RE: [CR]Colnago ID and water bottle mounts

(Example: Production Builders:Teledyne)

From: "Phil Whirley" <phil@whirley.org>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: RE: [CR]Colnago ID and water bottle mounts
Date: Thu, 24 May 2007 12:24:53 -0400
In-Reply-To: <431E778FEFC2314EB278EF695B285B7E02F897B6@MLS3WN01P.WAS.INT.IMF.ORG>


Just to add another data point to the discussion: I've always thought my Colnago Super was made in 1977 or 1978 (but I can't say I'm absolutely sure). In any case, it has the Ace of Clubs cutout on the bottom bracket. The cable guides are brazed on above the bottom bracket. The seat stays are fluted where they join the seat tube, and there are water bottle braze-ons on the seat tube as well as the down tube.

As I said, I'm not sure of the exact year, since I was the second owner, but I'm fairly sure this bike was made before 1980.

Phil

Phil Whirley Charleston, South Carolina USA

-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Bingham, Wayne Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 11:04 AM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: RE: [CR]Colnago ID and water bottle mounts

That's an interesting theory, but doesn't seem to fit with my observations. If USA intended models had accommodation for two bottles and European model only one, why does is seem so heavily weighted to models with only one currently here in the US? You would think there would be more US frames here than Euro ones, given that Colnagos were pretty popular here at the time, and that there were quite a few dealers selling them. David Bilenkey just posted another example with no ST bottle mount. Are all these Euro models? What happened to all the US models?

Wayne Bingham Lovettsville VA USA


>>>>>>

One of the main anomalies of mine is that it has water bottle =09 bosses on the seat tube, something I thought was uncommon for an '80 =09 Super. ............. what's commonly =09 referred to as the "transition" years (mid 70's-early 80's) for Colnago.

Wayne & all:

This may not be much help but I actively sold quite a few Colnagos through that era and I recall that the european market bikes had only one water bottle mount while the USA intended models started having two. "Why do these crazy Americans need two water bottles?"...

Dale Brown cycles de ORO, Inc. 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 USA 336.274.5959 http://www.cyclesdeoro.com http://www.classicrendezvous.com

I tend to agree with Chuck and Matt, but the primary reason that I'm

commenting is because I was having a similar conversation recently with

Brian B about determining the date for a Colnago Super I have. I had

speculated mine to be in the '79-'81 range, and thinking most likely

'80. I'm not a Colnago authority by any means (I only own this one at

the moment, and have only owned a couple others) but my experience is

that there are a lot of inconsistencies that make it difficult to

precisely pin down the "exact" year, although getting close is fairly

simple. The Super I own now is very similar to Scott's, having the

engraved seat stay caps and non-engraved chainstays. It has top-routed

cable guides at the BB. I can't look at it at the moment, and I can't

remember the CS bridge detail, but I think it's also like Scott's. Same

fork and chrome crown, but mine does have the clover cut-out in the BB

shell. One of the main anomalies of mine is that it has water bottle

bosses on the seat tube, something I thought was uncommon for an '80

Super. Mine also has a paint scheme that I have not seen before, one of

the things that drew me to the frame. It is dark metallic green with a

silver head tube and silver seat tube panel which is bordered with

world-colors strips, although the other decals are the same. My

experience is that there is a lot of gray area in what's commonly

referred to as the "transition" years (mid 70's-early 80's) for Colnago.

Chuck - Do your two '80 supers have bottle bosses on the seat tube and

the clover cut-out in the BB shell?

Wayne Bingham

Lovettsville VA USA


>>>>>>

Here's my opinion Scott,

I would agree with Matty... 1980. I have two 1980 Colnago Supers, one

is identical to yours and the other, the only difference is that instead

of a tube chainstay bridge, it has a spool-shaped chainstay bridge

(large grove around center). Both have "COLNAGO" seat stay caps and

both do not have "COLNAGO" engraved chainstays. I'd put the "COLNAGO"

engraved chainstays at 1981 but that would just be my uneducated guess.

Chuck 'only 3 Colnagos, 2 to be 4 sale' Schmidt South Pasadena, CA USA

On May 23, 2007, at 7:47 PM, <bikenut@verizon.net> wrote:


> Scott,
> I would say more like 1980.... I have a few late 70's bikes
> 1978/1979 and they didn't yet have the engraved seat stay caps. The
> next sep of evolution was the engraved chainstays in 1980/81.
>
> Matt 'Has 11 Colnagos' Gorski
> Belmont Shore, CA USA
>
>
>> I recently acquired a Colnago from a neighbor, and I am trying to
>> properly identify the bicycle to determine what I have in my hands.
>> As best that I can determine, this is a 1978 or 79 frame with 1972
>> Campy components. I have posted to a few other locations and
>> inquired with several cycling friends, who have suggested that I post


>> to this list.
>> Any help or insights you can offer would be great. A link to the
>> bicycle and photographs.
>>
>> http://www.demel.net/bicycle/colnago/
>>
>> thanks in advance
>> scott demel