Retro Bicycle Thread

[Neill Du Toit]

Hi all. i always had the urge to own a retro italian road bike and have been looking around for a suitable buy or project. Also followed this thread for a while. I know mtb build and maintenance but clueless when it comes to classic road bikes.

Saw this colnago advertised yesterday and would like to know if this might be worth a build project and more important is this a genuine colnago! The groupset seems useless but will the frame be worth it? Price for the bike is R3000. Pics not great, taken from ad.

I know all the knowledge is here on this forum! What is your opinions?

Thanks very much.

[HeyYou]

Hi all. i always had the urge to own a retro italian road bike and have been looking around for a suitable buy or project. Also followed this thread for a while. I know mtb build and maintenance but clueless when it comes to classic road bikes.

Saw this colnago advertised yesterday and would like to know if this might be worth a build project and more important is this a genuine colnago! The groupset seems useless but will the frame be worth it? Price for the bike is R3000. Pics not great, taken from ad.

I know all the knowledge is here on this forum! What is your opinions?

Thanks very much.

 

Hi Niell71 and welcome to the old ballies thread (speak for myself only)!!!! 

 

Yes, it looks and is a real Colnago. If you look closely, you'll see that the top tube and down tube are crimped. 

 

I can't see the chain stays properly, but the frame seems to be either a MEXICO or a Nouvo Mexico, that has been resprayed.

 

If the frame is undamaged, no dents or bends, then yes, it is WELL worth R3k.

 

And anything else on the bike, like wheels, headset or BB is a bonus. 

 

My humble opinion of course, because I can't see the bike in the 'flesh'. 

 

Maybe ask Glenzito, BadSam, or Kamaalo to have a look, they are both in the CA area and can help anyway.

Edited September 7, 2015 by HeyYou

[Neill Du Toit]

Hi Niell71 and welcome to the old ballies thread (speak for myself only)!!!!

 

Yes, it looks and is a real Colnago. If you look closely, you'll see that the top tube and down tube are crimped.

 

I can't see the chain stays properly, but the frame seems to be either a MEXICO or a Nouvo Mexico, that has been resprayed.

 

If the frame is undamaged, no dents or bends, then yes, it is WELL worth R3k.

 

And anything else on the bike, like wheels, headset or BB is a bonus.

 

My humble opinion of course, because I can't see the bike in the 'flesh'.

 

Maybe ask Glenzito, BadSam, or Kamaalo to have a look, they are both in the CA area and can help anyway.

Thanks for the info! Much appreciated

[Rolfalps]

Hi all. i always had the urge to own a retro italian road bike and have been looking around for a suitable buy or project. Also followed this thread for a while. I know mtb build and maintenance but clueless when it comes to classic road bikes.

Saw this colnago advertised yesterday and would like to know if this might be worth a build project and more important is this a genuine colnago! The groupset seems useless but will the frame be worth it? Price for the bike is R3000. Pics not great, taken from ad.

I know all the knowledge is here on this forum! What is your opinions?

Thanks very much.

I may be wrong , but I think this is an SLX Spiral Conic 

[Eppie]

Hi Niell71 and welcome to the old ballies thread (speak for myself only)!!!! 

 

Yes, it looks and is a real Colnago. If you look closely, you'll see that the top tube and down tube are crimped. 

 

I can't see the chain stays properly, but the frame seems to be either a MEXICO or a Nouvo Mexico, that has been resprayed.

 

If the frame is undamaged, no dents or bends, then yes, it is WELL worth R3k.

 

And anything else on the bike, like wheels, headset or BB is a bonus. 

 

My humble opinion of course, because I can't see the bike in the 'flesh'. 

 

Maybe ask Glenzito, BadSam, or Kamaalo to have a look, they are both in the CA area and can help anyway.

I went to see this bike on Friday and it would have been in my garage already, but unfortunately it is not in good shape. I can live with the bad spray job because one can respray however the FD mount has been hacked off and there is a dent in one of the seat stays. The BB is also very loose and it looks like the thread may have been damaged.

[Loose cog]

Neill, that Colnago has been for sale for at least 2 months. It was previously resprayed and not a good job. Stripping the paint and respraying it with new decals would cost you another R2,500. An 80's groupset is going to set you back another R3,000 to R10,000. 

 

What size frame do you ride?

 

Edit:

 

Just seen Eppie's post above. Explains the position. Stay clear.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Loose cog

[Neill Du Toit]

Thanks guys, now I can rather concentrate my efforts looking somewhere else. I'm 1,84m tall with 34" leg. Mtb is 20" large but I suppose road bike should be 56-58?

Thanks again for the very useful info!

[Cippo]

I may be wrong , but I think this is an SLX Spiral Conic

Me thinks a Super , this one.

[Featherbrew]

Finished my baby yesterday in modern guise here with a 10 speed drivetrain and modern wheel-set. She runs like a dream.

