Colnago,Pinarello,Bianchi etc

[Mr Haematocrit]

My dogma wore the badge 'made in italy' but the frame came from Taiwan.
Colnago have the mid range aluminum and aluminum/carbon frames produced in Giant's plant in Taichung. Only the very top of the line bikes from them still have origins in Italy. You can see the manufacturing process of the EPS below, In all the videos and reports I have seen from Colnago high end carbon frames they always seem to have a precut carbon tubing which is not made by them... depending upon your views you could suggest they assemble frames. I also think its interesting that most of the videos refer to the EPS being constructed rather than made. You can see the EPS being constructed in the video below.


The biggest consideration for me is the warranty and service offered by the company. from my own experience many of the so called prestige brands are complete nightmares to deal with when an issue needs to be addressed.

Carbon is an exceptionally strong and light material, with great durability, it is not going away.. Forumula 1 teams have been using it for many years, its first use was in 1975 in the Embassy Hill GH1 - 37 years ago and usage has increased year in, year out since.

 

[black'n'yellow]

In all the videos and reports I have seen from Colnago high end carbon frames they always seem to have a precut carbon tubing which is not made by them... depending upon your views you could suggest they assemble frames. I also think its interesting that most of the videos refer to the EPS being constructed rather than made.

Colnago might not make their own carbon lay-up - but then they never used to draw their own steel tubing either. Their steel tubing came from the likes of Columbus (still does), so it's a bit steep to expect them to make their own CF, when that is not their area of expertise. They are frame builders, not raw material manufacturers.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Colnago might not make their own carbon lay-up - but then they never used to draw their own steel tubing either. Their steel tubing came from the likes of Columbus (still does), so it's a bit steep to expect them to make their own CF, when that is not their area of expertise. They are frame builders, not raw material manufacturers.

Creating steel components such as tubing requires specialist tools, high temperatures and high compression extrusion as such it requires its own dedicated production environment. Its simply not feasible for most company's producing products to make the tubing. To make it cost effective it needs to be done in massive volumes and quantitys.
Carbon fibre components however can be produced using a number of methods, and in limited quantity's easily. I can, and have produced carbon fibre components in my own home (although only for cosmetic components) as such using this material is not outside the feasibility of many company's unless they lack the technical skill set within the business to do so.

The Mclaren Venge for example which is another bike made in the far east, this frame starts of with a mould upon which the carbon fibre cloth is layed up along with resin which is then set under high pressure in the mould. Because the raw carbon cloth material and bonding agent is layed up in a mould to you could suggest that they have manufactured the frame, by the same degree it could be suggested that Colnago assemble carbon tubing to create the bike... This is why I stated it depends upon your views.
I'm not for a moment suggesting one has an advantage over the other, but I would think the quality control of the carbon tubing , the type carbon cloth, the lay up process used and other aspects are determined by the company producing the tubing rather than the company manufacturing bikes from it.

 

[black'n'yellow]

I would guess Colnago determines the required properties of the CF tubing as part of the frame design process, before outsourcing the manufacture of the tubing to a specialist CF moulder - just like it used to do with steel. Then whack the tubes into the lugs, bit of glue, bit of paint, a few stickers and away you go...four grand please...