# Colnago 50th Anniversary



## Aaron Kent (Jul 22, 2003)

Nice bike!


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## C50 (Feb 8, 2004)

*Looks are subjective*

Personally, I find that when I like the ride and handling of a high-end bike, it seems to also "look right" to me. I love ALL Colnago's (I have a BiTitanio, Dream, and C-50). I prefer the red colour scheme of my Dream and C-50 to the very understated look of the Anniversary models. The other main reason I got the C-50 was that I wanted it last year (Nov.) and already had the gruppo. But of course I then went with the 2004 carbon fiber derailleurs, shifters, and crankset.........

The main thing is how if fits you, both in terms of size and character. Enjoy your Colnago -- the others are probably jealous !!!!!

Terry D.


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## terry b (Jan 29, 2004)

*Ignore it*

Much of the internet is populated with jealous people who either lack the resources to own such a bike or are too dang cheap to spend the money. It's the same crowd that will tell you that poor people on crappy bikes will pass you while laughing. If they can't get a rise out of you on that one, they'll complain about your spacers, the short warranty or the ugly paint jobs. (Yes, I saw the comments on your bike in the gallery.)

Too bad for them. I have two Colnagos, a Master X Light and a Dream + and I think they're very nice bikes. I'm planning on a C50 this year; Ernesto's birthday was this week, his business is now 50 years old and I turned 50 last Thursday. I figure that cosmic alignment cannot be ignored.

You've got a beautiful bike and you should feel lucky to own it. No doubt it's a head turner. 

Welcome to the owners club.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Enjoy the bike*

I've seen the 50th Anniversary in the flesh at both the London bike show last September and at Condor where there's been one in the window for the last couple of weeks. I personally find the headtube and that area where the top and down tube go into the headtube to be a bit bulky. Kind of like the Trek CF frames. The only one's I've seen have been in natural finish and again, it's a bit monochromatic for my taste. I would have gone with a C-50 but that's personal preference at work.

All that being said, it's really an impressive bike. Ride it, enjoy it and ignore people who don't love it like you do.

I think this might be yours?

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=PHOTO_GALLERY

I have a C-40 and Tecnos so I guess that puts me into the old school camp.

I'd be curious to hear how it rides and compares to say a C-40 or C-50.


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## Aaron Kent (Jul 22, 2003)

*I agree*

You're all right!


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## slide (May 22, 2002)

I know I'm jelous!!! I love that Colnago 50th Anniv. bike. I havn't had the pleasure of seeing one in person but as soon as we got the new Colnago catalogues in at work I was drooling all over them.


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## CDanRun (Jan 22, 2004)

It's a nice bike. I like it. Carbon bikes look better in person...

It'll probably look even better with some high profile carbon wheels though...


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## Flyingsquid (Feb 15, 2004)

My first post....I think the 50th Anniversary Colnago looks so cool that I had to register just to defend it's honor! I'm seriously thinking about one myself & would be curious as to your thoughts once you have a chance to feel the road a bit. I must be a bit monochromatic as well as I think that bike has the biggest "Whoa..." factor of any bike I've seen in a long time. Do you mind if I ask what kind of dent the 50th made in your wallet? I've seen them running anywhere from 6399-6999.


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## C50 (Feb 8, 2004)

*Ride quality*

I had a chance to ride one briefly (75 km) back-to=back with my C50, both with Campy ten speed and Euros wheels. They were hard to tell apart, althogh the Anniv. wasn't to my exact setup. All the Colnago's with the new 1-1/8" front ends handle very precisely.


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## Jed Peters (Feb 4, 2004)

I really like that bike...congrats on the purchase!


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## Bocephus Jones (Feb 3, 2004)

Jed Peters said:


> I really like that bike...congrats on the purchase!


yup...beauty...if only I could afford one the 50th anniversary edition would be right up there. I have an AD-4 MXL that is pretty understated with a black/white scheme and like the fact that the 50th is not too flashy--kinda a stealth bike until you start looking at it closer. If you wanted flash though the "spider man" paint scheme for the c-40 looked kinda cool.


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## Aaron Kent (Jul 22, 2003)

*Price*

So how much is it?


