How to identify a Colnago Nuovo Mexico from a Colnago Super (profil)

Posted on by saarf

I get a fair amount of requests to appraise vintage Colnago roadbikes,(which is always a pleasure), and amongst those fine steel steeds have been a number of  questions regarding the Colnago Nuovo Mexico model, (circa 1983-4 )

More often than not the owner has one of these, which were more common, the Colnago Super (profil), which can be identified from one crimp either side and center on the top tube, one either side and center on the down tube, and inside the chain stays

colnago super profila Colnago Nuovo Mexico has two crimps either side and center on the top tube, 2 crimps off center either side of the down tube (so dt has 4 crimps in total!) , and none inside the chain stays…

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This example is Mr ‘ Beppe ‘ Saronni’s Del Tongo Team circa 1982 Goodwood winning Super….

You can see it has one rib on the top tube ( one either side , two in total)

And only two ribs on the down tube , predating the circa 1983/4 release of the Nuovo Mexico with 4 down tube ribs located off center …

This is a circa 1984 Super ‘profil’ , same era as the Nuovo Mexico was launched ..

This frame is the same age and colour , but is a Nuovo Mexico

Two ribs in the top tube ..

And 4 off center in the down tube

this is a later , circa ’85 Nuovo Mexico , able to ‘ date ‘ it as later than 83/84 because of the rounded , Colnago stamped seat stay caps

Breaking news , Colnago officially confirm Super Profil

(19/5/21)

Rare (rare) Cinelli Laser Track Pursuit

Posted on by saarf

Well, as lovers of fine bicycles, we are all aware of the rare Cinelli Laser Track Pursuit,

this one is extra rare…

“…PERSONALLY DECLARED FROM ANTONIO COLOMBO CHIEF  OF THE CINELLI  ,   HE LET  BUILT SEVEN  SPECIAL CINELLI LASER PURSUIT BIKES WITH DIFFERENT  GEOMETRIES FOR THE HOUR RECORD AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1985 FOR  HANS HENRICK OERSTED . WITH THIS BIKES HE WINS BOTH.  ONE OF THIS BIKES IS IN THE OFFICE OF MR COLOMBO REVISITED BY KEITH HARING . AN OTHER OF THIS SEVEN BIKES WAS GIVEN PERSONALLY FROM ANTONIO  COLOMBO IN 1992 TO THE COMIX ARTIST IGOR TUVERI  WHO RESTYLED THE BIKE ….MR COLOMBO WRITE ” LOT OF MEMORIES AROUND HER AND THE  ARTIST IS A  MITH OF COMIX ART : IGOR TUVERI . WAS PRESENTED IN A MILANO GALLERY …EVERYTHING WAS ORGANIZED BY ME..”

quite a piece…

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purported to have been built for Igor Tuveri, circa 1992,

currently listed on ebay

Krit’s Colnago Oval CX

Posted on by saarf

About a year ago, Krit, a reader of this blog, contacted me with this story and images.The bike in question, is actually purported to be the first Colnago Oval Cx..

S__7594083[2] an absolutely stunning example, said to have been made by Ernesto Colnago himself..

“Not sure if you can recall. We did talk a year ago about Colnago CX that I bought from a collector in US. The one that is claimed to be the first Colnago Oval CX made by Ernesto himself and it has no serial number. Due to extended custom clearance process, I just got this bike few week ago. …I was told by the previous owner that this Oval CX, together with another including Arabesque and others were all trade show bikes that were made for the Paris, Milan and New York in 80’s. After the last stop which was New York, these bike were not shipped back to Italy but sold to a famous bike shop in New York called Conrads, located in Manhattan which was an upscale bike shop. This might be because Conrads bike shop was a major importer of Italian bikes to US at that time but I am not sure if this bike shop is still existed. There was a guy bought these bikes from Conrads and sold them to a collector that I bough this bike from.”

Krit also was lucky to be able to purchase and original Colnago Arabesque from the same vendor, quite a pair to find!

(I look forward to seeing the Arabesque Krit!)

If any other readers have any rare Colnagos , please feel free to share here (or ask for an appraisal ) .

Colnago Super Cyclocross 1985 Team Kwantum Decosol

Posted on by saarf

A very, very rare piece, never listed in catalogs of the day,pictured below with period incorrect wheels (for shits n’ giggles)…

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The 3ttt quill  stem was stuck fast, so I sawed off the bar clamp stem at the top of the quill neck, and slowly chemically extracted over a couple of days with a caustic soda solution.

Once the stem was free, I decided to leave the frame set in its current state, and take it to L’Eroica XX 2016 in Gaiole, Chianti.

Looking at the forks, the crown is undrilled, so made specifically for the frame..

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the rear stay bridge is also underilled, and stays have cantilver bosses brazed on..

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I decided on a 1×7 gearing, Campagnolo Super Record (2nd generation ) with a bar end shifter, Mafac canti’s with front and rear cable guides , nos Campagnolo CX chain guard , 3ttt Colnago panto stem, 3ttt bars and a 3ttt 26.4 mm seatpost , Brooks Swift saddle, Carradice bag and rack..

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I finished with cotton bars bape over laid with black Benotto bar ribbon, and black leather ‘sleeves’ for the toe cages..

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I used Challenge Griffo tyres , which were amazing , except when I crashed downhill twice on tarmac ,

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the bike also was lucky enough to qualify for entry in to the “Concurse D’ Elegance” at

L ‘ Eroica XX …

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after the event , I took the bike to the Colnago, wher Alex Colnago very kindly confirmed it’s authenticity …

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I discoverd later this a pro bike, for the 1985 Kwantum Decosol team..

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the team only usd this colour in 1985 , and is the right size for Adrie Van Der Poel , who came 2nd in the Cyclocross World championship of that year..

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Colnago Arabesque 2016

Posted on by saarf

Colnago have made 2016 version of the 1983 Arabesque,

which was built in very limited numbers to commemorate Colnago’s 30th anniversary, the lugs were made specially for this model by the Rauler brothers

colnago-arabesque  with a crimped top tube and round down and seat tubes, the frame set was more akin to the Super and mexico model than Master..

1k0  I read somewhere the whole re-issue deal came about after an employee found a long lost box of the Arabesque lugs , but I doubt that’s the truth.

The 2016 model is more akin to the Master, with U.K. distributor Windwave even listing it as an Arabesque Master 

The remake has a crimp tubed main triangle,like the Master,

available in white and light blue, my favs are red and black…

masa-rard masa-radk

Cannondale Cyclocross Ultra Headshok

Posted on by saarf

Picked this up a while back, 2 bus rides and 4 trains to get it…

 The “Headshok” needs servicing, and there is a dent on the non driveside down tube underside, just above the bottom bracket shell..

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…which I did not see until I got the frame home, I was a little choked by it’s discovery to be honest, but there are no cracks around it, and it does not appear to have compromised the integrity of the local welds.

I plan to use SRAM components, and try to make it an all American build.

My friend is a Cannondale agent, so I will take the frame to him to send to the distributor as they should be able to properly service the forks.