I saw my grail colnago today

[pdmtong]

In the flesh at my LBS. There has never been and I suspect never will be a genius superior to LdV.

Does anyone recall the year? How many were made? I've only seen it it the catalog for that year. Until today.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170128/336c26b70a2acc6a55dde6e00f2560bc.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170128/4db5492727bc854220ee3d5eef23a92c.jpg

[KJMUNC]

2006, 600 made

[lookout2015]

I thought they were 2006 or so?

There's also one on sale on eBay right now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/COLNAGO-PRESIDENT-LEONARDO-DA-VINCI-50TH-anniversary-Shimano-Dura-Ace-C24-wheels-/302199420483?hash=item465c7d3643:g:MYQAAOSw5cNYU-MI

[happycampyer]

How ironic that your Holy Grail bike is a Da Vinci. I remember the long defunct local high-end shop (Altheus) had one of these.

[Louis]

There has never been and I suspect never will be a genius superior to LdV.

The dude was a fraud.

Proof: http://www.cyclepublishing.com/history/leonardo%20da%20vinci%20bicycle.html

[beeatnik]

I don't know, man, Colnagos make me glad I'm into bikas.

[pdmtong]

Mapei C40 sure. But president LdV . . . No contest. The Renaissance Man is the one

[cadence90]

Mapei C40 sure. But president LdV . . . No contest. The Renaissance Man is the one

Indeed. My favorite Colnago scheme ever.

Mapei is one thing, a company, etc. Beautifully executed paint, of course, and a fantastic design, but not really an emotional thing.
WC is obvious WC.
Geo? OK, but never stunned me.

LdV President...on the other hand...I think it's very hard to do elegant homage to a genius, and Colnago did it brilliantly.

I would love to see one irl. You are fortunate that you did. But where are the full-frame fotos of you standing next to it, casually pretending it's yours? I know you made some. :D

[hummus_aquinas]

this scheme kinda looks like a faded tattoo. no disrespect.

[R3awak3n]

maybe its the pictures but that looks like colnago downloaded some ldv art at 200x200 pixels, then streched it to like 4k and then stickered it in the bike. I am sorry yall but that is just aweful

[sonicCows]

kind of looks like a zodiac killer design :eek:

Imo this isn't scream Colnago to me...whereas Mapei, panels, or the olympic fades do. Leonardo might make me think it's an italian bike, but not anymore than a muscle cannondale would haha

[geordanh]

maybe its the pictures but that looks like colnago downloaded some ldv art at 200x200 pixels, then streched it to like 4k and then stickered it in the bike. I am sorry yall but that is just aweful

Damn. The comment I wanted to make has already been made. :)

[beeatnik]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/552/19389300345_411b999a22_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3827/18766768594_e6129a39fd_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/419/19201718858_0a06fc65a1_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/406/19201687310_50d961dfa6_o.jpg

Oh, bonus, for those of you who like the jams and are under 70:

http://italiansdoitbetter.bigcartel.com/

[benjamine74]

From the thread title I assumed we went to the same shop. Over Christmas I saw a new colnago arabesque, red with gold pinstripes, crimped tubes and chrome lugs. As nice to look at as any frame I've seen.

[Llewellyn]

From the thread title I assumed we went to the same shop. Over Christmas I saw a new colnago arabesque, red with gold pinstripes, crimped tubes and chrome lugs. As nice to look at as any frame I've seen.

If I had a grail Colnago in mind, something like this or a Master in Saronni Red would be it. I'm a bit underwhelmed by the LDV one.

[oldpotatoe]

If I had a grail Colnago in mind, something like this or a Master in Saronni Red would be it. I'm a bit underwhelmed by the LDV one.

My favorite Colnago paint job

[Polyglot]

2006, 600 made

This is incorrect!

The Leonardo da Vinci came out in 2004 and were first in the catalog in 2005. Colnago never officially revealed how many of them were produced, but from observation of the sales results, they were the most common finish sold in North America in 2005/06 of the President. Based upon US sales figures, I cannot believe that 600 were actually produced. I wasn't overly impressed by them. The real rare finish was the Brera Art (fewer than 10 came to the US).

