Colnago Nuovo Mexico (circa ’84)

Posted on February 21, 2012 by saarf

Just got this last night,

here is a ‘preliminary sketch’

I’m in some vintage events this year for the long haul, and hopefully this bike will see me through.

I was using ’82 Campagnolo Nuovo Record, and Ambrosio Elite Clinchers.

The stem is 3TTT, with Ernesto’s panto graphed signature .

I’m still playing around with the build,

the spokes nipples on the rims have a little surface rust, so I want to get rid of that before completion.

I found this cheeky little stem, with Mr Colnago’s signature on it!

I still have more tweaking to do, and have to add this

I put cleats on for training,

You can see the profiling on the top tube,

and down tube,with milled and drilled gear levers.

The rear derailleur is ‘circa 72- a decade to early for the frameset,

so I will exchange for a circa ’82 rd.

I found some black Campagnolo ‘World’ logo lever hoods.

The levers have scratches, which I will exchange for some pristine ones,

but I don’t think these hoods would be strong enough to withstand a transplant,

the gum is starting to crack and perish.

The freewheel will be a Maillard.

A purest would use Regina Oro, but they are ridiculously expensive , and awkward/difficult to extract from a hub.

I’ve been out on it, but as the cables are new and outstretched, the drive-side rd shifter is over extending, so I’ll use the down time as an excuse to change things.

I’ve had a change of heart, and front and rear derailleurs and brake levers are Campagnolo Super Record, circa ’82.

The ‘new’ seat post is Super Record , pantographed with Colnago “Tricolor”.

I was originally going to use it with the “tricolor’ Super Record group I am installing on the Super ‘Saronni’, but was

quite severely scratched and marked.

I picked one up for the super in better condition, so I’m renovating this one for the Mexico.

I started buy soaking the post in oven cleaning foam, and leaving if for about 5-7 minutes.

After washing the residue off, I rubbed down with a fine wet and dry pad with paper.

The seat post was really quite scratched.

I have a set of Campagnolo Omega tubulars with SR hubs from a donor bike that I will train on the flat and smooth with.

I changed the crank and chain ring

I will add the rest of the Campagnolo super record components,

NOS black Campagnolo Super Record non aero lever hoods, and black Benotto bar tape.

My L’Eroica top

I did my first proper ‘event’ on it, 101km at L’Anjou

I rode with a Maillard 13/26 freewheel, which felt OK, but I fell on a corner, and

on inspection later, the freewheel was compromised.

I’m putting a Shimano 6 speed 14/28 freewheel on, as 28 is the maximum Campagnolo Super record is

meant to be able to work with , before having to extend/adapt the derailleur cage.

I picked up a wheelset in a thritf store the other day,Mavic G40 rims on Record hubs, with an odd front Mavic Motherly rim and Record hub front wheel..

and got a scrap piece of leather to wrap a spare inner tube, levers, air and pump under the saddle..

alas, now sold

Colnago Mexico ESA Team Buckler

Posted on January 29, 2012 by saarf

This was a nice find.

I bought it from a 70 year old Gentleman, who was only selling it because he’d decided he wanted to ride in the upright position hence forth.

He said it was ridden by one of the legendary Buckler team.

Picture below as I found it

The Master frameset is renowned for crimped tubing, ( 4 crimps). this has 6 crimps!

too small for me, so I’ll clean up and pass on

unfortunately, one of the bottle cage attachment bolts is damaged,(headless!!!!!!)

I have a friend who is an engineer and works wonders, so fingers crossed…

I’ll show the results when it comes back.

Colnago Competition

Posted on January 28, 2012 by saarf

A BEAUTIFUL COLNAGO COMPETION FRAMSET

STARS AND STRIPES DECOR

FRAMESET IN STUNNING CONDITION-BAR A FEW PAINT FLAKES

Pinarello veneto

Chrome Colnago Mexico circa 1977

Posted on January 28, 2012 by saarf

Colnago Mexico ‘Oro Argenta’

55cm c/c
Fully chromed frameset
53 cm c-t
52 cm top tube

more pics
at flickr.com/photos/58441410@N04/sets/72157627101117958/

Ernesto Colnago himself gave Pope John Paul II a gold plated Colnago Mexico in 1979.

this is what a complete example looks like, picture courtesy of classicrendezvous.com

The frame set is now sold .

Vintage Pinarello Custom Build

Posted on January 28, 2012 by saarf

The above picture is of the frameset after I got it back from being shot-blasted.

It’s a late ’70’s Pinarello frameset, most likely a Treviso.

I original had a Campagnolo Nuovo Gran Sport gruppo on it, and was a light blue with ‘Farnholt’ decals.

I made the mistake of having the frameset powder-coated a blue shade, but the coating was too thick ,

and the lugging lost it’s definition, hence the second shot-blasting.

