ExpertTools

Here's my ~35 yr old Colnago. I was recently told it's a 1982 Super. Can anyone confirm? Also it's missing the Columbus decal, can someone tell me the correct one? (There are multiple options on eBay). Are there any other decals that should be on it? (ie Colnago signature) I've had it for 24 years, and the previous owner had it painted at a very good local body shop, and replaced/upgraded the entire gruppo just before I bought it. I do have the Campy (black) pedals, the white Selle San Marco saddle, and campy aero water bottle/cage that came with the bike.

satbuilder 

Colnago stamped seatstay puts you in the '82 range.

ExpertTools

Thanks...any idea as to the model? Is it a "Super"?

Moe Zhoost

Looks like my 83 Super except for the chrome stays and lugs

Gary Fountain

With just a quick look at your Colnago, It looks like a '82 Super to me although there are subtle differences in the build features around that time.

The decals on your bike are from a later period as you no doubt know.

Have a look at this thread.....Show us your Colnago Super, Mexico, Arabesque, Master...

There are a number of similar Colnago's to yours shown there although many are stated as 1983 builds. Have a look at the bottom of page 7 - CroMo Mike has shown his blue 1982 Super and states that he bought it new in 1982.

From my now failing memory, the world champion stripes were added to the seat tube and down tube decals after 'Beppe' Saronni won the World Championship in 1982 riding for the del Tongo team. I would expect to see these decals on Colnago's after 1982 - although CroMo Mike's Colnago seems to shoot holes in my long held belief.

Cyclemondo.net has a number of Colnago decal sets available. The owner (Greg Softly) of the business is a Colnago collector and he has many images of Colnago's on his web pages. Look under 'Links' to source these pages.

One of Greg's decal options displays two down tube options - one with World Champ. stripes, one without World Champ stripes - if it was my 1982 Colnago Super I would go for the decal without the World Champ. stripes.

Ray Dobbins has an interesting page discussing Colnago's of that era - have a look at this web page:
https://www.raydobbins.com/misc/Colna...go_catalog.htm

flickr has a Group called "Molto Colnago"where there are hundreds of Colnago images - worth a visit too:
https://www.flickr.com/groups/moltocolnago/

'Beppe' Saronni and his Del Tongo team made the white panelled Colnago decals famous and they are often the decal set of choice for many restorations from that era.

CliffordK

I can't tell, are the chainstays oval the whole length?
Or are the chainstays dimpled for tire (and crank) clearance?

Also, if it is a repaint, check for bondo where the tire dimples would be. (tap with coin?)

Spaghetti Legs 

I'm 90% sure my recent Colnago Super acquisition is a 1982 but alas mine is also (again 90% sure) a repaint. The pantographs on mine are similar to yours. Mine only has chrome on the fork, but again, who knows what it looked like before the repaint. A Super has a dimple or crimp in the inner chainstay both sides. The chainstay bridge also went to a spool shape vice cyclinder in 1982. A Nuovo Mexico has crimps in the top tube and seat tube. I'm not quite sure what makes a Mexico a Mexico.

Here's a picture of an early 80's Columbus decal. The two smaller fork decals I'm not sure if they are correct or not.

Columbus Frame Tubing Set of 3-Cromale - VeloCals

crank_addict

With the telltale's, I'd go with '82. ^S.legs above has depicted correct tubing decal. Very nice condition for having it 24 years.

Sir_Name 

I love the black paint with chromed head lugs. I want to say I remember reading that chromed headlugs indicate a Superissimo, but I'm not sure if that's a hard and fast rule. ...Now that I think of it another member here has an '83 Nuovo Mexico with them, so maybe that only applies when dealing with Supers. Enjoy!

Gary Fountain

A friend of mine and a major bike shop owner (here in Australia) told me in the late 80's that he could order Colnago's with any combination of finishes - paint, chrome, etc. He dealt directly with Colnago in Italy and sometimes met with Ernesto himself.

Sir_Name 

Aha, sounds about right. Variety is the spice of life and all. Thanks for the info and reply, Gary.

peugeot mongrel

I'd say 82 Superissimo, flat crown & chrome lugs. Super timeline

CroMo Mike 

Right after I bought my Super in 1982, marketed as a "Super 82," the catalog sellers started showing the Superissimo - which had chrome lugs and stays and the word "Colnago" stamped on the left chainstay. Mine has no chrome on the frame (only a full chrome fork) and a cheesy foil sticker to protect the right chain stay. Mine has the gear cable guides on top of the BB shell. Superissimo had then routed under. Mine has the same fork as O.P.'s bike. The Superissimo had more slope to the fork crown.

