Re: [CR]Colnago Super

(Example: Framebuilding:Technology)

From: "don andersen" <peugeotpx10@hotmail.com>
To: chuckschmidt@earthlink.net, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Colnago Super
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 14:28:52 -0000


Chuck, the President of the Finger Lakes Cycling Club has one very similar in light, non-metallic blue. The only chrome is on the fork as well. He purchased it from another club member who bought it new in the mid eighties. Whether it was new or NOS is another story. But the original owner told me that the shop said that it was not a "colnago-built" Colnago. The shop owner told him that the lower-end frames were not built at the Colnago factory but farmed out to another local frame builder(sub-contracted). When I was working at a shop part time back in 1993-94, this was confirmed to me by a rep at Todson(the old importer). If you look at the '93 catalog, you can tell there were differences. The Superissimo, Master Olympic and Tecnos all had those neat, cloverleaf seatstay caps while the C30(?) did not. The detail differences were obvious. This, of cource, does not answer your question. But matbe it might help with the timeline. I have an '83 Super and Superissimo, neither of which have the cable guides on top of the bottom bracket. A local shop up north still has NOS late seventies Colnagos hanging in his shop and none of them have guides there either. And no, they are not for sale.

Happy Colnagoing Don Andersen


>I just did two shakedown rides on a Colnago Super this weekend that I
>got off of eBay recently (55 and 45 miles, high 70s, breezy and
>exceptionally clear), and was wondering if anyone on the list might have
>a better idea of when it was made than I do.
>
>The frame has no chrome, but the fork is full chrome (semi-sloping with
>pantographing). It has the mylar chain stay stick on. It has a serial
>number stamped on the the right dropout (#107) and also stamped on the
>fork steerer tube (#107). The spacing is 126mm (six speed) with short
>"COLNAGO" engraved dropouts. The seat stay caps are pantographed with
>"COLNAGO." Has top of the bottom bracket cable guides, two cable guides
>on the top tube, brazed-on shifter bosses, and cable stop on the chain
>stay. Also recessed brake center bolt nuts. It was sold as a frame and
>not a complete bike originally as it has no "COLNAGO" pantographed
>parts.
>
>I have a brochure that shows a Colnago Super and I have dated the
>brochure to the late 1970s because the Mexico shown has the 1979 Record
>front derailleur with four holes (later to be three) in the cage, and a
>straight-band clamp (later to revert to traditional pointed-band
>clamp). I know that the four hole cage was not around for very long
>(don't know why). However the Super and the Mexico shown in the catalog
>have seat stay caps without the panto'd "COLNAGO", while my Super has,
>so I'm thinking mine is early or mid 1980s.
>
>Anyone know how late my frame could be? Anyone know when the top of
>bottom bracket cable guides went away?
>
>Chuck Schmidt
>South Pasadena, California
>http://www.velo-retro.com (NEW list of reprints and T-shirts)