The Colnago is Complete

Yesterday evening I finally found the time and energy to git 'er done. All I needed to do was tape up the bars and slap on a computer. The computer turns out to be a CatEye that I found in the bottom of one of my bike boxes that I had forgotten about. Might not be my first choice but I've got it, it's on and who cares?

Take a look at the finished product;

The Complete Bike

I was able to take it for a 25 mile spin and my initial reactions are that it's light, stiff, quiet and smooth. And Sweeeeeet! After I get a few hundred miles on it I'll do a complete review. In the meantime here are some specifications;

Colnago C-50 frame (size 56cm, measured center to top)
Colnago Star fork
Shimano Dura Ace grouppo (that's all of the levers, shifters, brakes, etc. for you non-cyclists)
Mavic Ksyrium wheels
Specialized handlebar and stem
Speedplay pedals
Fizik saddle

Fully set up it weighs in at 16.8 pounds. My other bike weighs 18.3 pounds so I lost a pound and a half which according to my calculations makes this little project the most expensive weight loss program in the history of the free world. But did I mention that it's Sweeeeeet!

Here's the cockpit

I've heard a lot of riders call the feel of a carbon fiber bike, "dead". And not necessarily in a bad way. Dead as in no road buzz. Dead as in less noise when riding over cracks, potholes and the like. So maybe I was looking for this 'deadness' on my inaugural ride. It was definitely quieter but that might simply be due to the fact that everything is new and tight. There was less road buzz coming through the handlebars and the 1.5 pounds in weight loss is surprisingly easy to feel. The bike felt smaller than my other one even though they are identical in dimension.

Huge bottom bracket lug for stiffness

Note the unusual shape of the top tube

Handcrafted in beautiful Cedarburg, Wisconsin

For those of you from around the world who checked in on the progress, thanks for stopping by. Please check in from time to time as I am planning on posting a Colnago CT2 review, a Colnago C-50 review and maybe a comparison of the two. Plus I'll be posting the usual elviskennedy.com shenanigans, hi-jynx and tomfoolery a couple of times each week.

But right now, I'm going for a ride! Sweeeeeet!