In Praise of Ernesto Colnago

[Canuk]

Over the years I might have owned and ridden maybe 15 Colnagos, from the lowly right up to a Master X Light in Mapei finish. I have never had a single duffer. In fact, apart from me abusing them through various winter trials and bad weather, I've never had one rust up or fail on me.

In direct contrast to Raleigh, 3 of which lie broken and irreparable in my garage and the one I'm trying to restore, all paint gone beyond saving.

All hail Ernesto, deserving king of road bike production!

My Tecnos, beat to hell, 7 winters of abuse and still looking like a legend.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Congratulations you have the only Italian bikes in existence never to rust or have paint fall off

 

[Imlach]

Do I have to do the roman salute?

 

[Canuk]

Congratulations you have the only Italian bikes in existence never to rust or have paint fall off

I've got an old Colnago Sport which had a tiny bit of rust on it near the rear brake bridge, if that helps! Generally though, the chrome on a Colnago is rock solid

 

[foz]

I thought colnagos were notorious for losing paint easily?

 

[Canuk]

There

I thought colnagos were notorious for losing paint easily?

Was a period where they were putting a 'soft paint' decor finish on Dreams and Tecnos, it looked great but it was not robust. They soon put a stop to it. I've got a Super from 1980 and it looks as fresh as it did when it left the factory, minus my stupid attempts to chip it!

 

[Woz]

Leaving Ernesto aside, I could do with you to clean the fleet.

I've got bikes stashed with winter filth attached to them from a decade ago and a different country in the attic.

Perhaps the downside of titanium frames Some wheel sets are very very sad to look at with corrosion.

 

[Woz]

Depending on where you live, and how you use and store your bikes, the real enemy is rot from the inside.

Worth reading.
https://workshopcompanion.com/Demos...lassroom_files/Shop_Notes_Rust_Prevention.pdf

Right now, even indoors and ventilated, in mid June, in living space, I'm clocking 82% relative humidity. Steel rusts from 80%. I've sawed up a titanium frame and the mineral deposits formed from collected moisture on the rear chainstays and at the bottom of the downtube around the bottom bracket was shocking. There's a reason why aircraft are parked in almost desert like conditions and hermetically sealed.

Sorry, but a steel bicycle frame will rot eventually from winter riding without some form of regular treatment on the inside too.

 

[Woz]

Just to be clear, yes, Ernesto Colnago a hard working man and company, and I would expect some longevity. I would also expect the steel tube suppliers to deliver steel tubes in tip-top shape to begin with, some good in-house QC, proper storage and post assembly top-notch treatment work. I can't see them being shoddy, but I can't see them being a magician either.

 

[ChromeChainstay]

Leaving Ernesto aside, I could do with you to clean the fleet.

I've got bikes stashed with winter filth attached to them from a decade ago and a different country in the attic.

Perhaps the downside of titanium frames Some wheel sets are very very sad to look at with corrosion.

attics rot rubber btw.