# Cervelo RS vs. Colnago CLX 2.0



## Arrwin (Apr 29, 2011)

Hey guys,

My first official post! I'm a newbie from the mountain bike world looking to venture to the "other" side. I've decided on a carbon bike as I think the technology, performance and aesthetics are truly amazing. The only thing I haven't decided on is the bike. As fellow auto enthusiasts know, performance cars and performance bikes go hand and hand, so you know I can appreciate quality of the "ride" and am one to sacrifice comfort over performance. 

So..being this will be my first road bike, i'm looking for a performance bike, but will err on the side of comfort. I don't believe i'll be doing any racing, but ya never know. At first, i'll be doing longer rides, eventually hoping to do a century. I've been reading a lot of reviews and have not read a single bad review on the Cervelo RS, so i'm interested. 

Colnago's are also so pretty and they have a long history. Has anyone ridin' the CLX 2.0? How does it compare with the RS? The are at similiar price points. Just to let you know, I have not test ridden either of these bikes since i'm not ready to pull the trigger yet. Just plan on reading reviews and living through you guys in the meantime.  

Any other bikes/brands you guys would recommend me look at? I'm also looking at the Orbea Orca and possibly the Trek Madone, but I would prefer to stick with a brand that's a bit more unique (less mainstream?).

Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Arrwin said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> My first official post! I'm a newbie from the mountain bike world looking to venture to the "other" side. I've decided on a carbon bike as I think the technology, performance and aesthetics are truly amazing. The only thing I haven't decided on was the bike. As fellow auto enthusiasts know, performance cars and performance bikes go hand and hand, so you know I can appreciate quality of the "ride" and am one to sacrifice comfort over performance.
> 
> ...


Reading researching and garnering opinions here and elsewhere is all well and good, but at some point you have to get to some LBS's, communicate your intended uses/ goals, budget, get sized/ fitted to bikes of interest and head out on test rides.

None of the makes/ models you mentioned are 'bad', but as you stray into more esoteric brands you're more apt to either have to purchase sight unseen online (not adviseable) or ride to the 'closest' dealer, which could be some distance away. Not terrible, but not conveneint in the event that you need tweaks to fit, tuning/ adjustments or to make a warranty claim. And speaking of warranties, their terms might not be as strong as the bigger makes. This isn't to say you shouldn't consider them, just be aware of some potential negatives.

BTW, I think Cervelo's are ok bikes, but I wouldn't consider them unique, or less mainstream.


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## Arrwin (Apr 29, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> Reading researching and garnering opinions here and elsewhere is all well and good, but at some point you have to get to some LBS's, communicate your intended uses/ goals, budget, get sized/ fitted to bikes of interest and head out on test rides.
> 
> None of the makes/ models you mentioned are 'bad', but as you stray into more esoteric brands you're more apt to either have to purchase sight unseen online (not adviseable) or ride to the 'closest' dealer, which could be some distance away. Not terrible, but not conveneint in the event that you need tweaks to fit, tuning/ adjustments or to make a warranty claim. And speaking of warranties, their terms might not be as strong as the bigger makes. This isn't to say you shouldn't consider them, just be aware of some potential negatives.
> 
> BTW, I think Cervelo's are ok bikes, but I wouldn't consider them unique, or less mainstream.


Thanks for the quick reply. Luckily, around NYC there are a handful of good LBS's that are close enough, but the challenge is to find a shop that carries all or most of the brands of interest to test ride back-to-back. Naturally, the LBS's will recommend the brands that they carry which is not always the most objective. So i'm hoping to garner a more neutral opinions from reviews and sites like this. 

Any brands you would recommend?

Thanks again.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Points taken. Given your intended purposes and the phrase 'err on the side of comfort', I think endurance bikes like the C'dale Synapse, Specialized Roubaix, Felt Z series and Giant Defy are all worth a look, as is the Cervelo RS. All have what's commonly referred to as 'relaxed geo', which (generally speaking) allows for a slightly more upright rider position and predictable (less twitchy) steering/ handling. 

All mainstream bikes, but on the plus side these companies have strong (limited lifetime) warranties, where companies like Colnago often have 2-3 year terms. IMO, noteworthy when considering CF framesets, not because they're fragile, more because they can suffer defects that are unseen without special equipment. If interested, you can google (two examples) 'Cervelo warranty', 'Colnago warranty' or visit the manufacturers websites. IME the harder it is to find the info, the weaker the warranties tend to be. 

