predicon9

Hello, I have this cilo frame and fork that I don't know anything about. I am considering sandblasting and powder coating plus replacing the decals if I can find them. I don't know the year or the model or even the frame tubing. Is this frame anything special? I also have the original steel cranks.

gaucho777 

First off, I would strongly advise against a repaint. That's a beautiful color and the paint looks in good condition, albeit with some patina--but that's a good thing in my book. I'd much rather have weathered original paint such as on your frame than a new powdercoat. For this frame, you'll never recoup the cost, and will more likely hurt the value. The Cilo I own is in much worse condition, paint wise, and I'm not about to repaint it.

That said, your Cilo does not appear to be a high end example based the stamped (versus forged) dropouts and steel crank you mention. The pump peg braze on seems rather crude as you sometimes see on lower end models as well. In case you aren't aware, Cilo is a Swiss company. Your frame likely has either Swiss or French threading (good thin you have the original headset and bottom bracket). May take an odd-sized seat post, too. If you have the original cranks, do you have the pedals? Those again are likely to take French-threaded pedals. My Cilo is a great rider. Although it appears to be a lower-end model, I expect yours will be a great riding bike, too.

Where's the fork though? Whenever I see a frame without a fork, I worry about crash damage. Make sure there are no bulges on the bottom of the top tube and down tube behind the head lugs, a tell-tell size of a front impact.

predicon9

Thank you for the info. Yes I have the original Pedals that go with the crankset and seat post. I am not sure what seat post size it is though. Your suspicion about an impact is correct. I bought this frame at a garage sale super cheap but the fork is bent and need to get it cold set. There is no actual damage to the frame I have inspected it from top to bottom, left to right and it seems fine. This frame is about 1-2 centimeters bigger of what I normally ride. I have some thinking to do about how much time I want to spend on it. Last thing I want it do is go to waste sitting in my garage.

daf1009

I concur with the "no paint/powdercoat"...that paint is in pretty overall good shape!

I would, most likely, look for another fork...when one has been in a crash, it is often compromised...and having it reset is, obviously, one option...but...if it does fail...not good.

Sounds like you have most of the original components...that should make it easy to rebuild...and you would have a nice rider...albeit not exactly a gold mine...but...who cares, so long as it rides!

Oh...and...welcome to the Bike Forums!

vintage cellar

Don't repaint it and re-aligning a fork is usually not a big deal for a decent shop. The risk of breakage from straightening a low-end thick-wall steel fork is pretty uncommon. Park Tool and Var and a number of other companies made alignment jigs especially for fixing bent frames and forks. BITD it was standard operating proceedure to bend back a bent fork and frame - the less expensive ones were thick tubing and it didn't affect the life span enough to matter. The same kid that wrecked it the first time would usually go out and just do it again. But straightening it twice was pushing it.

RobbieTunes

Really depends on if you're going to ride it or show it to people who prefer/don't prefer repaints.
Repaints never look quite as genuine, but do look nice if done well. A pro repaint is fine with me.

I re-do otherwise trashed frames or Cannondales.

I had a Columbus SLX Cilo with 2x6 indexed Dura Ace, red with white decals.
I had it blasted and powdercoated the same color, went back with identical decals, rehabbed the 2x6 DA and REI built a wider freewheel for me. It looked like a new Cilo, and was worth as much as the original with horrible paint. The owner rides it 3-4 times a week, and I think it was the right decision, but each to his own.

Few bikes appear here that are untouchable, but most of them look better not being repainted. The ones that do are not often displayed here.

Personally, I like that the way it is.

old's'cool

When I was a kid I straightened a friend's fork of a CCM Marauder muscle bike that bullies bent when they took his bike and rode it into a brick wall. I pushed the bike into the brick wall at the same speed with the fork reversed and the fork was straight like new.

predicon9

Just to update on this frame, I did find that the top tube is slightly bent. Guess I will be selling for scrap metal.