# C59 Advice



## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

I've got the opportunity to purchase a C59, the correct size, and I saw the frame today--red and white and absolutely gorgeous. If you Colnago diehards can help, I'd appreciate your advice and recommendations on this bike. I've never ridden a Colnago, but some guys I trust rave about Colnagos. I can't get as much specific info on the C59, however, and hopefully can get some good advice here. 

I've got two big questions:

1. For those who know the C59, is this another in a long line of great bikes from this company? Or are there any quirks about the C59 I should think about before buying? 

2. I would need to choose from a SRAM Red groupset or a Campy groupset (Chrous or above, probably Record but I'm open to suggestions)--but I've never ridden either SRAM or Campy. I am a diehard SRAM fan on the mountain bike, but am very worried about the shifting method for their road stuff because I've never used it and know some people don't like it. I know I would like the method of shifting with the Campy using the thumb for bigger gears--but I've got no idea what Campy rides like.

You folks are die hards and know these bikes. Thanks for any advice you can provide.


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## Karbon Kev (Sep 7, 2009)

You are making a good choice

1. Yes absolutely. No quirks at all, the frame is very stiff and propels you forward with every pedal stroke. With this frame you get out what you put in. And yet very comfortable. Perfect frame.
2. Personally on a colnago, campagnolo all the way, record or Super Record if you can afford it. Its all about personal choice of course. I wouldn't touch Sram with a barge pole, but others like their stuff.

The only downside is the wait. If you order from the factory today, you are looking fat 12-16 weeks. Unless you can find one in your size in your desired colour of course.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

Thanks for the info. 

A key here is that the correct size frame in a beautiful color is right there waiting for me. It would be built up by early next week if not sooner. The timing isn't perfect for me, I'd rather wait because I've got some other big expenses upcoming (a third car in a few months for my daughter and the need for a circular driveway, etc.--and my XC race bike purchase last August doesn't earn me any brownie points with my wife). But this is the right bike, it is here, and the deal is a fair one for me. 

I have the same feelings on the SRAM v. Campy. The SRAM is cheaper. But I'm going to pay more and get either Record or Super Record. It seems only proper to put Campy on a Colnago. 

I'm going from a 3 year old Trek Madone to this bike, so I am pretty psyched. I'll post pictures when it is built up.


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## Karbon Kev (Sep 7, 2009)

Yes yes and yes, it will be much better than a Trek madone. Looking forward to the pics.


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## icsloppl (Aug 25, 2009)

1. Yes, great frame functionally.

2. Campy is traditional. Buying from England or Switzerland can save you significant cash if you care to take that approach. Another way to save significantly without giving up functionality is mix groups. My C-50 is Chorus 11 with a SR rear cluster. You get about half the group's weight difference (and the vast majority of rotational difference) for about $60. 

3. The earlier high-end Madone's, like the SSL's are still extremely fine frames. The more recent ones are less spectatular IMO.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

Components ordered, going with Record, and it will be ready next week. We've got to order the components. If I had gone SRAM Red they could have built it today, but I'd rather wait a week. 

I'm very psyched. The frame is gorgeous.


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## orthobiker (Oct 12, 2007)

*C59 components*

What seat post are you using? Colnago one looks like a pain to adjust when there are other choices with adjustment screws on the side.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

The one that comes with the frame. 

I'm not that mechanically inclined, so I pretty much leave the bike work to my local shop. I'm fortunate to have a great shop two miles from my home with several excellent mechanics and some guys who know bike fits very well. They had helped me get my position just right on my old bike, which I had bought before they came to town, and they'll make sure everything is just right on this one. If I need a different seatpost for fit reasons, they'll just swap it out for me. 

That said, I may get myself a bike stand just to have a nice place to hang that baby and keep it clean after rides.


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## nicensleazy (Aug 3, 2008)

You will not be disapponited. I own an EPS and a C59 and extremely happy with both. My only advice I can give you about the C59 is that its fast. It just wants to motor at 100 mph everywhere. No need to train for this baby, because it wantes to rock and roll.

I will shortly be doing an artivle on Colnago Con Brio - EPS v C59


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

Hopefully I'll have time to train so I can help it go fast. Today I got to ride a Cannondale Supersix while I am in bike limbo. It was a fast bike, much stiffer and racier than my old Trek. If the C59 is like that, I will be a happy camper.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

By the way the Cannondale I rode today had SRAM Red components. I could live with the shifting mechanism if necessary, but would rather not. I'm glad to be going with Campy.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

Got the bike Thursday night and played hookie from work to take it out for a couple hours yesterday. Let's just say that now I know why Ernesto Colnago is famous. What a bike. 

I'm too embarrassed to post pics yet--it has a burnt orange test saddle on it and we are not going to order the stem until we get my position just right, so I'm using loaners right now. But I'll post some pics when everything is complete.


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## 1Cebu (Feb 27, 2009)

Congrats! C59 is a wise choice. Ride her lots.


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## nicensleazy (Aug 3, 2008)

well done!


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Gatorback said:


> Got the bike Thursday night and played hookie from work to take it out for a couple hours yesterday. Let's just say that now I know why Ernesto Colnago is famous. What a bike.
> 
> I'm too embarrassed to post pics yet--it has a burnt orange test saddle on it and we are not going to order the stem until we get my position just right, so I'm using loaners right now. But I'll post some pics when everything is complete.


I am late to this thread, but I was going to tell you that my first thoughs upon riding my first Colnago, a Cristallo back in 2007, was WOW, HOLY CRAP, THIS IS AWESOME. I've bought 4 more since then (2 Artes, Oval Krono, C50) and each and every one of them have been awesome. The Oval Krono is a bit rough on one TT that I do, but the back side of that course is horrible no matter what bike I am riding. Otherwise, they are all awesome.

Glad to hear you went with Campy, because that was going to be my suggestion.

I'll be waiting for the pics. Now, that doesn't mean you should hurry with the stem and saddle purchase. Get everything dialed in and then buy the right stem and saddle. Then, we will expect pics.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

nicensleazy said:


> My only advice I can give you about the C59 is that its fast.


Huh?  
No bike is "fast". It's about the rider. Entirely.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Pirx said:


> Huh?
> No bike is "fast". It's about the rider. Entirely.


Exactly. However, some bikes are "faster" than others due to a better transfer of power to the road and a bike being lighter than another bike such that the same rider can climb easier with the lighter bike.

At the end of the day, my C50 sitting in the basement is just as fast as my wife's Target special sitting in the basement, until somebody gets on it and rides it.


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## Pirx (Aug 9, 2009)

fabsroman said:


> Exactly. However, some bikes are "faster" than others due to a better transfer of power to the road and a bike being lighter than another bike such that the same rider can climb easier with the lighter bike.


"Better power transfer" is a myth, and nothing but marketing babble. Less weight helps a bit, but withint the range of weights you typically see on modern road bikes the effect is small.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

I'll just say that this rider certainly FEELS fast on the bike. And I'm pretty sure that I look fast too. But speed really isn't why I bought it.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

my Colnagos are all faster than the Bianchis before, because I HTFUed and now my quads and glutes are bloated


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Pirx said:


> "Better power transfer" is a myth, and nothing but marketing babble. Less weight helps a bit, but withint the range of weights you typically see on modern road bikes the effect is small.


It isn't a complete myth. To most, it doesn't matter. For instance, I think all the talk about frame flex is BS because I have never felt a frame flex. However, I am a 140 pound rider. People in the 200+ range tell me that they can notice flex between bikes. I have honestly noticed no difference in flex between my bikes.

Now, supposedly there are scientific studies that have measured the stiffness of a bike. If power gets lost to lateral flex, then it isn't all being transferred to the rear wheel. Granted, the difference is probably minimal between frames, but it is a difference.

Now, getting on my wife's Target bought GT mountain bike and my Gary Fisher is like night and day. Same thing goes for riding my 21 pound Mino Denti from 1985 versus my 14.5 pound Colnago C50 or Bianchi FG Lite. I can really feel the difference on a climb with the added poundage of the steel framed bike.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

the EP "feels" definetly stiffer than the C-40 though


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## jjp (Mar 3, 2005)

I love this debate. I feel as though I'm on any one of the music forums that I participate on. Tube vs solid stagte, Fender vs Gibson.... There's not much that I would agree with where Lance Armstong is concerned, but I believe he said it best: "It's not about the bike!".


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

According to Rule 4: It is, absolutely, without question, unequivocally, about the bike. 

That is why I bought a Colnago which is hand made and painted in Italy by a famous and historical bike company. It is a sweet ride, a *****in' bike. And I'm loving it.

In all seriousness, it is a pretty special bike. I live a relatively modest lifestyle and don't spend much money on cars or live too flashy, but this is one purchase where I wanted something special. Riding is my way to stay healthy, get away from work, and get that feeling of freedom out there on the road. Some people buy Harley's to do so. We prefer to pedal. 