[cadence90]

My favorite Colnago paint job

LdV is beautiful, elegant, understated, imo.

Geo is OK, but too bright for me. Nice nonetheless.

Brera is one of the worst, a complete eyesore from every angle. It out-Damien Hirst's the worst of Damien Hirst.
(It is a tie for worst between Brera and the too-cute-for-words blue butterfly thing, which I won't post because after Brera some PLers could go blind and/or lose their entire Chinese New Year's dinner.... ;))
.
.

[Joel]

Since we're talking Colnago paint and limited editions...

Two years ago (2015) Colnago did a limited run of Master X Mapei 30th Anniversary framesets.

I was lucky enough to pick one up, slightly used.

Does anyone know how many were made?

There don't seem to be many around.

Thanks,

Joel

[R3awak3n]

LdV is beautiful, elegant, understated, imo.

Geo is OK, but too bright for me. Nice nonetheless.

Brera is one of the worst, a complete eyesore from every angle. It out-Damien Hirst's the worst of Damien Hirst.
(It is a tie for worst between Brera and the too-cute-for-words blue butterfly thing, which I won't post because after Brera some PLers could go blind and/or lose their entire Chinese New Year's dinner.... ;))
.
.

I dunno man, both of those look better than the davinci. The blue orange one is at least a colnago style paintjob.

I mean, its all about different taste which is great and glad there are bikes for everyone.

[Tickdoc]

maybe its the pictures but that looks like colnago downloaded some ldv art at 200x200 pixels, then streched it to like 4k and then stickered it in the bike. I am sorry yall but that is just aweful

I gotta agree with you. either carry the old velum antique theme throughout or go modern. Seeing the naked carbon and shiny decals kills it.

Prob a great bike, tho. Just needs a respray.

[cadence90]

I dunno man, both of those look better than the davinci. The blue orange one is at least a colnago style paintjob.

I mean, its all about different taste which is great and glad there are bikes for everyone.
Indeed it is, and that's all fine.

But the Brera is an aesthetic horror no matter how one justifies it, to me, and has nothing to do with either the Colnago heritage nor with the actual Brera Museum collection, as far as I can tell. Even if it has some marginal connection, the end result is just very bad work, really basic.

Others may love it.

I think that almost any frame, painted with that scheme, but with no "COLNAGO" on the dt, would be profoundly, and justifiably, ridiculed. Even the "masters" make big mistakes.

[Idris Icabod]

There are two of these riding around a retirement community in Tucson, I've seen them out a lot. They are a husband and wife that bought matching bikes. It's a really high end community and I know the LBS has sold some very high $ bikes to some folks up there. I often think I should try to get to some garage and estate sales up there, I bet there are some incredible bargains to be had. I'll give the OP a shout if I find those Colnago's for $100 each.

[CampyorBust]

I’m a gonna come out and say it… a lot of Colnago paint jobs are not the best they can be. They are often overdone and poorly executed. :eek:

The LDV looks good from far but far from good. It could have been really something special. The pixilated reprint is inexcusable, how does an awesome bike company like this half-ass a paint job like this? There is an answer to that but I have not the heart to write it. How much does it cost to get a poor starving Italian graphic designer to whip up a replica? I suppose there might be copy write issues. They really have to up their game in the creative department. Their bikes look fine when they don’t try to get all theme-ish with it. Still waiting on the bubble Nag…

Damien Hirst is guilty of a butterfly genocide the likes of which the world has had never seen before. https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-10-14/damien-hirst-butterfly-killer There was a time when I was stimulated by his work, now not so much. He can make a statement, what eludes him is whether or not it is worth making. Then again maybe that is of little concern to him. His obsession with death is unsettling.

[Tickdoc]

Mapei is a yes for me and is the only garish colnago paint job I just love. It is fun and playful. Soronni red is also colnago perfection. Moltini? Hell yes. Most of the rest are gaudy for the most part, to my eyes at least. That little master guy painted on the toptube? Please.

