This could have been bad

[TriGuy]

I was looking at my bicycle and noticed something was off on the handlebar. There was a bend where there shouldn't have been. Failure of a handlebar at speed had really bad affects to ones body. Anyways I disassembled it for inspection. Whoa, not only was there a bend at the curve of the drop down but both sides of the bar outside of the reinforced clamping area were bending down. I guess I got lucky this time. Needless to say a new bar is now in place

[Truckman]

My Schwinn never had controls like that, just something to steer with......Ben

[TriGuy]

My Schwinn never had controls like that, just something to steer with......Ben

integrated brake/shifter levers. Pull back to brake, flick sideways to shift gears up or down

[Truckman]

My 26" Schwinn was a one-speed...How fast it could go depended on what I ate for breakfast......Ben

[Ferraridriver]

I had a Colnago back in the early 60’s. Bought it from a friend for very little money. I wasn’t into bikes so I only rode it a few times. He had told me it was a very well known Italian bike, I was like “so what”, wasn’t until much later I found out it really was a high end bike. I had given it away by then.

[TriGuy]

I had a Colnago back in the early 60’s. Bought it from a friend for very little money. I wasn’t into bikes so I only rode it a few times. He had told me it was a very well known Italian bike, I was like “so what”, wasn’t until much later I found out it really was a high end bike. I had given it away by then.

yeah just the frame and fork, no wheels, bars, shifters, bearing, saddle and seatpost is going to run $3300. A complete bike like mine runs close to $7000

[Ferraridriver]

Is it carbon?
7,000. wow! That’s 1,000$ more than my fist house!!!

[TriGuy]

Is it carbon?
7,000. wow! That’s 1,000$ more than my fist house!!!

Hexagonal thin wall Columbus Steel

[Ferraridriver]

So hex is more rigid than round? interesting. Gotta be a bit heavier than round.

[TriGuy]

MASTER FRAMESET INFORMATION

The Colnago Master X-Light is, in many ways, the definitive Colnago frameset. It's a lugged, plated, painted steel bike with the distinctive fork, tube shapes, and paint that placed it apart from the pack. It first appeared thirty years ago, and to celebrate it's introduction, Colnago is releasing it once again. Building it like it was always built, and in Italy, too.

The frameset is exactly where it was when it last appeared in the Colnago lineup. The tubing, DT15V steel, is identical to the tubing they used before. When the bike was built last, it was with a tubeset that was a joint effort between Columbus and Colnago. Columbus isn't making the tubes anymore, so Colnago tracked down the guy who drew the tubes, brought him the dies, and he produced them for Colnago. So you get the same mix of star-shaped and round tubes. They are joined by the same lugs. The straight-blade Precisa fork, revolutionary when it first appeared, is back. And so is the chrome-plating, and the luxurious, detailed paint. Even with all this going on, the frame is a relatively svelte 1400g.

The big deal with all the pieces is how they work together with the geometry for an incredible ride. The straight blade fork is precise and compliant thanks to the rake and internal tapering. The star-shaped tubes resist the torsional forces of pedaling and the round stays keep the bike comfortable. The ride is fast, stable, and comfortable. Great for riding long, great for riding hard, great for riding long and hard. If you ever wonder what the DNA of a Colnago ride is, ride this bike, and you'll know it.

And the paint scheme. Oooh la la. The paint applied over the chrome was the acme of Colnago's fascination with fun and funky detailing. Fades, bright contrasts, intricate graphics, its all here.

The frameset is detailed as it always was. 1" steerer tube, though this time with a threadless steerer. Italian-threaded bottom bracket. 27.2mm seat tube diameter. Room for 25mm tires. Two bottle braze-ons. Plated braze-on front derailleur tab. Integrated seat clamp with pin included. Vertical dropouts.

The Colnago Master X-Light frameset is the extra light bike of yore, 30 years young. Its ride is now as it was then, a joy like no other.

[TriGuy]

I got this frame and fork in 2003 to replace a custom Colnago Super from 1981 whose bottom bracket shell failed in a sprint to the finish line

[UTAH]

I miss biking. My brother gave me his 50-year-old Schwinn 10 speed. It was in great shape but twice as heavy as the new bikes.

Ride safe, my friend.

Hunter

[Phillbo]

weight weenie

[Kevin]

Something you probably don't want to hear:

I wonder if that super light tubing and the rather controversial configuration led to metal fatigue. The X was built for heavier riders but "heavier" is relative - it is still for competitive riders and I've seen few of them weighing over 200 lbs. Don't know how much you weigh but it is something to consider. Colnagos are super comfy but their flexibility comes at maybe a cost.

I used to race in a local club a long long time ago. Most of the guys I saw were in the 150 lbs. range. I went 200 and at that weight, I was pretty much the heaviest guy there.

[Dave Grubb]

I was 190 to 195 when I stopped racing at 46. I suffered a really bad wreck in a race, broke my bike and my body