Colnago History

Design your Colnago C68 Exactly as you want it.

1932	Ernesto Colnago is born.
1945	Ernesto Gets first welding apprenticeship.
1947	Ernesto wins first bike race the “Mamma Isolina Caldirola”.
1951	Ernesto Crashes at the finish line of the Milano-Busseto and breaks leg.
1952	Ernesto opens first shop.
1954	Ernesto moves to a larger shop having outgrown the first and puts his name on a bicycle for the first time.
1955	Ernesto works as a mechanic for the first time at the Giro d’Italia.
1956	Ernesto and Vincenzia are married.
1957	Paolo, Ernesto’s younger brother starts helping in the workshop.
1959	Anna is born to an ectatic Ernesto and Vincenzia. Ernesto makes frames for Gianni Motta and Tom Simpson.
1964	Gianni Motta wins a stage of the Giro d’Italia.
1970	The Ace of Clubs becomes Colnago’s logo after Michele Dancelli wins Milan San Remo.
1972	Colnago makes the most unique steel bike ever built— then Eddy Merckx sets the Hour record on it.
1983	Colnago starts crimping tubes and realizes that it is a very effective way of getting performance benefits.
1985	Colnago collaborates with Ferrari and the first ever carbon fiber bicycle is created.
1987	The straight leg fork is first produced giving better than ever handling and comfort.
1989	The C35 is released with a dramatic monocoque frame.
1991	The Carbitubo double down tube carbon bike is released. 1994 The legendary C40 is released and wins its first race— the Paris Roubaix.
2000	The CF1 Ferrari celebration bike is released.
2003	After 10 years of success, the C40 is released as C50 to celebrate 50 years of business.
2006	The light weight climbing bike, the Extreme C is released after much success in grand tours.
2007	The aggressive EXtreme Power and CLX are released.
February 9, 2007	Ernesto Colnago turns 75 and is just beginning to design and develop the bicycles he has dreamed of.

What Our Customers Are Saying

“Hi Bill, I just wanted to take some time to let you know (of course you probably already know) what an amazing team you have at Bicycle Emporium. I came to pick up my bike and bike rack with a plan to hit the trail immediately after. Again, friendly, great service…Billy helped me put the bike rack on my car (it only fell off once on the way to the River – haha just kidding). My bike didn’t really fit on the rack but he new the fix – an extender bar – and wa-la, bike on the rack. I went over to hit the trail and was wondering what the ride was going to be like. In the past after I’ve picked up my bike at other shops, I’ve had a loose crank, shifting out of adjustment, and I forget what else. But my bike felt like new. I could tell a big difference in smooth shifting (and yes duh lol bent chain ring). Sooo, to sum it up, you have a great thing going on up there, a great team. Even the people that I didn’t have interaction with, were friendly with the other customers (yes, I was watching 😎 , and all your employees just appeared happy. How is it that EVERYONE in there is friendly and great customer service? Whatever it is, great job and thanks for everything. Ciao!”

—Sheila J., Citrus Heights, CA