Ernesto Colnago Photo Gallery

Ernesto Colnago was perhaps the greatest racing bicycle designer, builder and mechanic of the 20th century. He started in 1945 at the prestigious Gloria Bicycle Company when just 13 years old. After apprenticing there, Colnago enjoyed a relatively brief racing career himself that ended with a horrible crash.

This led to him opening a bicycle shop in 1954 that specialized in frame building. One year later Colnago was named second mechanic on the Nivea team under the legendary Faliero Masi, founder and namesake of Masi Bicycles. Colnago went on to become head mechanic for the Molteni team of cycling superstar Eddy Merckx in 1963.

Much more information is available on Ernesto Colnago and his company for those interested in learning more about the man or his work. Here are some of our favorite and most memorable Ernesto Colnago photos from 1940 onward: