Cyclocross - Colnago Cross Prestige vs. Ridley X-Night

I am in the process of purchasing a cyclocross bike. I have narrowed down my choices to the 2010 Colnago Cross Prestige and the 2010 Ridley X-Night. Both are fine bikes in the same price range. The Ridley seems to use slightly more advanced technology with concealed cable routing and concealed lugs on the frameset. The Colnago has a tradition of fine ride and build quality. I am not going to race the cross bike that I purchase. I am going to ride crushed limestone trails as I recover from my serious injuries incurred when hit by a car on July 5. Thank you for your insights and recommendations.


http://www.colnago-america.com/collection.php?name=CROSS%20PRESTIGE

http://www.ridley-bikes.com/pd/us/en-gb ... ss/x-night

This is all based on what I've heard, I've never tried either bike. So take this with however much weight you want.

The Ridley is going to be an extremely race specific bike. It will be extremely stiff. It will beat you up. If you're in good shape and not super old, you'll appreciate that. The seatmast system and larger lower bearing will provide for that. However, when I think of expensive 'cross, I think of Ridley.

The Colnago is going to be race specific, but not necessarily as much so as the Ridley. I agree that Colnago is a very classic, time-tested brand, but I don't think that makes the bike any better than the Ridley.

For whatever it's worth, fit is going to be the most important factor. Write both the names of the bikes on pieces of paper, stick em in a hat and pick one, and I'm sure you'd be happy.

I hope you're mending well.

I don't have any input on which is the better frameset, but I do know that the Ridley is so race-specific that it does not even have bottle cage bosses. I don't know if this would factor into your decision making.

But with either bike, you're giving up a lot of flexibility, technology, and comfort for that marginal race-edge. If you're not going to be racing, it doesn't sound like a sound sacrifice.

Honestly, if I were to buy a cyclocross-style bike for the purpose of trail riding and not racing, I would look to getting a nice Ti frame with bottle cage bosses, fender/rack eyelets and disk brakes.

But it's going to be your bike, so please don't let me discourage you.

i wish i was in a position to make a decision like this!

Try to find a ridley to test ride because with their higher bottom brackets it tends to feel like you are riding a tractor because of how high you feel. Although the xnight may have a lower bottom bracket than the lower end models.

i agree with theextremist, either one is great pick at random or by the one you think looks cooler.

i think a nice custom ti or steel frame with a good group would do you much better in the long run than either race-only bike... especially if you're never going to race. perhaps something like a black sheep, indy fab, de salvo, de kerf, moots?

your healing body would also probably appreciate the suppleness of steel or ti, over racing-stiff carbon.

I dont know the x-fire 2010 ,but the x-night is ridcoulous.
look at the picture here :
cable routing front derraileur is worse
mud clearance: very worse.

You don't really need a cross bike for the riding you are considering. I don't think the top end race frames you suggested are particularly suited, although since you won't be shouldering the bike or worried about mud, Elmar's concerns about the Ridley are moot.

You could get by with a road sport frame (Surly Pacer, Soma Smoothie etc) which will take wide tyres, or a more pedestrian cross bike. One with fender mounts, rack mounts etc will be more useful in the long haul. I'd also recommend you check out Marinoni. You could buy a Fango or Sportivo, made to measure, for under 1/2 the cost of the Colnago or Ridley.

you might check out the latest review on cyclingnews of the ibis hakalugi

might be the right bike for you

I am not a cross person , but HOLLY CRAP that Colnago is a good looking bike.

I would lean toward the Colnago than the Ridley mainly because the Ridley is pure race.

Might want to check on the bottle boss issue on both bikes.

I appreciate everyone's insightful comments. This is where I am at after considering your input and information from other sources. I had ordered the Colnago Cross Prestige 3 in size 60 3 weeks ago with the understanding that the bike was on the boat and would be here by today, end of September. I did this after a professional fitting. Before placing the order I called Colnago America, located here in Chicago, twice to confirm that the size 60 was on the boat because of Colnago's reputation of being less than dependable. When placing the order the dealer called Colnago America to confirm that it would be here at the end of September because of the seasonal timing here in Chicago. On Monday I called Colnago America to confirm delivery to my dealer for this week. I was informed that the mold in Taiwan was defective and that I would get my size 60 Colnago Cross Prestige in late winter or early spring. The dealer encouraged me to take a size 58 which was on the original boat scheduled for the end of the September, but now would arrive in mid-October. Colnago America also offered a reduced price on a C50, but then he reneged on that offer. I thought it over and I pulled the plug on the Colnago deal today because it is the same old story on Colnago. They had claimed that it was U.S. distributor that caused all of the past screw ups and that the new Colnago America, owned by Colnago would now be well run. Undoubtedly it is Colnago the parent company that is hopelessly inept and totally clueless about customer service. That frameset is not cheap and I decided that I am not going to tolerate the same Colnago poor service and extreme undependability that they are known for. Another reason that I turned away from the Colnago Cross Prestige is the goofy curved piece on the frameset makes no sense whatsoever and is just added weight.