 

This is the 1st road bike I owned. I went to the factory with my Dad to pick out the frame somewhere in the late 80s.

 

It'll go back to 6 speed and original parts after the 94.7. Just need a better wheel set from the period still as the Wolbers I have are terrible wheels.

[Loose cog]

Your Cosmos looks very nice with the frame in very good condition. IMHO there is nothing wrong with a modern equipped old stead.

 

During our recent social ride in the cradle we marvelled at how quickly one "ran out of gears" on the older 5 and 6 speeds, especially on the hilly bits.

 

Well done!

[Fat Boab]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1441652890.521641.jpg Finished my baby yesterday in modern guise here with a 10 speed drivetrain and modern wheel-set. She runs like a dream.

 

This is the 1st road bike I owned. I went to the factory with my Dad to pick out the frame somewhere in the late 80s.

 

It'll go back to 6 speed and original parts after the 94.7. Just need a better wheel set from the period still as the Wolbers I have are terrible wheels.

 

Looks very nice.

 

I'm going through a similar project - also with my first bike - but adding a MTB group set to make touring a bit easier. It's certainly a pleasure to have friction shifters to accommodate whatever speed drivetrain, rather than have to use specific STIs! I wonder how long it will take me to remember to reach down to change gear rather than flick the brake lever?! ;-)

[Featherbrew]

Looks very nice.

 

I'm going through a similar project - also with my first bike - but adding a MTB group set to make touring a bit easier. It's certainly a pleasure to have friction shifters to accommodate whatever speed drivetrain, rather than have to use specific STIs! I wonder how long it will take me to remember to reach down to change gear rather than flick the brake lever?! ;-)

I pestered my Dad into getting me some of the 1st indexed shifters at the time (hey, my mates had them!) so my original part is a Shimano Light Action 6 speed indexed shifter for the rear and a friction shifter for the chainrings. I never properly experimented but my original derailleur and friction shifter definitely didn't have the range of motion required for a 10 cog cassette. Will you use the original shifter with a MTB spec derailleur?

 

I was surprised to learn Shimano makes up to 10 speed downtube shifters. Linden Cycles found me a pair of Dura Ace 10 speed indexed downtube shifters for under R1k.

 

I'm pretty sure the indexing between MTB and Road group sets are the same so you could go with a indexed shifter also as an option. There is something to be said for having the ability to fine tune with a friction shifter though!

[Fat Boab]

I pestered my Dad into getting me some of the 1st indexed shifters at the time (hey, my mates had them!) so my original part is a Shimano Light Action 6 speed indexed shifter for the rear and a friction shifter for the chainrings. I never properly experimented but my original derailleur and friction shifter definitely didn't have the range of motion required for a 10 cog cassette. Will you use the original shifter with a MTB spec derailleur?

 

I was surprised to learn Shimano makes up to 10 speed downtube shifters. Linden Cycles found me a pair of Dura Ace 10 speed indexed downtube shifters for under R1k.

 

I'm pretty sure the indexing between MTB and Road group sets are the same so you could go with a indexed shifter also as an option. There is something to be said for having the ability to fine tune with a friction shifter though!

 

My downtube shifters are Suntour - ratchet one way and friction the other. Or as I used to tell me mates, "I've got combined friction and indexed shifters!" 

 

I'm hoping to use them on the MTB groupset, but only time will tell whether the shifters have the pull range, as you suggest. The rear derailleur should be ok as I was running an 8-speed road block with the original shifters, even though the original bike was 2x5 speed, so one more sprocket hopefully won't cause a problem. Front mech might be a differing story as the MTB crankset is a triple and the original was a road double. Anyway all interesting potential problems to play with when the rebuild starts.....!

[Loose cog]

I run a 10spd cassette wheel set on one of my bikes with 7spd index Campagnolo shifter. I am able to get the 7spd lever to change 9 positions loosing only one sprocket. Set up to lose lowest gear (biggest sprocket).

 

Most RD shifters were friction rather than index so you could use on triple. Triple road cranks were popular in the 80-90's.

[Loose cog]

Hi all. i always had the urge to own a retro italian road bike and have been looking around for a suitable buy or project. Also followed this thread for a while. I know mtb build and maintenance but clueless when it comes to classic road bikes.

Saw this colnago advertised yesterday and would like to know if this might be worth a build project and more important is this a genuine colnago! The groupset seems useless but will the frame be worth it? Price for the bike is R3000. Pics not great, taken from ad.

I know all the knowledge is here on this forum! What is your opinions?

Thanks very much.

This would/could be a nice project to restore back to former glory: https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/154222-bianchi-57cm-road-frame-fork-bb-stem-and-bars/

[EvanB]

 

My 7 Eleven being finished up by Dane at Hunter Cycling, can't wait to finish the build.