This bike has definitely delivered.


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Speed isn't really about the bike. However, style sure is. I think I like the compliments about how fast I am (when I am in shape) versus the compliments I receive about the bike. However, it is a lot of work trying to be fast, which I have been slacking on over the past couple of years.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Ok dude! I call Bulls**t!!!! No pics equal no bike!!! . 

Seriously, throw some Pics for the rest of us to salivate.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

Ride-Fly said:


> Ok dude! I call Bulls**t!!!! No pics equal no bike!!! .
> 
> Seriously, throw some Pics for the rest of us to salivate.


Soon. 

I still have a test saddle on it, the actual stem is on order (we were waiting to order it until we were sure on the length), and we've got to cut the steerer tube down a little now because we dropped my bar height. Once it is finalized I will post pics.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

Here is a preview. We put the stem on today and cut the steerer tube. What remains is final saddle selection (that is a borrowed saddle on there now) and bar tape selection. If I go with a black saddle, I'm thinking I'll go with black bar tape. Any combo recommendations are welcome. 

Someday, maybe, I'll get a set of tubulars. Right now I've got Zipp aluminum team edition trainers with a power tap. They are relatively heavy and meant for everyday abuse. But my wife has justifiably put all my purchases to the bottom of our list (I got a sweet new mountain bike last August).


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## iyeoh (Jan 6, 2005)

:thumbsup:


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## ronderman (May 17, 2010)

Nice job, though the red-white cables look a little like a candy cane - if it works for you who cares.

I am always impressed with the lines on Colnago, they look so great. Good purchase and glad you got your before me. I'm at 6 months ; (


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## fabsroman (Jul 14, 2006)

Nice bike. What size is the frame?

Why not go with a black saddle with red accents and red bar tape? The problem might be matching up the red bar tape to the red on the frame. Just a thought.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

50 sloping. My shop had ordered red bar tape, but it didn't match the red. If I can find red bar tape that matches, I might go with that. I'll be on the lookout. 

A buddy has already ribbed me about the candy cane thing. But I've got pretty thick skin. (And he can only make fun of me at the _beginning_ of our rides anyway.)


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## maxxevv (Jan 18, 2009)

As for the bartape, you can check if the Fizik Microtex range comes close. 

I know its a perfect match for Look frames in red.


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## aingeru (Aug 29, 2010)

*Good point...*

(And he can only make fun of me at the _beginning_ of our rides anyway.)[/QUOTE]


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## jetvagabond (Aug 10, 2009)

Hello everyone. 

I just had a C59 built up with Record 11, Fulcrum Racing Zeros, and FSA stem and bar. I had to get a replacement for my C50 which was broken when a motorist entered an intersection from a stop sign just as I was entering the intersection with the right of way. Interestingly, the frame evidently survived the 20 something mph impact intact although my LBS, which inspected it for insurance reasons, told me that it had many stress cracks which were easy to see with parts of the frame being naked carbon. I haven't seen the frame since the motorist was a Federal Police Officer and they're holding the frame until the insurance claim is sorted out.
Anyway, here are my thoughts on the differences. I find the C59 to be stiffer yet just as comfortable for endurance riding as the C50. There's no question at all for me that a little bit more of my force is being delivered to the ground than before. Why? I don't know but I definitely feel it and it probably has something to do with the beefed up front end and changes in the rear triangle. Another noticeable difference is in the steering. The C59 is much quicker than the C50 in this respect. After several hundred miles on the new bike those are the two things I notice. Like the C50 before, I still get that wonderful road feel that Mr. Colnago seems to have perfected with his high end carbon road bikes. I hope to enjoy this frame for much more than the two wonderful years of training I enjoyed on my C50.
One of these days I'll take some photos and post them here as I enjoy the photos all of you share.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Gatorback that is a great looking bike, bravo. You made me jealous


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## jjp (Mar 3, 2005)

Check out the San Marco Regal with ti rails, in white. Gorgeous looking saddle on a bike with that much white, and with white tape. I have one on my Master (in white). Looks stunning, and like I said, very comfortable. An old school saddle for a new school bike.


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## chaulk61 (Jan 20, 2009)

Nice bike sir!!!!!

I would go with a white saddle


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## jjp (Mar 3, 2005)

White San Marco Regal, with ti rails. Unbeliveably comfortable. Old school meets new school. And, it's a great looking saddle as well.


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