I'd love to get peoples feedback and or opinion regarding colnago c50 (maybe 50th anniv.) and the eddy merckx carbon axm. I just lucked into a sweet bonus with my work and want to splurge and get a high end carbon bike. My main focus will be racing. Any comments or feedback is appreciated.

thanks
bsilly

If your really gonna be racing I'd make a point of not going too spendy. I've learned my lesson that if racing is your main gig, don't love your bike. If carbon is your thing, go with a nice lower (relatively) priced mass model by Giant or Specialized, you can get a full DA 10 bike for what the Merckx and Colnago frames go for. Leave the High end stuff to the coffee shop riders for now, after your first shunt you'll be glad you did.

Use the nice rig to train on by yourself and buy a decent POS for racing and rain rides.

Use the nice rig to train on by yourself and buy a decent POS for racing and rain rides.

Great advise. When I did race, I did the exact same thing. I'd rather crash a 2k bike than a 4.5K bike.

The C50 HM is absolutly sublime! Simply knowing that you're on one will increase your LTP.

Here is what I do: Get 2 C50's. Use one for your trainer/racer/rain bike (with aluminum Record group), and the other for sunny day group rides (Record carbon with carbon tubies)

Definitely get the Merckx. Just because.

http://www.gitabike.com/images_cart/em-axm-l.jpg

Definitely get the Merckx. Just because.

http://www.gitabike.com/images_cart/em-axm-l.jpg

The only thing worse than mangling such an excessively bling bling bike in a pile-up (like the Merckx above), is the comments you'll receive about how beginners don't know about not riding a nice bike in a race. Talking about adding insult to injury!

Definitely get the Merckx. Just because.

http://www.gitabike.com/images_cart/em-axm-l.jpg

but i would add another sixteen logos on the jersey..

but i would add another sixteen logos on the jersey..

I just like the top tube. Reminds me of a Schwinn cruiser.

http://bayareaschwinn.com/site/images/library/large/schwinn_deluxe7_whtgrn_m_04_m.jpg

Here is what I do: Get 2 C50's. Use one for your trainer/racer/rain bike (with aluminum Record group), and the other for sunny day group rides (Record carbon with carbon tubies)
That's what I do too! Or was that merely rhetorical? :o