Refinishing frames is almost as popular as tax evasion in Belgium. Most of the time I spent in shops when I lived in Gent was looking at stuff and thinking to myself, "That sure as hell isn't a Bianchi or Masi or Colnago.' First thing to look for is the BB threading. If the threading isn't Italian or French you know it wasn't from down south.
Talking to some different folks I got the impression that bikes were bought in bulk from who ever would make them and relabeled for the sponsor. Looking at the Colnago in question it seems obvious to me that's what happened. Looking at that frame I also see a lot of nice touches that could make the frame better finished and rarer than just about any Colnago. There have been a bunch of builders in Belgium over the decades and very few of them ever had their names on the downtubes.
I would say that most race bikes used by good local racers and clubs from the mid-50s through the mid-80s were made locally, or at least nationally and labeled with whoever put the money up for the club. To Americans I can't express how differently the Belgians see bicycles; as far as they are concerned the name on the downtube really doesn't mean anything. To Belgains it's all about the bike itself. best, Brandon"monkeyman"Ives whos flams gets worse each day in Coeur d'Alene, ID.
> Ray,
> I get the impression that, in Belgium, refinishing bikes to
> appease a current sponsor's sensibilities is an even more
> common practice than elsewhere.
> For all I know, the bike in question is an authentic Colnago.
> But it does seem as though a disproportionate number of
> Belgian race bikes pass through several racers and liveries. I
> think that's what the CR guys from the Netherlands find so
> frustrating when they chase down those special bikes "south of
> the border".
> Cheers,
> Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia (USA)
>
> --- greenjersey@ntlworld.com wrote:
>
>> I have a Bikecology catalogue that shows a range of Colnago
>> colours. One is called Verde marino metallic (sea green
>> doesn't sound half as classy) and it is very similar to the
>> one Freek pictures.
>> When he was racing as a junior in Belgium Allan Peiper lived
>> for a spell with the Planckearts. I wonder if any of the many
>> Planckearts raced on Colnago and he blagged it off them?
>> Ray Green Brighton England