Colnago Arabesque
Om de 30ste verjaardag van het fietsmerk Colnago te vieren wordt de Colnago Arabesque ontworpen en op de markt gebracht tussen 1984 en 1985. Deze prachtige elegante fiets wordt zo genoemd omdat de lugs in de vorm van een arabesk zijn uitgevoerd. Deze decoratie doet een beetje denken aan de 1ste fiets van Ernesto, een Gloria Garibaldina afkomstig uit de fabriek waar hij in zijn jeugdjaren had gewerkt.
Voor de stalen buizen werd het beste van Columbus gebruikt, namelijk SL en Record. Enkele exemplaren werden uitgevoerd met een Campagnolo Super Record groep met Colnago 30° anniversario (Colnago 30ste verjaardag) in gegraveerd.
De Colnago Arabesque werd in beperkte mate geproduceerd en is een echt verzamelobject geworden maar moeilijk te vinden. Wie er één heeft kan zich gelukkig prijzen.
Today, the Arabesque can be ordered again but only on demand. Everything is in vintage style with the only difference that the front fork is straight, type Precisa.
Colnago Master the last steel bike
The Colnago Master is launched almost at the same time. The steel tubes have a hexagonal cross section which gives the bicycles more stiffness. The Colnago Master is the last bicycle produced by Colnago that still has steel tubes, after that other materials are used such as aluminum and later carbon.
Colnago Master from 1986
The Colnago Master is considered to be the Ferrari among the Colnago bicycles and has been produced for a very long time with minor adjustments over the years and various models:
- Master Dual from 1987
- Master Più vanaf 1988
- Master Olympic from 1991
- Master Decor from 1991
- Master Light from 1994
- Master X Light from 1998
- Master Ibex mountainbike version
- Master Crono version time trial bike
- Master 55° anniversario uitgebracht in 2009 om de 55ste verjaardag van Colnago te vieren
Colnago Master Più begin jaren 90
In this period in which the Master is produced, Colnago launches the Precisa-vork, straight instead of classically curved. Criticized by many at the time of presentation but over the years it has become the standard and copied by all other bicycle manufacturers.
Colnago Master Olympico from 1995 with Precisa fork
The Master is also a collector's item and production has never actually stopped, you can still have it made by order, but with the Precisa straight fork and modern groupset.
More information about the Colnago Master
Victory in Paris Roubaix with the Colnago C40
Toch blijft Ernesto dromen van een fiets waarbij zowel de buizen als de verbindingen volledig in carbon zijn uitgevoerd en deze komt er eindelijk in 1995, de C40 genaamd. Daarvoor waren al fietsen met buizen in carbon en verbindingen in aluminium of de zogenaamde monoscocca waarbij het kader één rigide structuur is. Voorbeeld daarvan is de C35 die hij samen met Ferrari had ontworpen.
The C40 is used the 1st time in a professional cycling race which is the race where the material suffers very hard, namely Paris Roubaix. The night before the race, Ernesto receives a call from Mapei Giorgio Squinzi's big boss asking if he is sure the C40 is sturdy enough to withstand the numerous shocks from the cobblestones. And that straight fork, is that a good idea?
The Colnago C40 with which Franco Ballerini wins Paris Roubaix in 1995
Ernesto is right because Franco Ballerini wins the race on his Colnago C40. The solidity of carbon bicycles was immediately proven and all other bicycle manufacturers are also turning to this new material. The following years Johan Museeuw (1996 and 2000), Ballerini (1998) and Tafi (1999) win Paris Roubaix. Museeuw the World Cup 1996 and Pavel Tonkov de Giro d'Italia. And all this on a Colnago C40.
After the C40 only Carbon bikes
After the revolutionary carbon bike C40 many other models follow, all in carbon:
Colnago C42: a carbon time trial bike that consists entirely of 1 piece (monoscocca) and with which Pavel Tonkov rides the time trials in 1996 in the Giro d'Italia
Colnago C50: launched in 2004 for the 50th anniversary of Colnago, not much later other models were produced such as the Colnago C50 HP, Colnago C50 Extreme Power
Colnago CF series: in 2000, the first Colnago CF 1 (Fuori Classe) was produced, a collaboration between Colnago and Ferrari. It concerns bicycles of which only a limited number of copies have been made. So a collector's item.
The 1st model Colnago CF1 in the series collaboration with Ferrari
Colnago Extreme Power, Colnago Extreme C: launched in 2006
Colnago C59: launched in 2012 and the 1st bicycle with disc brakes
Colnago C60: released in 2014 for the 60th anniversary of the bicycle brand Colnago. The frame consists of carbon hexagonal tubes, such as the famous Master.
The latest trends: electric racing bikes and gravel bikes
Colnago has always been looking for innovation and high technology. They also follow the latest trends in electric racing bikes and gravel bikes and are included in their range. Some bicycles are also custom made where you can choose the colors yourself, even with the help of the program on their website.
Below is a selection of the latest models
We have known for a long time that most carbon frames are made in the East. A necessity unfortunately if the historical bicycle brands want to survive. So also Colnago. You can buy the latest Colnago frames online at Aliexpress.
Racingbikes
Colnago C64: released in 2018, this bicycle is 100% made in Italy
Colnago V3-R: the latest model from the V-R series, released in 2015
Colnago Concept: the name derives from the carbon model that was developed together with Ferrari in 1986 but never came on the market due to its overweight.
Colnago Clx: an all-round carbon bike that is not among the top of the range of Colnago racing bikes
Electric racing bicycles
Colnago E64: analogous to the C64 but monoscocca and with an electric motor
Colnago eGRV: a Gravel bike with an electric motor
Gravelbikes
Colnago G3X and Colnago eGRV
Cyclocross
Colnago Prestige