If you want to stray _slightly_ from more mainstream, you can check out brands like LOOK and Ridley (among others). Given your locale, they should be relatively easy to locate.

Lastly, I agree on the back to back test rides, just make sure the tire pressures are equalized when you do so, or you could be misled on ride qualities.


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## Tommy Walker (Aug 14, 2009)

I ride the RS and absolutely love it. While I would fancy a Colnago, I don't think you can compare the CLX to the RS, the geometry is just different. I don't know much about the Colnago, but the RS is more of a relaxed fit, which provides a very comfortable ride; I mean very comfortable. I do many long rides and feel no pain, while friends of mine who are much better riders and are in better shape complain about ache's and pains when we ride on long rides.

The downside to the RS is that it's not the fastest horse in the stable. It will do fine, but since the geometry has you riding in a more upright position, you are basically not as aero as other bikes.

All of the bikes you mentioned are great bikes, whether they are mainstream or less mainstream might have you paying more to be a bit more unique.

I suggest test riding everything you are interested in, defining what type of riding you are going to do (club rides, charity rides, races, etc.) and then focus on the fit of your various options. When I was looking for my bike, I loved test riding. I rode the Trek Madone, the Felt (F75 I think), the Pinerello (R3), the Fuji, a Bianchi, a Scattante and the RS. I rode 105 through Dura Ace, decided to focus on Full Ultegra to keep the decision simpler and more in line with my budget.

One last thing, leave some room in your budget for upgrades (wheels, saddles and pedals). When I was buying, most of the bikes came with a San Marco Ponza saddle and Shimano RS 10 wheels, they just were not for me. You can save a few bucks by knowing what you want when you are ready to buy the bike. Your bike store will probably offer you a 10% discount on accessories and you can compare that price to possibly purchasing elsewhere (or letting the bike shop know you can get the item at a certain price and see if they will match it).


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## CervéloRacer (May 17, 2011)

Look at my name.

And my advice is go with the Colnago:
Much more comfortable.


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## Hawkeye16 (Apr 29, 2011)

My whole family rides Felt. I personally really like a lot of the brands that Tommy mentioned but Felt won out for me. I ride the Z series, my brother rides the F series (not a huge difference) and my mom rides a ZW.


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## Arrwin (Apr 29, 2011)

Hawkeye16 said:


> My whole family rides Felt. I personally really like a lot of the brands that Tommy mentioned but Felt won out for me. I ride the Z series, my brother rides the F series (not a huge difference) and my mom rides a ZW.


Amongst the two I did test ride was the Felt Z5. The other was the Scott CR1. I like the Felt as it felt pretty fast and was a pretty good fit (I think). I also liked the white color scheme. However, it was a fairly short test ride (aren't they all?) and I don't have much to compare it to just yet.


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## Salter77 (May 17, 2011)

Interesting as I am in the same boat you are. I test rode both bikes you are asking about as well as the new Cannondale Caad 10, Synapse, Giant TCR AdvancedSL, Fuji SST, Spec.Roubaix Expert. I have to say this has been the most fun shopping for anything I have ever purchased before, because out of all the bikes I've rode none were bad, but they hall had unique attributes about them. The Colnago and Cervelo are roughly the same weight, but the Colnago is so much beefier and refined. Being a Clydesdale I can appreciate this and aesthetichically its in a class of its own. It came down to the Caad 10 in Dura-Ace and The Colnago in Ultegra. It was hard to pay so much for an aluminum bike made overseas even with an amazing build kit. Needless to say my Colnago is on order and I'm chomping at the bit!


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## Arrwin (Apr 29, 2011)

Salter77 said:


> Interesting as I am in the same boat you are. I test rode both bikes you are asking about as well as the new Cannondale Caad 10, Synapse, Giant TCR AdvancedSL, Fuji SST, Spec.Roubaix Expert. I have to say this has been the most fun shopping for anything I have ever purchased before, because out of all the bikes I've rode none were bad, but they hall had unique attributes about them. The Colnago and Cervelo are roughly the same weight, but the Colnago is so much beefier and refined. Being a Clydesdale I can appreciate this and aesthetichically its in a class of its own. It came down to the Caad 10 in Dura-Ace and The Colnago in Ultegra. It was hard to pay so much for an aluminum bike made overseas even with an amazing build kit. Needless to say my Colnago is on order and I'm chomping at the bit!


