Mark,
What I can say about the shape of the Colnago Flower, is that it can take on almost any shape you can imagine and still be the club. Even on the same bike, I have clubs with flat bottom, pointed bottom, concave and convex bottom; all on the same bike and speaking of only the cutouts. Seems like most of the graphics have a flat bottom.
So those who are planning to attend the Velo Rendezvous comming up and have an affection for Colnago (that would include me!), I hope to have a special surprise to share. Book your trip now!
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
No help on the subject form me, but I do have an add on question to those in the know. Could this Tinazzi be the Tinazzi that raced for Torpado in Italy in the late 1950s? I have a scanned PIC of him in a Torpado squad photo that I can email out. Thanks for the info.
Also, wasn't there some change in the "foot" of the Colnago club/flower, where it went from flat bottomed to convex, or vice-versa?
Ciao, Mark Agree Southfield MI ~ ~ ~
In a message dated 9/13/2004 9:39:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time, classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes: Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 01:59:08 +0100 From: "Norris Lockley" <Norris.Lockley@btopenworld.com> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Subject: [CR]1971 Colnago Track Frame Message-ID: <000a01c4992c$f42d5980$01c18351@oemcomputer> Content-Type: text/plain;charset="iso-8859-1" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Precedence: list Message: 1
I'm not sufficiently clued up early Colnagos to be able to comment on = this particular machine, and cannot remember unfortunately when Colnago started engraving his top-eyes etc Did he do it from the = first frame.. I doubt it.
However I've always hankered after an early "ernesto" from th 70s, a bit = like the one Saronni used to ride - just that red flam, chrome forks and = those white panelled decals. some weeks ago I spotted a "Velo de Course" = on French ebay.. going for very few euros indeed... and it was my size. = I followed the auction with interest, thinking whatevere the red and = chrome bike might be it just had to be a bargain...With only a little = time left i sent an email ti the seller asking what "marque" the bike = was. his rapid reply said "Colnago" I was quite overwhelmed..
knowing that I was about to leave for France within a couple of days I = decided to bid on the bike and, if succesfsful, have it sent from = Marseille to my caravan in Provence, about two hours away by wagon. I = won the auction and it was with a great and overwhelming sense of = anticipation that I opened the HUGE cardboard box..
At first glance I had obtained my objective.. a resplendent flam ruby = and chrome Colnago shone in the rays of the Provencal sun..but that = world-renowned type face did not spell out Colnago... but Tinazzi. = Tinazzi the former French pro has a tio shop just outside Marseill at = Aubagne,famous throughout thre world as the setting for Marcel Pagnols = poignant novels..
studying the frame I noticed the clover-leaf cut-out in the down = tube-head tube lug, couldn't find any engraving on either the fork crown = or top-eyes, but turning the bike upside down rejoiced at seeing the = large Colnago motif cut out of the bracket shell.
My joy was short-lived as I was certain that this frame was no Colnago = but a very subtle copy .. and well executed ...The "give-away" is that = the foot of the trefoil is not flat but slightly radiused downwards.. = not too much .. but sufficient not to breach Colnago's registered = design. Clearly the seller had been duped... Other cyclists on the caravan site thought it to be original... but I am = not too sure.. but it's a nice frame anyway.. The final word will rest = with M. Tinazzi... if he ever replies to my email.
Can anyone help out here.. could it actually be a genuine Ernesto..?
Norris Lockley...just reflectong on the thought that if you can't = convince them you should confuse them, as my old Prof. used to = say..Settle UK