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## Bocephus Jones (Feb 3, 2004)

I like the looks of this one...definately different:

<img src=https://trialtir-usa.com/2004-colnago/c50-hp/images/c50-pral-w-fork.jpg>


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## C50 (Feb 8, 2004)

*Anniv. ride*

I got to ride the Anniv. with Campy equip ex-factory -- it's nice to have friends. That's also how I got my C-50 in my signature red in Nov--one of the first.


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## Aaron Kent (Jul 22, 2003)

*Photos*

As promised. Enjoy!


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## Rogue (Mar 20, 2004)

Bocephus Jones said:


> I like the looks of this one...definately different:
> 
> <img src=https://trialtir-usa.com/2004-colnago/c50-hp/images/c50-pral-w-fork.jpg>



That's the paint scheme for my C-50 that I ordered back in November. I can't wait till it gets here it should look wicked.


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## Marlon1 (May 17, 2004)

owowoww 

I found this thread by searching 'colnago carbonissimo' on internet  

The Anniversay on the pics is VERY nice. 

Did you already used the bike? Or do you keep it 'save'    

Why didn't you choose the Colnago Carbonissimo frame? It's not a limited bike... But it is the same prize..?

Do you also know the weigth of the whole bike? 7-8kg or something? 

Marlon!


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## Aaron Kent (Jul 22, 2003)

*Carbonissimo*

I too looked into the Carbonissimo. First of all, it costs more, and it is an older design than the 50th which has the C50 technology. As far as I know from research, it also weighs more. I attempted to get a price of a Carbonissimo equipped with Campy, this was what I got:

Brand / Description	Weight lbs	Price in grams
Colnago Carbonissimo Gold 54 cm (c-c)	2.53	$4,850.00	A	1150
Colnago Star Carbon Monocoque	0.792	included	A	360
Campagnolo Record 1 inch	0.242	included	B	110
0
Colnago Carbon Fiber 28.0 mm	0.407	included	A	185
Selle Italia SLR Saddle 0.297	$70.00 135
0
Colnago Ergo-Light Stem, 12cm, 26.0	0.385	included	A	175
Colnago Signature Handlebar ITM 42cm	0.473	included	A	215
0
Campagnolo Record 10 spd 170, 39/53 Carbon	1.1	$2,699.99	B	500
Campagnolo Record	0.418	included	B	190
Campagnolo Record Braze-On	0.1518	included	B	69
Campagnolo Record Cassette 10 spd. All Ti	0.3432	included	B	156
Campagnolo Record Ti Cassette Lockring	0.022 B	10
Campagnolo Record 10 spd	0.4048	included	B	184
Campagnolo Record	0.5698	included	B	259
~ Same as Brake Lever ~ included	B	0
0
Campagnolo Eurus Clincher 700C (Pair)	3.432	included	B	1560
Michelin Axial Pro Light 700 x 23 C (2pcs)	0.814	$99.98 370
Michelin AirComp Latex Tube (2pcs)	0.3212	$19.98 146
Michelin Rim Strips (pair)	0.044	$4.88 20
0
Campagnolo Record Brake Calipers	0.6776	included	B	308
Campagnolo Record Ergo Levers	0.7128	included	B	324
Campagnolo Record	0.0019	included	B	0.863636364

Subtotal	14.1391	$7,744.83 6426.863636

Record Pro-Fit Pedals	0.5852	included	B	266
Record Carbon Cage Kits 2 pcs	0.0792	included	B	36
Campagnolo Ergobrain 10	0.1276	$139.88 58


Total	14.9311 lbs	$7,884.71 6786.863636 grams

As for the ride, I'm not used to a light carbon bike, so I accelerated like a mountain goat on inclines... on the flat, acceleration was faster but max speed was pretty much the same as my regular bike. But it is sure smooth.. that I must admit.