Awesome. Thanks for the feedback. Mind if I ask how much you end up paying for the Colnago? I believe they offer the CLX in the 105 as well, correct? Did they offer any discounts? 

Thanks and congrats! Please post pics of the bike when it arrives.


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## Salter77 (May 17, 2011)

I can PM you the details of my purchase as it was an amazing deal, but the 2011 CLX is only available in Ultegra or Force according to my dealer. I have a 2 week lead time roughly on my bike, but I will post pics as soon as I get it!


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## Arrwin (Apr 29, 2011)

Hey guys,

Just wanted to check-in here. So..I have yet to still find an RS and a CLX my size to test ride. I did however test ride a Cannondale Synapse 3 and I really liked it! The fit seemed very comfortable and natural, so that is definitely now a contender. Anyone have any experience with the Synapse 3? 

I also saw a Pinarello FP2 that looked schweet today and will go back tomorrow to test ride assuming they have my size. FP2 is Pinarello's entry-level carbon bike, so is it on par with it's higher-end bretheren or is it the 318i of BMW??

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Arrwin said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Just wanted to check-in here. So..I have yet to still find an RS and a CLX my size to test ride. I did however test ride a Cannondale Synapse 3 and I really liked it! The fit seemed very comfortable and natural, so that is definitely now a contender. Anyone have any experience with the Synapse 3?
> 
> ...


I think you're in a similar situation with the Pinarello versus C'dale as you were with the Cervelo versus Colnago. C'dale offers a limited lifetime warranty, while Pinarello (being a somewhat smaller company), offers a weaker warranty:
LIMITED WARRANTY: THREE YEARS / TWO YEARS
Cicli Pinarello guarantees its frames, if purchased from authorized Pinarello dealers, to be free from manufacturing
or material defects for:
- three years from the date of retail purchase if you register the frame, within ten days from purchase,
on the www.pinarello.com website;
- two years if you do not register the frame within ten days after retail purchase.

Beyond that, to answer your question re: how the FP2 rates in their model lineup, I see no difference between this and how Specialized, Trek, C'dale (among others) specs their CF bikes at certain price points. Specifically, the higher you go, the higher STW (strength to weight) ratio is, meaning that less material is used via the use of higher grade CF and variations in layup/ methods of construction, resulting in a lighter, stiffer frameset. 

Re: specs, I've seen FP2's built up with anything from Ultegra to Rival to Di2, so you'll have to check out the bike at your LBS and compare it and price to the Synapse.

Both bikes are close in geo, with the FP2 being slightly more 'race', but as is always the case, the bottom line is to test ride the bikes back to back (if possible) and with the same tire pressures, deciding from there. The one that fits/ feels, rides and handles the way you like, wins.


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## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

Arrwin said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Just wanted to check-in here. So..I have yet to still find an RS and a CLX my size to test ride. I did however test ride a Cannondale Synapse 3 and I really liked it! The fit seemed very comfortable and natural, so that is definitely now a contender. Anyone have any experience with the Synapse 3?
> 
> Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!




Last summer I picked up an '09 Synapse Carbon 3 for my return to riding....hadn't ridden in >10 years and I wasn't exactly great back then, either 

I am not an expert, but the bike is very smooth riding, stable, comfortable, fast enough, and without problems so far.


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## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

Here's a good deal on a brand new '10 Synapse Carbon 4 (Rival), size 56...if you don't mind going through Ebay for a new bike. They do have Ebay Buyer Protection, which worked fine the one time I had to use it. This bike is new, so less chance for issues. $1700 !! 


http://cgi.ebay.com/2010-Cannondale-Synapse-4-56-/300562930022?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item45faf25966


**


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Erion929 said:


> Here's a good deal on a brand new '10 Synapse Carbon 4 (Rival), size 56...if you don't mind going through Ebay for a new bike. They do have Ebay Buyer Protection, which worked fine the one time I had to use it. *This bike is new, so less chance for issues.* $1700 !!
> 
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/2010-Cannondale-Synapse-4-56-/300562930022?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item45faf25966
> ...


One can only hope, because buying new bikes via ebay (or similar) gets the buyer no warranty with most companies, including C'dale.

_...purchasing a Cannondale bicycle via the internet voids all product warranties..._

Source:
http://www.cannondale.com/terms-policies#warranty


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## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

Ahhh, true :idea:....you always catch all the fine details . I guess it depends on what chances a buyer is comfortable with taking.
But that is kinda weak to not cover a new bike sold from a dealer.

**


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## Arrwin (Apr 29, 2011)

Erion929 said:


> Here's a good deal on a brand new '10 Synapse Carbon 4 (Rival), size 56...if you don't mind going through Ebay for a new bike. They do have Ebay Buyer Protection, which worked fine the one time I had to use it. This bike is new, so less chance for issues. $1700 !!
> 
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/2010-Cannondale-Synapse-4-56-/300562930022?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item45faf25966
> ...


Thanks for the heads up! But unfortunately, i'm vertically challenged so a 56cm would be way to big. I probably ride around a 51 cm or smaller.


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## J.Plume (May 27, 2011)

Why the concern about a lifetime warranty? My cycling friends seem to buy new bikes every two or three years. And I am not young so "lifetime" means less to me now than it did long ago.

Like Arrwin, I am ready to buy my first road bike - actually, my first in nearly 30 years. There are so many bicycle companies. How does one decide? While I would prefer to pay less money by shopping online, I am partial to supporting local businesses. Are there any bikes with less ostentatious branding? There are so many logos on a Trek.


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## Arrwin (Apr 29, 2011)

Hey guys,

Went to an LBS yesterday (R&A) with a HUGE selection of goodies When I told them the bikes I was considering, they asked me why I was looking at the "relaxed" bikes when i'm a young athletic guy? Instead of the RS, they said I should be looking more along the lines of the R3. Being that this will be my first road bike, I was afraid a too aggressive geometry would be too much for me, but I really don't know. How do I know what is the right type of bike for me? Especially if I cannot test ride. 

I went in looking for a Cervelo, Colnago, Pinarello, but they also introduced me to a Wilier Gran Turismo. Anyone have experience or opinion on Wilier? I don't know too much about them. 

Thanks!


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## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

Wilier Gran Turismo is a beautiful new Italian bike that is marketed towards "relaxed" or "sportive, gran fondo" riding, but reviews actually seem to say that it is only relative to pure race bikes and that it is pretty stiff and only a hair down from a race bike. Ideally it is an all-rounder, though....not too many reviews out yet. There was one last month in Road Bike Action magazine, but I didn't get to read it.

The frame itself runs $2400, though...so a bike will run $3500-4000.

There's a couple of peeps with them in the "Other Brands" section of the Bike Manufacturers section of this website.

Also, you can check it out at CompetitiveCyclist.com or on BikeRadar.com

**


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Arrwin said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> Went to an LBS yesterday (R&A) with a HUGE selection of goodies When I told them the bikes I was considering, they asked me why I was looking at the "relaxed" bikes when i'm a young athletic guy? Instead of the RS, they said I should be looking more along the lines of the R3. Being that this will be my first road bike, I was afraid a too aggressive geometry would be too much for me, but I really don't know. *How do I know what is the right type of bike for me? Especially if I cannot test ride. *
> 
> ...


I think your LBS is oversimplifying things by offering that you're a young, athletic guy so you should be looking at race bikes. For one, just because you're young and athletic doesn't mean you want your first road bike set up to emulate the pro's and two, the _main_ difference between many relaxed/ endurance and race bikes is about 2cm's of head tube length, which allows for a slightly more upright rider position. As your fit evolves (as anyone who builds saddle time will) you can remove spacers/ swap stems to get that lower, more aggressive rider position. 

I'm not suggesting that you should definitely go the relaxed geo route. Rather, simply pointing out that the differences between the two aren't great, and why you might want to consider both. Another reason why test rides are so important.... 

...which leads to the bolded statement. You won't (know) without riding a bike, so I suggest taking those that you can't out of contention.

Re: the Gran Turismo, the geo reads like a classic race bike, so it's designed for that more aggressive (lower) rider position, and handling will be on the quick side (some say twitchy). JMO, but I don't think it's an ideal choice for a first road bike.


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