I have the opportunity to buy a 2005 Colnago CT2 with Force fork (original components: Dura Ace 7800 drivetrain, Ritchey carbon stem, 3T carbon handlebar, Campa Eurus wheelset).From the first owner, who hasn’t used it a lot (it was a spare/second road bike, kept indoors) and it looks pretty good, hardly a scratch. The price is very decent, just above 1000 euros (~1100 dollars). I have two main concerns:
- From what I’ve read online, this lugged titanium frame with the carbon B-Stay & HP rear triangle could develop some issues (where the two materials are bonded, also corrosion etc.), though opinions (from 15+ years ago online) are divided. I’m not sure about the longevity/shelf-life of the Titanium main frame either. It’s a 6/4 blend, which is supposedly good (the best), but I’ve never had a titanium bike and I wonder if such an old frame is safe to use in the long run. I’m 70 kg, so not too heavy, but I am risk-averse and wary of sudden catastrophic failure. Not sure about the carbon fork and its carbon steerer either. The owner has told me he uses a torque wrench, but the compression plug in the steerer is rather short (I’m used to the longer Specialized plug on my own bike).
- I’m slightly hesitating because of the sizing too. It’s a traditional (horizontal TT) Colnago, similar to the Master or the C40/50, and it has a 55cm top tube, with 56 cm seat tube. The head tube is only 15 cm though, so saddle to bar drop is more than I am used to even with 20 mm extra spacers under the stem. I immediately noticed that during a brief test ride, but part of the weird feeling could be because of the traditional shape of the drop bar.
Let me explain: I ride 56 cm Roubaix SL4, which has a 56.5 cm top tube (though my stem is 10 mm shorter than the one on the Colnago, so reach-wise they are about even, since seat angles are comparable. BUT I have a non-average body (shorter legs, longer torso, but shorter arms too with negative ape index). The head tube on my Roubaix is considerable taller, so my saddle to bar drop is about 4 cm higher than on the Colnago (I’ve been fitted and have been riding my Roubaix for years: it feels perfect). On the Roubaix, I use a shallow bend Specialized bar, with short (87mm) reach and shorter drop than the classic shape bar on the Colnago. So I wonder if the Colnago would be too aggressive for me, even though they are supposed to be comfy, endurance-oriented bikes (I mean the CT2 specifically).
Any thoughts?
