I first took notice of the Colnago CLX 3.0 at Interbike in Vegas. What stood out? The Colnago logos across the top tube. I thought it looked fantastic. When one showed up for demo in Greenville the other week, I was excited to take it out for a few spins. After a couple of rides, I’ll remember more about the CLX than the stylish graphics.
You’ve heard us say it before and you’ll hear us say it again: “No one wants to buy less speed.” While we often equate a frame in the “Endurance/Comfort” category with “less speed” the CLX 3.0 is different. While it may not be the fastest frame on the road, it breaks category with its unexpected pace.
The CLX 3.0 comes out of the box with the flawless Shimano Ultegra 6800 (except for the brake calipers, which are branded for Colnago). For those of you who have misgivings about a Shimano group on a Colnago, one ride with the new Ultegra will put your doubts to rest. Campagnolo the Ultegra is not, but it is certainly a flawless performer.
The Deda stem and handlebar could not look better, and while they may be a bit heavy it’s a simple upgrade down the road if you want to shed some weight. The aero seatpost is proprietary, but uses a tried and true clamp. As someone who generally prefers the old fashioned 27.2 or 31.8, I appreciate that Colnago is not trying anything crazy with the clamp. There is little to be said for the wheels except that they are heavy. If I bought the CLX for myself, the wheels would be my first upgrade. The next upgrade would be the brake calipers to complete the groupset.
The relaxed angle of the frame immediately makes the bike comfortable to ride. The other bike I’ve been riding lately is the Swift Ultravox Ti, which is an unapologetic race machine. Rolling around north of Greenville on my own put the CLX right at home. It’s not a climbing bike, but it climbs well and makes up for it later. On other bikes of a similar category, I remember feeling that the bike (not my own lack of fitness) was putting me at a disadvantage against my race bike-equipped friends. On a recent group ride on the CLX, I had no issue keeping up with the pack during a fast descent. The CLX felt stable and cut through the corners with ease. As is always the case, the only problem was found with the ‘motor’ -- who prefers drinking beer while watching bike racing to drinking spinach-laden shakes and bike training.
Is the CLX for the man who needs speed all day, everyday? No. But is it a dulled-down bicycle that makes you feel like you are behind the wheel of your grandmother’s Mercury Grand Marquis? Absolutely not.. What else does it have going for it? Style. It says Colnago, it looks like a Colnago and does not look like an “endurance bike” that may or may not lead to a case of bruised ego for the owner. Are paying a premium for the Colnago name, yes. But I'm okay paying for a little heritage. It's certainly more appealing to me than buying an endurance bike from a brand with exorbitant attorney fees. If you’re looking for a bike that will not fail you during the spirited ‘A’ group ride your buddy talked you into but still feels good when wandering through the countryside, this is it.
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