Colnago problem: advice?

[Dan Tompkins]

I've been riding a Colnago CT1 for three years: it's a wonderful bike. Last week I damaged the
carbon seat stay, and it's got to go back to the factory to be replaced. I'm told this may take
six months.

Have others had similar experiences? Given the cost of these machines, it seems reasonable to expect
speedier service. It's certainly not an incentive to buy another Colnago.

Dan Tompkins

 

[Bruce Gilbert]

That sounds about right for Colnago. They also have a guy in California who does some level of
repairs. However, I am not sure about carbon stuff. I am going up to the distributor on Friday, I
can ask. Contact me off-list and we can see if I can help you.

Bruce

"Dan Tompkins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've been riding a Colnago CT1 for three years: it's a wonderful bike. Last week I damaged the
> carbon seat stay, and it's got to go back to the factory to be replaced. I'm told this may take
> six months.
>
> Have others had similar experiences? Given the cost of these machines, it seems reasonable to
> expect speedier service. It's certainly not an incentive to buy another Colnago.
>
> Dan Tompkins

 

[Tom Kunich]

[email protected] (Dan Tompkins) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I've been riding a Colnago CT1 for three years: it's a wonderful bike. Last week I damaged the
> carbon seat stay, and it's got to go back to the factory to be replaced. I'm told this may take
> six months.
>
> Have others had similar experiences? Given the cost of these machines, it seems reasonable to
> expect speedier service. It's certainly not an incentive to buy another Colnago.

Expect it to take at LEAST 6 months. And then you might well get it back without any repairs.

Or you can send it to http://www.calfeedesign.com/ and he can fix it better than new for a
reasonable price an in a reasonable period of time.

 

[Mike S.]

You may try finding Havnoonian on the web. He may be able to do something quicker.

Ya gotta remember that you're dealing with 1. Italians, and 2. a "race level" bike. Since the
pros get new bikes every year, why make one that's going to last any longer? Anything else is
too heavy...

Mike "Dan Tompkins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've been riding a Colnago CT1 for three years: it's a wonderful bike. Last week I damaged the
> carbon seat stay, and it's got to go back to the factory to be replaced. I'm told this may take
> six months.
>
> Have others had similar experiences? Given the cost of these machines, it seems reasonable to
> expect speedier service. It's certainly not an incentive to buy another Colnago.
>
> Dan Tompkins

 

[Stig]

"Bruce Gilbert" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Let me set a couple of things straight here.
>
> Colnago is selling you a piece of cycling art that sits upon a support structure of aluminum, ti,
> carbon or steel. Would you complain if your Monet, Degas, or Picasso broke if you sat on it? Of
> course not! Think of your Colnago as an art statement that transports you into a world of fitness.
> How long would you expect to wait for Jackson Pollack to fix one of his paintings that you smashed
> into a curb? Get a grip man! By the way, that was not just a shrug, it actually was a very
> sensitive acknowledgement of the fleeting quality of artistic genius. It is not just any mortal
> with the gift to transform a piece of metal or plastic into an object of beauty that causes grown
> men to salivate like puppies when it goes past them. What would a Colnago be worth if it was just
> painted flat black or covered with electrical tape?
>
> Bruce
>

O.K.Are you talking about good quality contractor grade electrical tape or the **** sold at the
Dollar Store? I also often wonder if you can purchase plastic slip covers for Colnagos, so as to
provide protection from dust and unwanted butt-cheek prints...

 

[C_ronin_v]

You don't have a backup Colnago?

> I've been riding a Colnago CT1 for three years: it's a wonderful bike. Last week I damaged the
> carbon seat stay, and it's got to go back to the factory to be replaced. I'm told this may take
> six months.

 

[Mike S.]

If I have to explain, you've missed it.

Mike "Sergio SERVADIO" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On Wed, 8 Jan 2003, Mike S. wrote: ...
> > Ya gotta remember that you're dealing with 1. Italians, and 2. a "race level" bike. ...
>
> Could you please expand a bit?
>
> Sergio Pisa

 

[Tom Kunich]

"Sergio SERVADIO" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On Wed, 8 Jan 2003, Mike S. wrote: ...
> > Ya gotta remember that you're dealing with 1. Italians, and 2. a "race level" bike. ...
>
> Could you please expand a bit?