ExpertTools

Well the plot thickens doesn't it?. First of all, thanks to all who have responded.


To confirm what was asked, two points. My bike DOES have a crease on the inside of each chainstay. Also, it has Colnago stamped in the chainstays on BOTH sides.


It would be nice to have the correct decals, so correct identity is a prerequisite for that.

ExpertTools

Yes, looking at that timeline, it seems about right. Definitely not the sloping crown fork, yet it certainly has features added 81-82, like the stamped chainstays and tops of seat stays. Cables go under the BB. The chromed head tube lugs are a clue as well.

CliffordK

I think that rules out the Mexico.

peugeot mongrel

Very nice bike! BTW

As many have said you can't pin these bikes down exactly and all the builders probably did customs.

What is interesting about yours is the chrome rear triangle. I've looked at maybe a billion pictures trying to get a fix on these early 80's Colnagos and you don't see that rear chrome on Supers or Superissimos. I'm thinking since it has the fluted and engraved stay caps it may be 81 Super that got a chrome upgrade by the auto body shop that painted it.

Are the chainstay flutes long or short? It has the spool shaped bridge that started in 81.

My 82-83 Suprissimo has all the same features except it has no rear chrome on the stays. The rear dropouts are chrome & flat seatstay caps. It has the flat fork and came with original paint with earlier decals but an 83 crank.

My 83-84 Super has the flat seatstay caps, sloping fork, no flutes in the chainstays and a brazeon FD hanger.

Both weigh the same.

ExpertTools

Since the repaint was done at a very good local autobody shop, while I doubt they rechromed anything, I would bet they stripped it down to bare metal. Is it possible that on your 82, the chrome on the rear dropouts actually extends well up the rear chainstays/seatstays, but it was just painted over at the factory? It could be that when mine was painted, they just left more of the chrome exposed. You have to figure, that when chrome is done, it's not so easy just to dip a tiny section; it's not like you can paint it on and mask what you don't want chrome. For example, to get the front lugs chrome they probably chromed the whole head tube to get that effect. Perhaps when painting mine they discovered the chrome extended well up the tubes, and they decided to leave it exposed.

ExpertTools

Thanks for the compliment BTW.


The chainstay flutes are about 8" long. It's just a slight crease on the inside of each chainstay.


Can you post pictures of your Superissimo? I'd like to see what the decals look like on an original, unmolested bike, so some close up photos of those would be great. (Not only to help orderering the correct replacement, but to get the proper placement as well). Clearly the decals are all wrong on my bike, so I'd like to change them to the correct decals.

peugeot mongrel

The repo decals differ mostly with the C on the downtube. Many have pointed this out. Since everyone that makes them must know this I suspect it may have something to do with Colnago still being in business?


Original frame example but VERY molested. Old and well worn, like myself.

In the wild.



for refrence






















holes for Portacatena - late 70s - early 80s

SJX426 

+1

I think mine is an '83 (RD Pat Date) it has flat seat stay caps and slopped crown. Note that Superissimo typically has chrome HT and full fork chrome. Sometimes the fork doesn't have paint and sometimes it does.

Some Supers do not have a chain stay bridge.

Since you asked for pics, I am will provide! OOPs next post! If you want to see more pics, I have a couple of hundred for this bike on my Flickr page. Albums are near the bottom of the list, some on the next page.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/112094...57638857796553

SJX426 

[IMG]1983 Colnago Superissimo, on Flickr[/IMG]

peugeot mongrel

Always really liked your bike!


The no chain stay bridge and this BB is a feature I have tried to find out more about and not found much.





More about this one

My 83-84 has the same bb & bridge as my 82-83

ExpertTools

Well mine has the bridge like that photo in primer. That red beat up frame you posted seems to be exactly like my bike in every detail. So is the red bike pictured above the same bike after restoration, or just some other person's bike?


It's also curious that there were no "Columbus" decals of the red bike(s).

peugeot mongrel

Yours has fluted seat stay caps rather than flat suggesting a little bit earlier.

Same bike - its my rider, not a collector piece, it obviously had a hard life - no columbus stickers but its SL with SL fork. All that age Supers are.