Colonago-Need to tap the vast knowledge here again
#1
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Colonago-Need to tap the vast knowledge here again
I recently bought this bike, but I would like to return it more or less back to orig condition. From what I know, its from the first run of these bikes back in the 80's. I have the orig seat post and saddle, but I am wondering about the stem and bars, as well as what components would have been sold on this bike. Many thanks in advance for your input.
#3
aka: Mike J.
(edit: oops, posted a Cannondale link, sorry, oops.)
What I've learned from researching my Master Light is that a lot of these were sold as framesets and built up by various bike shops and end users, so if you're looking for what was originally on your specific bike then your best bet might be to make an assumption.
edit2: not much help here either:
https://velobase.com/ViewBrand.aspx?B...80fa606&From=T
What I've learned from researching my Master Light is that a lot of these were sold as framesets and built up by various bike shops and end users, so if you're looking for what was originally on your specific bike then your best bet might be to make an assumption.
edit2: not much help here either:
https://velobase.com/ViewBrand.aspx?B...80fa606&From=T
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Last edited by treebound; 11-16-16 at 01:35 PM.
#5
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I do know that the seat post, stem and bars are not original, but I am getting the orig post and seat. Also, how do I know what year the bike was built? Is there a way to tell from the serial number?
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This is exactly the same thing I've learned out Tommasini's sold in the US in the early 1980s. I think I have everything from my bike's original build, but if your bike has gone through more than one owner, or been ridden a lot, it may be impossible to tell what the original build was.
#7
aka: Mike J.
Yep, so probably easiest to just go period-correct if you want to do a functional restoration, or use what you would have used at the time if you were the original owner.
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#8
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Mine's stamped "7F687", which makes sense as the tubing - "Crystal" - seems to come from the late 90s, making it a June 1997 bike, sequence number 687.
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If that is from the '80s the fork is not original. Threadless headsets didn't come along until '90/91 and were usually only on MTBs until the late '90s.
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PS could you post some more pics of the frame? Lugs, tubing sticker etc
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#11
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Not a first generation Master, it would have a chrome curved fork, Colnago didn't produce the straight steel fork until a couple of years later let alone the carbon fork. The paint is much more recent. I'd say mid-late 90's. Many early Masters had a "fishnet" paint scheme. You might have an early Master Light, but those came after the original Master and the Master Olympic...which the IOC went after Ernesto for.
Last edited by GravelGuy; 11-16-16 at 05:55 PM.
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If that's the original fork, then it sounds like from other comments you need to rethink this bike's age before going further.
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Could you narrow the age range down by determining what the tubing is?
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Gilco - my guess is that'd confirm it as a late-80's Master.
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Obviously more info is needed Serial number, more photos of the lugs, bb, etc.
There are smarter experts here than me for sure!
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#20
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Nice bike.
Suggest to google a German website devoted to vintage Colnago. Somewhere I was able to dl neat Colnago catalogs. Many models depicted but not offered in the US.
Suggest to google a German website devoted to vintage Colnago. Somewhere I was able to dl neat Colnago catalogs. Many models depicted but not offered in the US.
#21
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Early 2000s, there will be a serial number on the front derailleur braze-on tab or on one of the rear dropouts. Send the serial number to info@colnago.com and they'll tell you the exact year.
As already mentioned, these were sold as framesets so what you have is probably what the original owner put on it. I don't see much point in changing it as long as it works, these are great riding frames with the carbon fork, enjoy it.
As already mentioned, these were sold as framesets so what you have is probably what the original owner put on it. I don't see much point in changing it as long as it works, these are great riding frames with the carbon fork, enjoy it.
#22
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Thanks for the responses and resources. As soon as she comes in I will have pictures up with more info!
#23
aka: Mike J.
I'm going to have to try that Colnago email and see if they can pin down the date of my MasterLight. Thanks.
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#24
aka: Mike J.
Try to get a good picture of the model name on the top tube. Mine has Master Light with the words offset from each other and without an X. I can't tell for certain, but it looks like your's might have the X between Master and Light. Fairly sure mine is mid to late 1980's, so if your's has that X in there then it is either newer than mine, or else someone did a real nice job repainting it to factory graphics format.
Edit: if this link works, it should show mine's top tube text to compare to your's
Pps edit: I hate the "soft paint" text on mine, makes people want to jam a thumbnail into the paint to see if it is "soft". I've been told that soft paint means not clear coated or something like that.
Edit: if this link works, it should show mine's top tube text to compare to your's
Pps edit: I hate the "soft paint" text on mine, makes people want to jam a thumbnail into the paint to see if it is "soft". I've been told that soft paint means not clear coated or something like that.
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Last edited by treebound; 11-17-16 at 06:53 PM.
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On the C40, the cycling man on the top tube wasn't used until about '97 or 98. My 40th anno catalog (1994) is all side view shots but it looks like clover leaf on the top tubes, like on my '96 C40.
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