tried to interrupt any further relations between the two. It is however not all that difficult to find somebody to sell you Colnago bikes or frames through unofficial channels.


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## [email protected] (Feb 7, 2006)

dnalsaam said:


> . Each was built for a different purpose.


Thanks for the reply, interesting stuff.
So where -does- the Cristallo fit in their line, and what is the 'purpose'? 
I like the geometry and the looks, but at the same time, I'm not sure if I'm getting a 'real' colnago, or just more of a cookie cutter of a frame design, since a few other manufacturers seem to have the same design (same looking rear stays, etc.)..


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## MWT (Nov 12, 2002)

dnalsaam said:


> Colnago distribution is handled by a network of distributors and sales reps. Mike does not buy from the official British distributor Madison Cylces (see the dealer listing here: http://www.colnagonews.com/WORLD/europa/regioni/england.htm?Submit24=List+of+distributors). He also does not buy from Colnago directly as anybody in Cambiago would be more than happy to confirm. I have asked Ernesto, his son-in-law, his nephew and grandson and all confirm that nobody in Cambiago has any contact with Mike. Mike has bought in the past from the Belgian distributor Codagex, but apparently Colnago was not too happy about this arrangement and has tried to interrupt any further relations between the two. It is however not all that difficult to find somebody to sell you Colnago bikes or frames through unofficial channels.


It seems like Colnago shouldn't have any difficulty determining who he buys from - a lot of frames move through his shop. There has got to be more to the story.


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

dnalsaam said:


> Colnago distribution is handled by a network of distributors and sales reps. Mike does not buy from the official British distributor Madison Cylces (see the dealer listing here: http://www.colnagonews.com/WORLD/europa/regioni/england.htm?Submit24=List+of+distributors). He also does not buy from Colnago directly as anybody in Cambiago would be more than happy to confirm. I have asked Ernesto, his son-in-law, his nephew and grandson and all confirm that nobody in Cambiago has any contact with Mike. Mike has bought in the past from the Belgian distributor Codagex, but apparently Colnago was not too happy about this arrangement and has tried to interrupt any further relations between the two. It is however not all that difficult to find somebody to sell you Colnago bikes or frames through unofficial channels.



And what is your relationship with colnago and your competitive relationship with Mike Perry?


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## dnalsaam (Dec 6, 2004)

Fignon's Barber said:


> And what is your relationship with colnago and your competitive relationship with Mike Perry?


I am very glad that you ask that. I have done work for Colnago and De Rosa in the past and retain contact with the both families. I purchased my first Colnago in 1978 and received my latest one last year for services rendered. I have worked in the wholesale, retail and consulting end of the bicycle business. I have worked as a wrench and built frames and visited more frame shops in Italy that I sometimes wish to admit. I am however no longer involved in any way with the bicycle business, apart from the passion that has been ongoing for over 30 years now. With regards to Mike, I have absolutely nothing against him personally nor against anybody purchasing a bike from him. Any negative post that you may have read about anything relating to Mike was simply to counterbalance biased or impartial posts made by others, especially as I am convinced that Mike is posting to this forum under a pseudonym. You will also not find a single post of mine that hypes a single shop as I find that to be against the common good of the users of this forum.


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## critchie (Apr 27, 2004)

Hear! Hear!




dnalsaam said:


> As I have mentioned previously, without anybody contesting the factuality, Mike Perry has absolutely no direct contact with Colnago in Italy and is therefore not privy to any infortmation that is not available to anybody else. You will also find his claimed 'inside information' to be closely linked to what he has for sale at that moment. His reports are no more valuable than anything else that you might read on any forum, in fact because it has been shown that he has frequently lied about 'Colnago information', I would actually be inclined to disbelieve his accounts if it conflicted with information heard elsewhere.
> 
> If you look at photos on the web, there are numerous ones of pros riding the Cristallo frames. Ernesto continues to state that he believes the C50 to be his best all-around frame. This is however not to say that the Extreme-C or Cristallo are in any way lesser. Each was built for a different purpose.


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

dnalsaam said:


> I am very glad that you ask that. I have done work for Colnago and De Rosa in the past and retain contact with the both families. I purchased my first Colnago in 1978 and received my latest one .........


 Thanks for the clarification. In the 1990's I was the N. american manager for a large Swedish corporation ( non cycling industry) and would run into similar situations due to the practice of " market pricing", which basicly means a policy of pricing based on specific market climate ( volume, competition, currency rates, local pricing, etc.). Same product, different prices in different countries. Sounds like this is what colnago does, and if someone works out a way to beat the system, there's nothing wrong with that. In the end, colnago probably looks at the bottom line (sales/profit), and goes along.
Personally, I have purchased 2 colnagos from Maestro and have received great quality,service, and price. I would have gone with other brands had I had to go through USA sales channel.


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