[CR]Non-Colnago on eBay caveat emptor

(Example: Framebuilders:Pino Morroni)

To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: <marcus.e.helman@gm.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 09:33:02 -0500
Subject: [CR]Non-Colnago on eBay caveat emptor

I know I should have let it be, but somehow I was convinced that this was an honest soul who was just misinformed. So I decided to send the seller a note with my suspicions.

I wrote this: "I have been looking at this bike, and I do not think it is a Colnago. I believe you have been misled by someone. You wrote about "the dropouts which were not used after 1976." In fact those dropouts were used well into the 1980's. Also you wrote "there are no clubs on the top of the forks or on the bottom bracket which is in line with a pre 1976 frame as the technology was not yet available." Colnagos had clubs in the fork crowns, and cut out of the bottom bracket in the early 1970's. An early 1970's Colnago should have a clover cutout on the lug where the downtube meets the headtube. Does this bike have that cutout? An example of a 1972 Colnago can be found at http://www.theracingbicycle.com/Colnago_Super.html I think that the only part of the bike that is Colnago are the decals. It is your auction and you are free to disregard my opinion, but I thought you should know."

I got this response: thank you for your commrnts, however I have had the bike inspected by two dealers in florida and one on the west coast who used to work in the factory during the 70s they all informed me of various configurations during this period, Currently the photographs are with Marcel at Celeo Europia for inspection, I apreciate your comments and information. any information you can forward to help date the frame etc, I would apreciate, Respectfully Roger

Certainly not rude, but I must wonder about these THREE dealers who apparently authenticated the bike to be a Colnago. In any case I am done with it. In the immortal words of Mr. T. "I pity the fool who falls for it."

Exposing falsehoods can be a lonely profession, Marcus Helman Huntington Woods, MI