Classic & Vintage - Columbine with Campy 50 year group

Several years ago I was given a 1983 or 1984 Columbine road bike that had been built up with the Campy 50 year anniversary group. It had been ridden very little by the previous owner (knee problems) and it is so nice and unblemished that I am almost afraid to ride the thing. Aside from having the original sew-up wheels relaced into a modern clincher setup, I've done nothing to the bike. It is beautiful! Does anyone have much background information on these Columbines? The frame is a work of art... Thanks!

I believe what you have is something called the "deal of the century". Columbine is still making bikes, I imagine you might be able to contact them for some info. http://www.columbinecycle.com

PS- You are absolutely required to post as many high-resolution pictures as possible. :)

+1 On the pics.
Columbines are very nice. Have you seen the prices on that 50th year group?:eek: We need pics!!!

Sorry to be such a numbskull, but how do you post photos to this site? I am on the "all thumbs" computer skills team... I have been riding an old Specialized Expedition touring bike forever, and am awaiting the arrival of a new (to me) Centurion "Semi-Pro" (1979) for quicker, Saturday morning jaunts. I'm afraid that the Columbine is 3 or 4 grades too nice for me, and that the Centurion, (while still very cool) will be a bike that I will be more comfortable "putting into service".

One of my favorite posts ever...


Before the advent of Rhinoliners, I was picking up a new car from the dealer. At the same time an old rancher was taking delivery on a new $45,000 pick up. When the salesman got through showing him all the bells and whistles, the old man jumped in the bed with his cowboy boots on and began vigorously shuffling his feet. After he had sufficiently scuffed up the paint, he climbed down a said "There, I don't have to worry about that anymore".

Ride your Columbine!

Several years ago I was given a 1983 or 1984 Columbine road bike that had been built up with the Campy 50 year anniversary group. It had been ridden very little by the previous owner (knee problems) and it is so nice and unblemished that I am almost afraid to ride the thing. Aside from having the original sew-up wheels relaced into a modern clincher setup, I've done nothing to the bike. It is beautiful! Does anyone have much background information on these Columbines? The frame is a work of art... Thanks!

What size is it? If you email me photos (dannyg1 at Mail period com), I'll post them for you.

Danny

OrcasIsland's Columbine:

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/BikeforumsColumbine1.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/DSCN0062.jpg

Danny

Right there's an entire lifetime's worth of bike karma. ;) Very nice. 58 cm?

I love it - right down to the tires (and this is from someone who can't stand anything but skinwalls).

Question though - whatever happened to the original fluted cranks? Were they swapped out before you got the bike?

-Kurt

...Question though - whatever happened to the original fluted cranks? Were they swapped out before you got the bike?

-Kurt

Maybe I'm an idiot, but weren't the 50th A cranks non-fluted?

Edit: It appears I'm just a partial idiot :)

The arms were not, a'la SR final-gen, but weren't the spiders fluted?

Take care,

-Kurt


Oh, and nice bike. I'd ride it, but not in the rain.

Maybe I'm an idiot, but weren't the 50th A cranks non-fluted?

Correct, though I believe cudak888 is correct in pointing out that those are non-original, non-Campy-50th cranks.

Maybe I'm an idiot, but weren't the 50th A cranks non-fluted?

The arms were not, a'la SR final-gen, but weren't the spiders fluted?

Take care,

-Kurt

P.S.: The replacement crankset really does fit that bike like a glove. Probably better looking when all is said and done then if it had the 50th crankarms on it.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/hpsworkshop/BikeforumsColumbine1.jpg


OH MY GOD !!!
:love:

I love that bike, it's truly wonderful.

My personal advice: do not use it, put it where you can look at it and admire that rare beauty, and instead ride one of the [hundreds of] thousands of other nice riding bikes that aren't nowhere near as beautiful as this is. Just ride it on summer sundays in full awareness of owning something special (yeah, I know I will be one of the very few who don't say "crash it as you stole it" :lol:).

[BTW: It has instantly found it's way into my "Beauty" folder;
Please give us some 'sunny' pictures nonetheless.]

...and make sure that your dustcaps are on tight if and when you do ride it :eek:

-Kurt

Right there's an entire lifetime's worth of bike karma. ;) Very nice. 58 cm?


From what he wrote me '56cm w/ a 31 inch standover', it sounds like a 55cm. I'll agree that it appears to be a 57 or 58. Top tube looks short though, probably 55 there.

Danny

From what he wrote me '56cm w/ a 31 inch standover', it sounds like a 55cm. I'll agree that it appears to be a 57 or 58. Top tube looks short though, probably 55 there.

Danny

Very interested in getting some dimensions of that frame. From the looks of it, there is no way that there is a 31" stand over height, it has to be around 33". But yes the top tube looks short - maybe the camera is playing tricks?

But yes the top tube looks short - maybe the camera is playing tricks?

The pump is. I achieved a similar effect with a pump on the seattube to make my Paramount appear about 2cm's smaller.

-Kurt

Hi OrcasIsland, it's me, Warren in SF. I'm glad to see that you're still posting here. That is a very beautiful machine you have there! <green with envy> :) :thumb:

Since you have multiple bikes, you should just ride this one for "special" occasions and in fair weather.

--Warren

Outstanding "gift" bike. Do us a favor...don't play the lottery.:)

Wow! You guys know your Campy stuff! Those are, in fact, not the original 50 years cranks. They were swapped out by the previous owner for the current set which are somewhat shorter than the original crankarms were. Sadly, the originals seem to have been lost to the sands of time, and no one knows where they went. Too bad! All of the rest of the bike appears to be original (with the exception of the clincher rims). The standover height is 32", not 31" as was mentioned in another post. Thanks for the nice words (and Danny, thanks for posting the photos).

Sadly, the originals seem to have been lost to the sands of time, and no one knows where they went.

Where everything ends up...sooner or later - evilBay ;)

Funny thing, there's a set up there right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Campagnolo-50th-anniversary-crankset-170mm_W0QQitemZ320256950518QQihZ011QQcategoryZ56197QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

-Kurt

Where everything ends up...sooner or later - evilBay ;)

Funny thing, there's a set up there right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Campagnolo-50th-anniversary-crankset-170mm_W0QQitemZ320256950518QQihZ011QQcategoryZ56197QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

-Kurt

well, that settles it then, OrcasIsland, you HAVE to get those cranks to really put your bike over the top!;)

--Warren

that bike is already over the top just as it is :) I wouldn't change a thing.
well...maybe a white Turbo or Regal saddle...just to see how it looks...