Colnago Ernesto & C.

A Half-Century Of History: Colnago
Ernesto Colnago was born in Cambiago, a small rural village twenty kilometers east of Milano on February 9, 1932. His parents, Antonio and Elvira, were farmers who were well thought of in the district. They were hard workers and the home of the Colnago’s was a simple farmhouse, where the three brothers of Antonio, Fiorentino, Ambrogio also lived, as well as Grandfather Filippo. Little Ernesto had a typical childhood for the era until he was 6, when he began school and helped out with chores on the farm. One fine day in 1943, Papà Antonio sent little Ernesto to work in the local country store. That was the end of his regular schooling. Better yet, first work, then night school. Young Ernesto went to work in a little workshop owned by a certain Dante Fumagalli, to whom the Colnago family paid two kilos of flour each week for the apprenticeship of his son. Right after World War Two ended, a friend of Ernesto, found him a new direction.
He found an ad that said Gloria, a Milanese bicycle factory was hiring.
It was November 25, 1946, Santa Caterina Day when young Ernesto entered the gates of Cicli Gloria, on viale Abruzzi, 42. Ernesto was just 13 years old, but to start work, he had to be at least 14. He changed the date on his working papers and so was hired as an assistant welder.
Young Colnago was also a good amateur cyclist: a proud and determined rider.
Bright and creative, his ideas and flights of fancy were no drawback for him.

2008 is another landmark year in the history of Colnago. Key innovations include the introduction of a semi-integrated headset (C-HS) on the CX-1 Carbon and EPS Carbon models. For 2008, look for extremely lightweight and high-performance models that are capable of winning the most important races in the world.
After five decades of innovation and experience, Ernesto Colnago continues to dream about and create bicycles appreciated by riders passionate about cycling all over the world. Don’t ask Colnago which of his bicycles is the best: his answer is always the same. “I’ve made a lot of bicycles, but the most beautiful is the one that is yet to come.”