Colnago Carbon for a heavy rider

[nlmkiii]

Hi guys!!!

I’ve spotted a gorgeous Colnago CLX 2.0 second hand in great condition and am tempted. My only concern is that I’m 15 stone...

I currently use a CAAD 8 105.

Am I going to see any benefit to the carbon? Is it going to worse in some way? Could it break!!!

Any advice would be helpful.

I just love the look so I would love to think it would help... but it’s still a lot of cash even second hand!

 

[Vantage]

Carbon Fibre. I can't tell you how much I love this stuff. Here's why...

First you'll have the carbon fibre frame riders who will all tell you how light and shock absorbing and energy efficient it is. Also how gorgeous it is. They'll tell you how strong it is depending on the weave and what to look out for. They'll tell you how many years their carbon frames have lasted without cracks and breaks occurring.
Then you'll have the riders who don't trust it because of how light it is, how fragile it is, how many frames and forks have suddenly snapped causing great injury to their owners and why any kind of metal framed bike is so much better and dependable.

You'll consider both sides and eventually sway with carbon fibre because it's soooooo light and fast.
6 months/1 year down the line after a particularily enjoyable ride you'll be washing your gorgeous carbon bike and you'll spot a scratch. It'll be the smallest scratch ever seen by a human being but you'll worry.
"Is my bike finished?"
"Will it suddenly and without warning catastrophically collapse and kill me in the process?"
And you'll wish you listened to those boring gits who choose frames from materials that can just be trusted.
Save yourself the trouble.
Buy a friggin metal framed bike.
Never worry again.

 

[Milkfloat]

Or you could live in the real world and be like millions of other people and have a carbon bike without worrying and have a big smile on your face as it is the bike you want.

 

[Soltydog]

I'd check the manufacturers website for any weight limitations. I had a planet X carbon & was a smidge under the 100kg weight limit & that didn't end too well luckily I purchased the bike new & had a warranty, so it was eventually sorted. I can still see the appeal of carbon, but unless you want to be riding flat out all the time & pushing for PBs then I'd go for other options

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Unless the OP is 6ft 4" tall then he is overweight @ 15 stone, and would gain a lot more from losing excess body weight than buying a carbon bike to maybe save a pound or two, and then worrying if they are going to overload the thing and break it.
Overloading a steel bike would not worry me in the slightest, but I would not even think about overloading a CF framed one.

 

[FishFright]

Go on a forum where people live in the 21st century and ask there.

 

[Drago]

15 stones? You lightweight. You're well within the weight limit for every manufacturer of road frames that I know of. You'll be safe on carbon, steel, alloy or even bamboo.

 

[Drago]

Go on a forum where people live in the 21st century and ask there.

He doesn't want an inconel frame, just some manky old sixties technology thing.

 

[nlmkiii]

Unless the OP is 6ft 4" tall then he is overweight @ 15 stone, and would gain a lot more from losing excess body weight than buying a carbon bike to maybe save a pound or two, and then worrying if they are going to overload the thing and break it.
Overloading a steel bike would not worry me in the slightest, but I would not even think about overloading a CF framed one.

I might also be built like a brick shithouse!

In reality, whilst I do have a fair bit of muscle, I'm a touch overweight
I was 13.5 stone before my first child, but I was quite lean at that point.
I was 12.5 stone when rock climbing to a high level, but I was as lean as a pro cyclist at that point, and I don't aim to get there again... ribs everywhere!.
My aim is to get back down to 14 stone during this summer cycling season (doing about 150-200 miles a week, so I'm hopeful).

It's not just about pure gains in speed though, it's also about the fact that this bike is worth circa £2.7k with the upgraded wheels, and it's available for £700 and is in immaculate condition... I like a bargain... and the bike looks sexy. Bargains like this don't come up too often, and when I am finally down at 13.5 stone, I might not get the opportunity.

Also thanks Drago. I'll take a look at Bamboo

 

[Vantage]

In all seriousness, any frame material can fail.
I once had an alloy full suspension mountain bike that had steel chainstays and seatstays. The chainstays on that fractured less than a year of owning it.
I've had an alloy frame with a cracked headtube.
Only had one cheap part titanium framed bike but no issues with that.
Had some carbon fibre forks once that gave me no issues.
The problem with carbon fibre is that when it goes, it does so catastrophically and without warning. This is especially important to consider as you're planning on buying second hand.
Do you know the owner? Do you know the bikes history?
Metal framed bikes usually have tell tale signs of previous weakening crashes...rippled paint etc. Not so easy with cf.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It's not just about pure gains in speed though, it's also about the fact that this bike is worth circa £2.7k with the upgraded wheels, and it's available for £700 and is in immaculate condition... I like a bargain... and the bike looks sexy. Bargains like this don't come up too often, and when I am finally down at 13.5 stone, I might not get the opportunity.

I too like a bargain and a price around 25p in the pound on the original cost is certainly one of those, so long as it's kosher in origin. You aren't going to lose money on it. Luckily for me I just can't get at all excited about anything made of CF because I don't like the looks of them, so I'm never tempted. If it was a similar deal on offer for some high quality classic-looking steel machine it would be a different matter though.

 

[booze and cake]

.. I like a bargain... and the bike looks sexy....bargains like this don't come up too often.... I might not get the opportunity.

This should be on a T-shirt. I've said this to myself many a time. Welcome to the club you've definitely got the bug, and we know now that this is happening

 

[BianchiVirgin]

Don't listen to any of that rubbish up there ^. It's a Colnago. Just buy the damn thing. You know you want to so stop hanging about. Get on with it.

 

[Alan O]

Hi guys!!!

I’ve spotted a gorgeous Colnago CLX 2.0 second hand in great condition and am tempted. My only concern is that I’m 15 stone...

I currently use a CAAD 8 105.

Am I going to see any benefit to the carbon? Is it going to worse in some way? Could it break!!!

Any advice would be helpful.

I just love the look so I would love to think it would help... but it’s still a lot of cash even second hand!

Having read all the thread, it seems like a no-brainer to me. You know the answer, don't you?

 

[Globalti]

I might also be built like a brick shithouse!

In reality, whilst I do have a fair bit of muscle, I'm a touch overweight
I was 13.5 stone before my first child, but I was quite lean at that point.
I was 12.5 stone when rock climbing to a high level, but I was as lean as a pro cyclist at that point, and I don't aim to get there again... ribs everywhere!.
My aim is to get back down to 14 stone during this summer cycling season (doing about 150-200 miles a week, so I'm hopeful).

It's not just about pure gains in speed though, it's also about the fact that this bike is worth circa £2.7k with the upgraded wheels, and it's available for £700 and is in immaculate condition... I like a bargain... and the bike looks sexy. Bargains like this don't come up too often, and when I am finally down at 13.5 stone, I might not get the opportunity.

Having bought myself a naughty little Italian carbon climbers' bike as a 60th birthday present, I can tell you that you will love that Colnago so much that you'll be riding it faster, harder and further than ever before and losing weight and getting much fitter into the bargain. Don't hesitate; those naysayers who drone on about steel have never actually ridden a pedigree carbon bike so they have no idea of the amazing qualities of this material when used correctly. My Bike is stiff and light, romps up hills, descends like the horsemen of the Apocalypse and gives me utter joy to ride. With the 23mm tyres pumped to 110/100 it is still comfortable even on worn-out top dressing. And at 62 now I need all the help I can get to keep up with the 30 year-olds!