pelotonracer

Cyclingnews- https://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/?id=...ures/antipasto

"Inspired by the streamlined looks of the Cristallo, Colnago has a new mid-range carbon fiber bike for 2007 called the CLX. Designed by ColnagoLab, Signor Ernesto's in-house R&D department, the Colnago CLX is the first ever carbon fiber bicycle from Colnago built in Taiwan.

Colnago told Cyclingnews, "My new CLX is a high performance yet affordable carbon fiber bicycle. We have designed the CLX here in Cambiago in our ColnagoLab, then brought the manufacturing to Taiwan to bring the price down to a more affordable level. For years, our customers have been asking us for a more affordable carbon fiber bicycle but we didn't want to make anything cheap and unreliable. We have done a lot of testing and now we know the CLX deserves the name Colnago."

Colnago's new CLX has a monocoque front triangle with external ribs to enhance the frame's rigidity at key points, and CLX has a special aero section seat post and will be available in three colourways and seven sloping sizes as both a complete bike and frameset with aero seatpost."





What do you guys think? The start of the end of Italian Colnago's?

botto 

doesn't matter. pinarellos are better bikes anyway.

Stjtoday

If I were a stock holder I would be pleased. Not many can afford a $3,500 frame. Brings the quality and design of a great company to larger market. As long as they maintain oversight that the design spec is followed in production should be a gain for the company.

CyLowe97

Kudos to Colnago for their partnership with Giant (at least on the Rabobank TT bikes) and recognizing that Taiwan is a world leader in Carbon Fiber cycling products.

badkarma

How true

Chad's Colnago

I don't have a problem with Colnago outsourcing their designs to another manufacturer. If they partner up correctly the taiwanese manufacturer may have some valuable information that they, Colnago, can use on future designs.

SDRider

If it's not made in Italy, it's not a Colnago.

rapidcarbon

Pinarello F4:13 partially made in Taiwan too

briscoelab

ANd they have a new Asian carbon bike as well. But, I agree that Pinarellos are WAY sexier

DXchulo

I don't care where it was made, it's still a hot bike. They're probably going to sell a lot of them. Maybe when they start making steel Colnagos in Taiwan I'll understand the outrage.

1slowbastard

I think the fact that Colnago bikes are made in Italy and not eaily affordable are big selling points to a lot of Colnago buyers. As for me, you can make it in Antarctica as long as it is a quality product.

HAMMER MAN

+1 --- The frame looks exactly like a Giant

fmw

The problem is one of perception. Colnago sells for high prices, not because the bikes are any better than others, but because people perceive the brand name as valuable and pay the higher price for it. Making it in Taiwan removes some of the "mystique." Not only does it perform like other bikes, but now it is made like other bikes. It will help Colnago sell more bikes but it will tarnish the brand a little and reduce sales of the higher priced bikes making them eventually be in line with other bikes that have less "mystique." I don't know whether it is good or bad but it certainly is inevitable. I doubt there will be a production frame made in the U.S. or Europe in a few years.

fmw

Why not? The molds are already there. They can use them or modify them to suit.

H20.1

There was an article in some cycling magazine about a year ago where Ernesto claimed several models were going to be outsourced to Taiwan. Apparently he backed out when they found a European supplier, but it looks like they ended up reversing course again.

Not surprising though, it is only a matter of time before they all do it. Many will probably follow the Bianchi model and build lower end stuff in Taiwan and the higher end stuff in Italy. Should be funny to watch the ueber-snob reaction to this news.

CyLowe97

Much of the higher end CF market comes from Taiwan. Beware of blanket statements like yours regarding high/low end stuff from Taiwan. This thread might get a bit nuts.

ravenmore

What Giant does it look like? It looks more like a Specialized Tarmac or Ridley Excaliber. It doesn't look like a single Giant frame I can think of - not even vaguely.

voltman

Pedal Force!

botto 

I believe I have just read one.

botto 

+1

SDRider

Just don't mention Motobecane and we'll be okay...doh!!!

DocRay

I don't know where you guys have been, but the idea that a Taiwan-built Colnago will be cheaper is laughable. There are plenty of CF Cervelo frames built in Taiwan that cost $3500-$4000 and they can't make them fast enough. EFBe testing shows quite clearly that the best CF frames are made in Taiwan.
Colnago has always had a unique talent for convincing people to throw money at them, at least 30% of the price of these frames is just pure BS.
Sure, the frame is nice to look at, but I see nothing unique here over any other brand. And those lugged dropouts are nothing but a cheap way to make a carbon frame.

"We have designed the frame here in Cambiago"....really? then the new DeRosa was just a coincidence?

itsIRIEpat

How True. A good analogy to your point is if Ferrari was to make an affordable car, say even if it cost $50k, the high and mighty car owners would be pist.

Serpico

wow, I thought it looked just like a Dual HF--apparently I'm not the only one

either way, I'm sure it's a decent frame, most of the people b*tchin' wouldn't be able to tell the difference (myself included ) whether it was made in Italy or Taiwan anyway

Dead Roman

Isnt there a ridley or weiler that loks just like this bike as well?