UPDATE
Colnago Bike master frame designer ERNESTO COLNAGO was appointed, by the Pope, as Cardinal – April 2021
Bike Brands like Trek, Cannondale, Specialized, and Giant are well known by most serious American cyclists. There are some outstanding European brands. Colnago Bikes is one of the best. We are glad to post this guest review of the brand.
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Colnago Bikes History
Colnago Bikes are a long-established and top-rated high-end Road Cycle manufacturer. Colnago Bikes were founded in Cambiago near Milan, Italy in 1954 by Ernesto Colnago. Whose idea was to produce top-end lightweight steel road bike frames for sportsmen and professional cycles.
Colnago quickly gained a solid reputation in the Italian Cycling fraternity. When 1960 Italian Pro Cyclist Luigi Arienti rode a Colnago bike to victory and a Gold Medal in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. This greatly increased Colnago’s standing in the cycling world and from that point on established the Colnago brand amongst the elite road bicycle frame makers.
Throughout the sixties, Colnago bikes were ridden in all the major Tours including the Giro d’Italia, Vuelta Espana, and Tour De France. In 1972 the world’s greatest cyclist Eddie Merckx rode a Colnago Bike to break the World hour record.
The Colnago bike he rode that day has become famous in the cycling world and has since been displayed all over the world including Eddie’s hometown of Brussels, Belgium. In 1982 Colnago produced the super light Columbus steel frame that Italian cyclist Saroni won the world road race championships on. Colnago increased the size of their road bike range and during the 1970s produced the highly regarded Colnago Super. By the mid-1980s Colnago was producing crimped tube frames with the Colnago Master and Master-Light being top-end road frames and best sellers. The Colnago Master has been produced in various materials over the years with the aim that Colnago frames would get ever lighter stiffer and stronger. Colnago also started production of their highly-rated Precisa Forks the first-ever fork to have straight blades. Since the early 1990’s Colnago has produced the C40 and later Colnago C50 a carbon fiber road frame produced in conjunction with Ferrari. And one of the highest-rated Road Frames on the market.
Colnago has had a strong presence in cycle teams, sponsoring teams since the 1970s, such teams as the Eddie Merckx led Molteni. More recent teams sponsored by Colnago bicycles include Team Milram, Team Rabobank, and US Team Navigators. Colnago continues to have a place at the very top of road cycling manufactures and offers fantastic quality and a wealth of experience and cycle history.
Current Colnago Road Bike Range includes the Top End Colnago EPS with Colnago unique lugged system and the Semi Monocoque Carbon CLX1 with lugged Chain and Seat stays for extra power transfer. Colnago also still produces Steel framed models such as the Limited edition Colnago Master 55. Colnago is famed for their Steel Frames producing Steel Bikes of ultra lightness. Lower down the Colnago Range is the Colnago ARTE an entry-level road bike produced from specially developed Aluminium 6000 Alloy and offering top quality at a more affordable price. All the Bikes in Colnago Road Bike range are what can be considered top-notch.
Source by Steve Brig
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