I am really tempted to go ‘naked’, and have the frame clear powder coated, and re place the decals.

The reason being that I would like to participate in vintage orientated races (imagine-L’Eroica!), and on something like this

I would be able to concentrate on the ride/race and not worry about damaging paintwork.

I’ll update to show the progress.

Colnago C50 “Superlight” custom build

Posted on January 27, 2012 by saarf

”’C50 HP Superlight’ isn’t the official designation of the bike that Spaniard Oscar Freire just won the 2004 World Championships with, but before he left for the Interbike Las Vegas show with his Uncle Ernesto, Alessandro Colnago told Cyclingnews about the now three-time World Champion’s race winning rig.

“In his last World Championship win in Lisbon in 2001, Freire was on Mapei and he finished just ahead of Paolo Bettini. Both riders were on C40s, and Freire became attached to that bike, for whatever reason. Even this year when he won Milano-Sanremo, Freire had his C40. This summer, we made some special Colnago C50 HP frames for Rabobank and Landbouwkredeit that you could call ‘superlight’; they are made of a special high-modulus carbon fibre that is lighter and more rigid than the production Colnago C50 HP. Freire likes his very much.”

“In the finale of the Worlds you saw three riders on the attack with these bicycles; Michael Rasmussen, Michael Boogerd and Freire. Plus we are very happy with the U23 men’s road race as Colnago C50 bicycles were ridden to first and second place by the riders from Belarus and the Netherlands.”

Colnago is considering selling a very limited production of these ‘Superlight’ C50s, but hasn’t yet made a firm decision.” ”

Beautiful carbon weave.

(Images by Tim Maloney/Cyclingnews)

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/teamtech04.php?id=tech/2004/probikes/freire_colnago

My Colnago C50 ‘Superlight” (above as I got it) custom build.

(Lucky for me the Colnago Family decided to produce a few for retail!)

“The C50, the latest iteration of the C-series chassis that Colnago launched 25 years ago with the sculpted C35, was co-developed by Italian composites wizard ATR, the firm that has created bits for Ducati and Lamborghini and the monocoque carbon chassis used in the $650,000 Ferrari Enzo. ATR fabricates the C50’s carbon parts, including the oversized master profile tubing and diamond-shaped HP chainstays, which Colnago says increase the C50’s rear torsional rigidity by 3.5 percent while enhancing vertical compliance by 5 percent. “

(By Mark Riedy,www.2009tourdefrancenews.com)

Picture below post break up.

I will use Campagnolo Record 11 speed carbon group and drive

and Cinelli Neo carbon stem and bars

I like the Cinelli ‘Ram’ bars, but feel they are best suited to monocoque frames.

I am using Campagnolo Khamsin G3 wheels at the moment until I sell a kidney for some decent carbon rims.

Soto Chris King headset, compliments the carbon weave

I was out earlier today on the bike, and was not happy!

the gear exchanges were awkward, and when in motion, made a lot of noise,

eventually, the chain jammed on the inner chain ring, so I exchanged to the outer,

and it was still jammed, resulting in this

my local bike shop said I was lucky not to have taken some wheel spokes out, and someone

else told me about a chain stay on a carbon bike snapping as the derailleur hits it

after shearing off.

The best I can do is try and get a new one at trade price.

I do like riding with the stem at a lower position, I’m getting more out of the bike.

I’m still waiting on an organ buyer to get my new wheels.

I got the bike back, but the shop put the current Record 11 rd on, with red in it!

I couldn’t source an NOS 2010 model, runs well though, and I like the anodized

black outer casing.

Colnago Master MTB Custom Project

Posted on January 26, 2012 by saarf

This is quite something,

An mtb frameset with lugging and Gilco tubing

The picture is from the return journey after collecting.

Factory fitted with full Shimano Deore XT,the frame is in remarkable condition, bar a few paint chips.

(catalog picture of an ’80’s Master MTB)

I just received some NOS Campagnolo 8 speed bullet shifters, and Rigida dp 22 rims (for summer wheels)

I couldn’t resist taking it out in the snow

I’m really impressed with the current group, vintage Shimano Deore XT , performed faultlessly,

still going for Campagnolo though

I managed to find these Campagnolo MTB toecages

I took two trains and two buses

each way to collect, but I had a good result,

a practically nos Campagnolo Olympus MTB FULL GROUPSET!!!!!

just look at the derailleur guard !

I stripped the frame and

I cleaned the frameset up and added a couple of paint touch ups.

the transformation from ‘Freak’ to ‘Unique’ has begun

here’s the refurbished frame…

just needs the bullet shifters wired up..

finished…

I found set of nos Tioga Psycho tyres, so I borrowed the wheelset from The Next Machine, (Campagnolo O R on Mavic SUP Ceramic rims) until I finish building a set with Campagnolo rims and Olympus MTB hubs..