Price Paid:  $2100.00 at Maestro

Favorite Ride:
Local country lanes of Staffs and Shropshire

Bike Setup:
Shimano Dura Ace throughout. Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels

Summary:
Just collected my new Colnago Extreme Power in Rabobank colours from Mike Perry at Maestro. Superb frame which is my 4th Colnago. Mike has considerable knowledge of these frames and offers them at a very competitive price. Wouldn't buy a Colnago anywhere else

Strengths:
A superb beautifully made frame . Very light with superb paintwork. I'm still using the Master frameset I bought in 1989 and I'm sure this will last as long ! A lot of money but you get what you pay for !

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
C40 with steel forks. Another beautiful frame but now looking a little dated when compared to the Extreme Power

Price Paid:  $4000.00 at Maestro

Favorite Ride:
Peak distict/ French Alpes

Bike Setup:
EITA, 58cm
Campagnolo record
Deda Newton bars and stem
Fizik Arione
Ambrosio TDF rims on Record hubs
Conti competition tubulars
Time RXS pedals

Summary:
This is certainly the best road bike I have owned or ridden. It is very light yet has no hint of fragility. It feels solid and stiff when accelerating out of the saddle. The comfort level over rough roads is excellent, and easily on a par with my titanium/carbon Colnago. As for handling, it has the same perfect handling of any other Colnago. All this adds up to a bike which will climb fantastically and let you enjoy descending with confidence. It also looks beautiful (but you can see that for yourself)

I bought the bike from Mike Perry at Maestro and drove down from Sheffield to collect it. I have now bought 4 bikes from Mike over the last 6 years and cannot recommend him highly enough! He is incredibly knowledgable about Colnagos and bikes in general, gives down to earth honest advice and provides a level of customer service that I have not experienced from anyone else, anywhere. I cannot imagine buying a bike from anyone else. If you are in the market for a Colnago (and why not?) give him a call.

Strengths:
The perfect road bike!
Light, stiff and comfortable with perfect handling.

Weaknesses:
None (its a fair amount to spend I agree but well worth it in my opinion)

Similar Products Used:
Ciocc challenger, Colnago CT2, Guru TrilLite, Colnago Scandium Cross

Price Paid:  $4400.00 at Maestro

Favorite Ride:
Yorkshire dales

Bike Setup:
Colour - EITA (carbon twill with minimalistic Italian flag design).
Campag Record Carbon throughout.
Campag Record titanium cassette.
Mavic Ksyrium ES wheels.
Deda Newton stem and bars.
Colnago carbon seatpost.
Sella Italia SLR TT saddle.
Conti Force an Attack tyres.
Look Keo Carbon Titanium pedals.

Summary:
This is the best bike I have ever ridden by a long, LONG way. Don't even think that all carbon is the same ..... it isn't. I've ridden other carbon frames and the Extreme C is so much better. It has the lightness and rigidity that you expect from a carbon frame without the dull, lifeless feeling that other carbon frames suffer from (eg Trek OCLV).
It is so smooth over rough roads - very noticeably so compared to my Trek OCLV and has a beautifully lively feeling.
As well as climbing like it's filled with helium, it is brilliant on the descents ..... this has been the real revelation for me.
I implore you, don't be taken in by the huge marketing spin of the likes of Trek, Scott, Specialized, etc and don't be taken in by the suspicious bias of the cycle mag journos. This Colnago is head and shoulders above the carbon masses and the heritage shines through.
The bike is so light. I've not made any real efforts at weight saving, but it has still come in at 7.0kg with pedals and bottle cages. But, to be honest, it's not the lack of weight that makes the bike, it's the ride quality.
In case you have any doubt, it DOES have two sets of bottle bosses. I have heard two stories about this. One is that the early frames only had one set of bottle bosses on, but later production had two. The other, that they have always had two sets of bottle bosses on them ..... it was just that some daft journo at a bike show didn't spot that the bosses on the seat tube on the show model didn't have allen key bolts in, but had instead been filled in with tiny grub screws. Who knows? ..... who cares? ...... they certainly have two set now.
I bought the frame bulit up from Mike Perry at Meastro in the UK. Mike is so extremely knowledgeable about Colnago, bikes generally, components, racing, etc. Don't bother buying via a dealer who has sourced the Colnago from the "official distributor" (whatever that means). Go straight to Mike Perry at Maestro .... he knows more about Colnago than anybody else in the UK (or USA at a guess). The quality of his customer service is brilliant (and his sense of humour extremely dry!) He's very patient and doesn't mind you aking loads of daft questions. I'll be back to buy another frame from him in the future (another Colnago or perhaps a Ciocc). Mike, you are the "Maestro" when it comes to Colnago.
By the way, the Extreme C looks gorgeous. It gets so many admiring glances from people when I'm out on it. (Can you imagine that happening when you are out on a pig ugly "gappy" Trek in Disco team colours or Scott CR1 in "marketing student gone mad" colour scheme?)

Strengths:
Ride quality - direct, stiff, but very lively (not dead like many carbon frames). Floats over rough roads without a fuss.
Quality of finish and beauty of design.
Descends and corners like it's on rails.
Low weight.

Weaknesses:
None.

Similar Products Used:
Trek 5500 OCLV, Scott CR1 (borrowed for a week's riding), Cervelo P3 Carbon, Condor Italia, Condor Pista.