gh-ap

Anybody know anything about this?

Does it compromise the integrity (i guess i mean strength) of the frame?

dolface

it's supposed to be like that, (i think colnago may have done it first).
supposedly it makes the tubing stiffer.

gh-ap

but does it work, or is this another example of fashion-over-function bikebuilding (like drilling holes in every part to make the bike lighter, whatever that's called)?

the only pictures i have are taken by the seller on ebay. how does this kind of frame look in real life?

absntr

Fixedfiend, calling fixedfiend and his Colnago...

biff

I have a friend with a frame EXACTLY like that (forgot the maker)

The way I see it, I would think that those dimples act as stress concentrators. Anything not round would concentrate stress on some axis.

But I wouldn't worry about it - ride it 'till it dies.

gh-ap

i'm glad there are a few of you on here on a sunday afternoon.
holler for working on the weekend.

ofofhy

They used to do that golf shafts in the old days to stiffen them. They called it "fluting."

I don't think the transitions in those tubes are sharp enough to create problems for the frame.

dolface

colnago has been doing it for years, i think you're fine, and with the right paint jo i think the fluted tubing looks really great.

('drillium' is one way that drilled-out components are described. drillium is a mythical element that's lighter than anything else available).

baxtefer

denti eh?

Serpico

uh-huh... that's right...

gh-ap

yeah, denty.

potus

the colnago tubing is a little different. more subtle I would say.

baxtefer

8 minutes left.

gh-ap

i found another frame that's not as weird.


please, sannino, be mine.

dolface

you think the fluted tubing is weird?

it's a classic, classic design!

icithecat

This is a type of tubing called 'dented inium'. This is far stronger than any other tubing known to man, 'though women know of far stronger tubing'. I would recomend buying this frame and beating your chest on the highest hilltops, proclaiming your tubeset to be far superior to all others.

baxtefer

damn, didn't win.

gh-ap

classic design, yes. more classic than a classic sannino? no.

fixedfiend

sorry, I was ridiing all day in Brooklyn looking for some hipsters on track bikes to ride with. (ducks for cover). then I thought I came upon one when I realized it was just a reflection in the mirror
It's Columbus exclusive Gilco Design tubing for Colnago. This is the supposed story of how it came about:

It is known; however, that the current trademark Gilco tubing used by Colnago, in which the main tubes are sort of diamond-shaped instead of round resulted from Merckx's opinion that Colnago's frames did not descend well. Comparing them to DeRosa's, Merckx felt the Colnago to be too flexible.

Upon hearing this, Ernesto set about remedying the problem, even though it was the only complaint he had heard regarding his frames' performance.

But if Eddy Merckx feels your bike is too flexible, you should heed the advice and make changes. Colnago did not want to add weight to the bike design he had worked hard to lighten, so he decided to increase the torsional rigidity without adding weight.

With some work using an ordinary shop mandrel on normal round tubes, he flattened all four sides of the tubes to decrease flexibility under pedalling forces, and unknowingly produced his future trademark.

For many years now, Columbus has drawn the diamond-shaped tubes to Colnago's specification, and two decades of racing have proven the merits of the idea. The resulting frame is light, stiff and offers a compliant ride quality, all of the attributes of a great race bike.

In my honest opinion of riding this bike for the last month, I have to say that this is the sickest ride.
Torsional stiffness yet super plush and compliant. It's all true. F.F.

Ceya

No Yes Colonago was the one of the first, Rossin also did frames like that too.

S/F,
CEYA!

Thylacine

Geez, another forum member that sounds like they write advertising copy for a living. Nice work Fixedfiend!

Most tubes in a bike frame experience out of plane bending. Best shape for that? Round tubing. Best shape for in-plane bending? Oval.

Best shape for bending of consumer consciousness? Star, diamond, fluted, crimped, cramped, clamped, dimpled, hydroformed......

fixedfiend

That was taken from a cycling history website. Oh yes, you must be right. The greatest bicycle frame maker in history has duped us all into thinking his bicycles are just marketing hype. How stupid of us consumers and the world champions who have ridden his bicycles. Only those who can experience will believe anyway.

Oh, by the way, if you need me to overhaul your site with some decent copy, let me know, cause that $hit is Wack! Pretty corny too.

jim-bob

The greatest bicycle framebuilder in history? I didn't know jeff lindsey was torching for colnago.

Thylacine

I think the correct phrase is "That sh¡t is wack, yo!", although I doubt the brothas will understand 'corny'. They will however appreciate your little chubby for Ernesto, similar to their obsession with b¡tches, Bentleys, and...er......bling-bling, so you should be fine.

Robbykills

actually, the "brothas" I know say corny all the time when describing ****