My ct1 is the ugliest bike around. Black yellow with these weird eyeball things painted on it. It says Colnago fifteen times on the bike if you count the stem and the signature. FIFTEEN! The paint is peeling. The bartape is stained oily black. The carbon stays are chipped. And I love it, warts and all. I planned on sending it out for a full repaint when I bought it. The old record ti is also kinda worn with scuffs and marks....all part of the charm. I don't have to baby this bike, and it rides so smooth.

I just can't bring myself to have it refinished. It's a survivor. As I am getting grey and mishappen, so should at least one of my bikes, no?

Colnago is doing better in the paint department now, imo, but there is charm in some of the old paint jobs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Handgod/C25E3D4A-2821-4F56-B479-DD54CEC218E4_zpsrc7ktarz.jpg

[KJMUNC]

I often think I should try to get to some garage and estate sales up there, I bet there are some incredible bargains to be had. I'll give the OP a shout if I find those Colnago's for $100 each.

Southern AZ is a treasure trove of finds if you get the timing right. My parents live down in Green Valley and have found some incredible stuff in the resale shops down there including:

- a Bob Jackson, complete bike for $100
- two large format (like 6 feet x 4 feet) French aperitif advertisements that turned out to be legit originals from the 20's, hand painted on linen, paid $250 each....appraised well into the five-figure range, each!!

[pdmtong]

Man I love this place and the wealth of informed opinions! Fun to read your comments

[Tickdoc]

Man I love this place and the wealth of informed opinions! Fun to read your comments

Yep. You know what they say about opinions...and I have one :-)

[sales guy]

I always loved the looks of them, Colnagos, but man did i hate the ride. I sold my C-50 after 52 miles.

[mtechnica]

It's funny how one company can have some of the best and some of the worst paint schemes.

[jischr]

I bought my Dream with the AD10 paint because of the paint, and the biker dude on the top tube. I almost didn't by a C-40 B-stay because of the crap paint schemes (IMHO). But I found a PR00 (nude carbon) and have grown to like it. The C-40 doesn't get the compliments the Dream gets. If I wasn't so cheap I'd repaint the C-40 in AD10, get a Dream CX and paint it in AD10 also. Then I'd just have to find a Master ( in AD10 of course).

[paredown]

I bought my Dream with the AD10 paint because of the paint, and the biker dude on the top tube. I almost didn't by a C-40 B-stay because of the crap paint schemes (IMHO). But I found a PR00 (nude carbon) and have grown to like it. The C-40 doesn't get the compliments the Dream gets. If I wasn't so cheap I'd repaint the C-40 in AD10, get a Dream CX and paint it in AD10 also. Then I'd just have to find a Master ( in AD10 of course).

My old Tecnos was AD10 as well. I loved the look of that bike, but it was a freuler-style, and the TT was a little long, so I reluctantly sold it.

If you ride a 55, Velomine has a nice new Master X Light for only $3000:
http://www.velomine.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3655

Or your choice at Total for only $2,000 (looks like special orders):
http://www.totalcycling.com/en/us/Colnago-Master-X-Light-With-Precisa-Forks---AD10/m-1.aspx

[Tony T]

It's funny how one company can have some of the best and some of the worst paint schemes.

Yeah, looks like something Trump would do.

[rallizes]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Colnago-Presidente-Leonardo-Da-Vinci-/122538874875?hash=item1c87e2d7fb:g:9hgAAOSwCmZZOW~ X

FYI

[veggieburger]

The worst Colnago color scheme IMO was in the late 2000s (I believe) and it was made to look like fuzzy lightning bolts were coming down the fork. At least that's how my mind interpreted it. Just terrible.

Best? Oh yes, another vote for Mapei here.

https://www.steel-vintage.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/o/colnago-c-40-taffi-team-mapei-bicycle-1.jpg

[beeatnik]

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4201/34339012704_a7826b140d_b.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4232/34339014414_44d929025a_b.jpg

Not made at Ernesto's house.

[gasman]

Yeah, looks like something Trump would do.

Tony- you know better than to make this remark.