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## Bocephus Jones (Feb 3, 2004)

Aaron Kent said:


> I already feel awkward bringing up this bike over and over but it blows my mind that I seem to be the only one excited about it. I made the mistake of posting a picture in the gallery that I got from the website CompetitiveCyclist.com where it was greeted as a "fugly" bike. I must be crazy because I think it is the most awesome bike my perhaps underexposed to "kick-ass" bikes self has had the priviledge to come across. At least in this Colnago forum maybe I can get some sort of a validation that I'm not insane. I'm an enthusiast just like yourselves, and for almost 15 years has held high regards to Colnago Frames and Campagnolo components. Early in my days, the most awesome bike belonged to a friend of mine who I frequently did 180km rides on Sundays. It was a Fuji Titanium Frame and Fork with Campagnolo Super Record components and the infamous delta brakes. Back then the only carbon fibre frame was from Kestrel available only in white. I have been away from the bike scene for 10 years and finally in 2003 started up the hobby once again. Not much innovations in design but the materials used now nearly took my breath away. I posted a topic last year in the general discussions on what the lightest bike would be. I was hoping to at least get pointed in the right direction for my next bike. My research initally led me to the Kestrel Talon SL with 2003 Record. Then the carbonissimo... and finally upon seeing the 50th.. I was sold. My wife has the Trek 5900 which was my second choice if the 50th was unattainable.
> 
> On the 9th of February, after nearly 6 months of waiting, the bike store: Competitive Cyclist called me and told me that it had arrived. I asked them a favor of taking a picture so I can get comments on it incognito. Lets just say it wasn't very encouraging. What is a good bike supposed to look like? Is the personal preference of the majority that different? In any case, I like it and at the end of the day, that is all that matters.


Did you buy it to ride or win a popularity contest? Just ride it and enjoy it and don't worry about what others think. For the record...that would be my dream bike. I love my MXL, but a 50th anniv C-50 is at the top of my list. So there...you got one compliment. The only problem is now you gotta actually ride like you deserve a bike that good so yuo don't look like a total poser.


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## divve (May 3, 2002)

Saw a guy in Rabobank kit on a Colnago CF3 Ferrari yellow/black two weeks ago. Certainly didn't expect to ever see one of those on the streets


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## colnagotifosi (Dec 10, 2013)

For anyone looking up on this old thread, I ordered my 50th Anniversary with Campy Record 10 from Cobblestone bikes in Richmond and got two of my friends to also go in on one more with Campy and another with Shimano 50th. So we bought three together from a dealer needing a big order so we got a deal. I also own a C40 (many miles) and a Carbonissimo (few miles). I've owned about 50 bikes and still have a Mag Dogma, Alum/Carbon Prince, Kuota Khan and many others.

The 50th Anniversary is by far the best bike I've ever owned/ridden. I've logged thousands of miles here in the US and took it to the Alps this summer and climbed 52,000 feet (7 miles) including the Umbrial/Stelvio double in the same day, the Gavia, the Mortirollo then in France we did Alpe d'Huez twice, the Col de Sarenne, Col de Glandon and Croix de Fer, the Ornon and the Galibier. The bike was and is flawless under all conditions. I had to wait 8 months for the bike originally because of the delay in the new 1-1/8" Star fork. It is my A+ bike for fit, finish, quality of construction, power, feel, everything.

The Carbonissimo is also amazing but a bit too quick and too stiff but what a beauty.  I owned four C40's and put a zillion miles on my '02 and a thousand on an '03 I had for a year and will always say that if you can only own one bike, one all around best performer in every category including value, the C40 or C50 is that bike.

My Magnesium and Onda Pinarello Dogma was a spectacular and amazing bike. I often felt like it was as good as the 50th Anniversary and perhaps the best bike ever at 50mph+ descending mountains. However, the top tube cracked at 1800 miles, right at the seat tube weld which is/was very disappointing. My Prince has been fine and is a great, short wheelbase, crit bike but nothing like the others for comfort and quietness though it is fun to ride and really wants to dive into corners. I helped a friend also buy a Prince of similar early '00's vintage and his frame cracked so there are issues with Pinarello reliability.

When Ernesto was asked why his bikes were not becoming as light as the competition and they weren't down to the UCI minimum 14.7 lbs he simply stated that his name was on the bike. I think he is onto something there. Reliability of Colnago's is king and they are worth the asking price.

Enjoy. Stuart


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## RedViola (Aug 15, 2012)

Pictures...pleeeeease?


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