It has to do with the artistic nature of the Italians Sergio. It's actually quite complimentary
though I don't think that most people mean it that way. Sort of like saying, "You look too good".
Italian clothes, Italian shoes, Italian cars and beautiful Italian women - it just sort of brings
out the jealousy in some people. Oh, yeah, and Mario Cipollini though you lose three points for
Marco Pantani. Put the right clothes on him and he could pass for an organ grinder's monkey.

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
>
>Let me set a couple of things straight here.
>
>Colnago is selling you a piece of cycling art that sits upon a support structure of aluminum, ti,
>carbon or steel. Would you complain if your Monet, Degas, or Picasso broke if you sat on it? Of
>course not! Think of your Colnago as an art statement that transports you into a world of fitness.
>How long would you expect to wait for Jackson Pollack to fix one of his paintings that you smashed
>into a curb? Get a grip man! By the way, that was not just a shrug, it actually was a very
>sensitive acknowledgement of the fleeting quality of artistic genius. It is not just any mortal
>with the gift to transform a piece of metal or plastic into an object of beauty that causes grown
>men to salivate like puppies when it goes past them. What would a Colnago be worth if it was just
>painted flat black or covered with electrical tape?

Colnago is not a one man operation, so they have no excuse for poor service. While the paint jobs
are quite nice, for the price they charge, they better be nice and they better provide better
service. This is one reason I would never buy a Colnago at anywhere near retail price.
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

 

[Tom Kunich]

"Alex Rodriguez" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> >
> >
> >Let me set a couple of things straight here.
> >
> >Colnago is selling you a piece of cycling art that sits upon a support structure of aluminum, ti,
> >carbon or steel. Would you complain if your Monet, Degas, or Picasso broke if you sat on it? Of
> >course not! Think of your Colnago as an art statement that transports you into a world of
> >fitness. How long would you expect to wait for Jackson Pollack to fix one
of
> >his paintings that you smashed into a curb? Get a grip man! By the way,
that
> >was not just a shrug, it actually was a very sensitive acknowledgement of the fleeting quality of
> >artistic genius. It is not just any mortal with
the
> >gift to transform a piece of metal or plastic into an object of beauty
that
> >causes grown men to salivate like puppies when it goes past them. What
would
> >a Colnago be worth if it was just painted flat black or covered with electrical tape?
>
> Colnago is not a one man operation, so they have no excuse for poor
service.
> While the paint jobs are quite nice, for the price they charge, they
better
> be nice and they better provide better service. This is one reason I
would
> never buy a Colnago at anywhere near retail price.

I have two personal models. I've built three others for people. But I sure wouldn't pay full lick
for them and now they don't even build frames in my size. For anyone that needs a frame bigger than
a 60 they just extend the seat tube and the head tube!

The most underappreciated bike out there - Basso.

 

[Stig]

"Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> The most underappreciated bike out there - Basso.

I second that. Mine has been awesome in terms of bang for the buck!

 

[Tom Kunich]

"stig" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> >
> > The most underappreciated bike out there - Basso.
>
> I second that. Mine has been awesome in terms of bang for the buck!

For an outright most enjoyable ride I take my Basso Lotto ELOS over any other bike I've ever ridden.

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

Dan-<< I've been riding a Colnago CT1 for three years: it's a wonderful bike. Last week I damaged
the carbon seat stay, and it's got to go back to the factory to be replaced. I'm told this may take
six months.

<< Have others had similar experiences? Given the cost of these machines, it seems reasonable to
expect speedier service.

Only 6 months? Good for you. We have sent back two C-40s for repair(BB shell and der hanger) and we
were lucky to get them back in around 6 months. Don't expect any status reports either....

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"

 

[Qui Si Parla Ca]

Tom->Or you can send it to http://www.calfeedesign.com/ and he can fix it
>better than new for a reasonable price an in a reasonable period of time.

Just for info-on the two C-40s we had that needed repair, Calfee said to send them to Italy-

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"