Greg:
FFIW, I "heard" that the practice is that someone (manufacturer, etc) "gives" the Pope a conspicuous fancy item... then, after all the publicity has had a chance to take effect and a respectable amount of time has passed, the item is given back to the giver, in return for a nice cash donation to the Church. So Colnago receiving that bike back for permanent bragging rights was possibly not a surprise to anyone...
Anyone have additional insight on this? Steven Maasland?
Dale Brown Greensboro, NC USA
-----Original Message----- From: gtsoftley@ozemail.com.au To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 6:51 PM Subject: [CR]Colnago gold
Hi crew, am contemplating a Colnago Mexico Oro project and wish to
know
if any of the CR mob have an idea of the timeframe that Colnago changed
its Oro finish from a gold chromovelato to actual gold plating. Have
been studying late 70s and early 80s Mex Oros for a while and have an
'80 catalogue which has the Oro gold chromovelato but have seen later
ones with what seems gold plating mainly on the stays. The plating
looks
as though it may only be 18k or less in quality. Would also appreciate
a
comment on the Pope's bike that he most graciously handed back - wanted
a bike with fenders, lights, soft saddle and city bars for doing laps
around the Vatican. I can just visualise him riding with a bell,
streamers from the grips and a skirt guard so as his purple robes
wouldnt get caught in the chain and a huge grin on his face. Did
Cinelli
make him a special hairnet that covered his mitre?
Greg Softley
Coffs Harbour
Australia