Today I focused on the Ridley X-Night, Ridley X-Fire, and the Parlee CX. I like carbon fiber framesets because I find the lighter weight more practical. I am leaning toward the Ridley X-Night. Knowledgeable cycling enthusiasts that actually own it like it a lot and it has a fine reputation. I can have the water bottle bosses installed locally. The X-Fire has been extremely popular and it is impossible to find in size 58 right now. The Parlee CX has a lot of appeal for me, but I just do not want to spend that kind of money right now. According to the manufacturer's literature, the horizontal dimensions are nearly identical between the two Ridleys, both are slightly stretched out for a cross bike. The bottom bracket is 1.2 inches higher on an X-Fire in comparison to a X-Night which I would prefer. According to people that own the X-Night that I spoke with, the X-Night is stiff in terms of handling yet it is vertically compliant enough to be satisfactory in that area. I'll decide in the morning but the X-Fire is the leading candidate right now. If I buy it and I don't like it I'll sell it next summer.

In the carbon cross vane then, how about the Guerciotti range? Ital Tecno has an X-Cross for 1600$

http://cgi.ebay.com/GUERCIOTTI-X-CROW-L-BLUE-CROSS-FRAME-FORK-NEW-2008_W0QQitemZ380151341995QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item5882c923ab&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

As far as weight goes, carbon is not the only option for cross bikes. The Salsa Chili Con Crosso is very light and made of scandium alloy. It's only about $800 with a nice fork too, which is great value. You could build one to be sub-17lbs without any extreme equipment choices.

Check out the Stevens CX bike. That thing is sick. Rode it at Interbike and I told the rep I'll take two (when I have the money)

The distributor Sinclair imports, has both the 58 and 61 in stock. And iirc, it has bottle bosses

The Stevens is absolutely beautiful. http://www.stevensbikes.de/2010/index.php?bik_id=200&sect=description&lang=de_DE

http://cgi.ebay.com/GUERCIOTTI-X-CROW-L-BLUE-CROSS-FRAME-FORK-NEW-2008_W0QQitemZ380151341995QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRoad_Bikes?hash=item5882c923ab&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262

choices.

mud-clearance og guerciotti is poor ,too

best frame in adition of all is, in my opinion,the kuota kross
light,comfortable,lots of mud clearance:
http://cx-sport.de/content/leichtbauprojekt



photos of ridley http://forum.cx-sport.de/showthread.php?t=472&page=2&highlight=2010
cabkle routing is very poor,too.

I would really confirm geometry. I thought you were selling a 60cm Madone, that Madone runs very small compared to most everyone else. I ended up is a 56 Cannondale CX9 frame and I'm very pleased (I also ride a 60 Madone). Specialized makes a nice carbon cross frame. Not sure I would want to drop big bucks on a cross bike, but be sure to check sizing.

mud-clearance og guerciotti is poor ,too

best frame in adition of all is, in my opinion,the kuota kross
light,comfortable,lots of mud clearance:


But he does not need mud clearance, because he is going to be riding on gentle gravel trails. Even the cable routing is pretty much irrelevant, because he will not be portaging the bike.

I placed an order today for my new cross bike, the Ridley X-Fire. The finalists: No. 2 was the Stevens Carbon Team. No. 3 Parlee Z3 CX. No. 4 S-Works Tri-Cross. No. 5 Ridley X-Night. No. 6 Colnago Cross Prestige. I appreciate the feedback from those that contributed their thoughts and ideas. I considered all of the input and it was quite helpful. The Ridley X-Fire has superb technology, looks beautiful, great value, moderate bottom bracket dimension for a cross bike, fine company with a great future, and water bottle lugs.

Colnago was a huge disappointment. I initially placed an order in the beginning of September the Colnago Cross Prestige. I checked in periodically with Colnago America. I was repeatedly was told by Colnago America and the dealer that the Cross Prestige in size 60 was on the boat on its way. Two days before the scheduled date for me to pick it up at the dealer, I called Colnago America. I am told that there were problems with the mold in Taiwan and that my size 60 Colnago Cross Prestige bike would arrive sometime in the winter or spring !!!!!!!! The dealer and the Colnago America rep tried to talk me into a smaller frameset, size 58, that would be only two weeks late, October 15. I had mistakenly assumed that with the firing of the last US distributor and Colnago running the US distribution as Colnago America that the awful customer service was being corrected. Colnago is the worst, most inept, most unprofessional bicycle manufacturer on the planet. I will never consider buying a Colnago product again.

Out of curiosity, as a Pinarello fan, did you consider their cross?

I considered it. Others more knowledgeable than were somewhat unenthusiastic about it. I did not find any glowing reviews for that bike.