bowser

hi first time post on here wonder if anyone can give me information on celo europa cycles
i bought this bike on e bay last year and have recently finished rebuilding it
the guy i bought it from said it was an import by tommasini built for the us market
i have done a "google" search and turned up celo europa cycles by marcel calborn?
with the possibility of the frames being imported from colnago italy
i have no idea how this bike has ended up in the u k but i havent seen another or heard of one!
the frameset is 58cm finished in a very nice white and blue transfers are celo europa but no model specified. the chrome forks are stamped "celo" as is the bottom bracket and rear brake bridge
the rear stays are chromed with "celo slx" decals there is also a transfer on top tube reading world champions 1984.
i would love to find out more about the makers if possible or indeed contact anyone who owns one!
i have rebuilt the bike with campag athena components non index gearing when i obtained the bike
it had been built with more modern gear which i didnt think looked correct i would imagine it would be built
circa 1980s . i will post photos later
thanks in anticipation ken bowes
ps i am in lancashire england

DiabloScott

Celo Europa and Colnago and others were imported by Celo Europa.

Very nice bikes, very popular in the 80's criterium scene around here.

unworthy1

If you search this forum's archives you'll probably find more about Marcel Calborn and his shop in So. Calif., now in Laguna Hills, I believe. He's still in business and answers the phone, but has not much interest in the old bikes. Yours was probably built by one of the same shops that made Colnagos of the same ('84ish) vintage, and the geometry and specs are often nearly identical, though the Celos seem to be a tad more conservative: flat fork crowns, less/no shaped tubing...an SLX should be a brillant ride, enjoy it!

cyclotoine

As mentioned above, Celos were made by colnago for Celo Europa which is a shop and possibly a distributor of some sort.. I forget. In anycase I have a 144 BCD super record style campagnolo Celo panographed chainring that fits record cranks... since you are running athena I guess you have a 135 BCD unless it is a mixed group and the cranks aren't athena... anyway should you be interested in this ring that appears barely used feel free to PM me. here is a pic. note how similar the C is to those on colnago pantoed rings

DiabloScott

This is always fun - a price list from the Celo Europa shop from 1984.

bowser

hi thanks for replys have some pics but not sure how to post them!
bowser

bowser

hi celo europa

vpiuva

1. pics hosted by a third party - can even be a personal web page included with your internet provider service.
2. copy the image properties from that hosted pic (everything up to and including .jpg)
3. click on image icon on reply toolbar, paste in your copied image properties.
4. Done

DiabloScott

bowser e-mailed these to me:

unworthy1

Nice! Looks like a later model, given the paint and other late-80s features: internal cable routing, the sloping external cap forkcrown, the shortpoint lugs with the little "tail" ala Ciocc...seems like this one might have been built by another contractor than whoever was making the Colnagos in the early 80s...smells like a Billato to me (which is a GOOD smell, BTW) and looks very nice with the later Campy Athena stuff on it.

bowser

hi thanks to diablo scott for posting the pics for me im surei will suss out the process myself now!
thanks unworthy 1 for your opinion. sorry i have not heard of billato but i will google it and see. the guy i purchased it from said it was a tommasini which i was sceptical about although there was a tommasini importer in the area he lives. i have just finished building it i managed to service the rear mech but the front one was shot so bought a replacement on e bay the brakes fitted where modern campagnolo mirage dual pivots which work ok but just didnt look right so replaced them with the athenas more sympathetic to the period i cleaned up the original chainset but replaced the "look" clipless pedals with the athena clips and straps platforms i obtained at a local cycle jumble or spares sale i think you call it. the campag seatpost and rolls saddle are original as are the wheels athena hubs on omega rims. the frame was in excellent condition just a polish job. one brake lever hood was missing and that was the one part i found the hardest to source i managed to buy a pair of complete levers again on e bay . took it out for the first time last weekend and it rides very nicely very responsive and smooth climbing overall im very pleased indeed ok so its no colnago or bianchi but its very individual and pleasing to the eye thanks all for your information and help
bowser.

unworthy1

Actually, I think you can rightly say it IS a Colnago, just one by another name. The earlier model (Celo Super) that passed through my hands was sold to a 'Nago collector who was very pleased to add one of these to his stable. It's a first-rate bike, enjoy it.

channone

Nice bikes...I just happen to have completed a build of one. I spent an afternoon talking to Marcel after purchasing this frame off his wall. He is great guy.

cyclotoine

Appears you have quite the collection! Welcome to the forum. but I have to comment.. Clinchers!!! How could you! ! Blasphemer!

Just Ribbing ya!

channone

Just Ribbing ya![/QUOTE]

Ummm.. those are conti sprinter gatorskins.

cyclotoine

Ummm.. those are conti sprinter gatorskins.[/QUOTE]

opps, I didn't look very closely, sorry... I was drunk and it was late too