John_V 

I'll be ordering my N+1 Colnago Ace Ultegra in the morning. It'll take about three to four days to get here from the distributor in Chiccago. It's white with red accents. I'm having the bike shop change the tires from the 23's that come on it to the new Conti Ultra Gatorskins I just put on my Defy. Pictures to come as soon as it comes home.

skilsaw

Way to go dad! Nothing like having a new one in the house to make life rosy.

jmccain

Sweet! I love white bikes (used to race on a Peugeot PX-10 back in the day. Me and Eddy). Can't wait for pics and a ride report!

John_V 

I know that on BF it isn't true without a photo, but until I get the baby home, here is a photo of it from the Colnago web site. Not crazy about the white bar tape. I may have them replace it with red tape since the accent lines are red. But then I don't know how the black aerobars will look on it. But then again, who cares?

Colnago Ace

It just dawned on me, that when I get this bike, I'm going to have to change my signature. How does "Ride Safe ... Ride Hard ... Ride Colnago" sound?

DEK

So John, what are you going to do with your Defy? I can't imagine you're going to want to ride that after you get that Colnago.

qcpmsame 

John,
Nice choice, I am looking forward to reading a first ride report and of course the first Pictures from you.

Bill

John_V 

DEK,

I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it. I've been looking for a beater road bike for my oldest grandson but I don't know if he has any real interest in riding. If he doesn't want it, I will probably put it on CL and see if I can sell it because you are correct in saying that I most likely won't ride it after being on the Colnago. We'll need to go riding again, after I get it. It probably won't make me any better of a rider than I am on the Defy, but what good is being retired if I can't enjoy it.

Bill,

Photos and ride report will be posted after the first ride. BTW, did you post your ride report on your new Cdale?

qcpmsame 

Going to do the first ride and report today, weather had been crappy since I got the CAAD 10 home, Ugggghhhh.

NOS88

Adopting a new member to the fold is always such a joy. Congrats. And, eagerly awaiting the photos.

wobblyoldgeezer

What a lovely looking bike. Many happy and safe miles to you.

I'm biased, as my first 'serious' bike had white bar tape, but I think it looks good, a little grimy patina is evidence of use, and surely we all change our bar tape like our socks and shirts. We do, don't we? I mean....

Beverly

What a great beauty to add to the family

John_V 

Well, I went down to the shop today to put down the deposit. They said the bike should be ready by Saturday. Originally, I was going to order the bike with the 105 groupo, but the distributor didn't have any in my size, in white, in stock. The bike shop ordered me the bike with the Ultegra groupo, took three hundred dollars off (made it $100.00 over the price of the 105 model) and is going to change the tires to the new 25 cm Ultra Gatorskins that I just put on the Defy, two weeks ago, at no extra charge. Plus, I had my Retul files transferred to this shop a few weeks ago because I needed an adjustment. The original fitter is no longer at the shop I took it to when I got fit. Since they have all the measurements from my Defy, they are going to set up the Colnago to the same measurements as the Defy at no charge. They are going to have me do a sitting to make sure they got the settings correct. Now I'm really excited!

DEK

I don't know, John. My little ol' Felt Z85 is going to feel pretty poor next to your fancy, schmancy Colnago.

rosinante25

make that defy ur "rain" bike. i lived for one year in pinellas county across tampa bay & rode alot in the rain. i loved it but ur not going to ride that "movie star" colnago bike u just ordered in the rain. u can have have em both & feel like a king. BTW ur lbs is great, enjoy!!

John_V 

That new bike isn't going to make me a better or faster rider, just a happy one. But if you want, I can take the Defy. And that is a very nice looking Z85 that you have. It gave my Defy an identity crisis when we rode together.

John_V 

I thought about keeping them both, but I don't have any place to store the Defy, my hybrid and wife's bike and the new bike as I don't have a garage and have to share the shed contents with the bikes. I don't want to get rid of the hybrid because I use it when I go on family rides or rides in the neighborhood. I don't really like riding in the rain and will do so only if I am riding and it starts raining.

BTW: the shop I'm getting this bike at is one that I have heard has terrible service and very unfriendly people working there. It caters to triathletes more than road cyclists, who say the staff is very snobbish. Dealing with them, I have not found any of the stories I have heard to be true.

qcpmsame 

Glad to hear you had such a good experience with the new shop John. No ride report, I have pulled or torn my achillies(sp) tendon some how. It is too sore to pedal with any force. this is killing me.

Bill

John_V 

Bill,

Sorry to hear about your injury. I felt the same when I injured my back last month. The bike was there and ready to go and I wasn't.

I won't have a ride report until Monday since I totally forgot that Saturday, we made arrangements to go with some friends to the Kumquat Festival in Dade City. Sunday she is taking the truck to work, so I don't have any way of hauling the bike back from the shop. Two more days of anticipation.

DEK

Have fun at the fest, John.

And why do you need a truck? Ride the bike back.

John_V 

The shop is on Bruce B. Downs and County Line Road.

John_V 

Aaaaagh! The bike didn't come in yesterday and won't be in until Monday. I can't take this waiting.

Retro Grouch 

The nice thing about handlebar tape is that, if you don't like the way that it looks, it's easily changed.

John_V 

Yep! And it's cheap. I decided to go with the red tape to see how it looks. I'll be asking how the red tape looks after I get the bike (now on Tuesday) and post some pictures of it.