Help me ID my Colnago?
03-25-14, 05:46 PM
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Help me ID my Colnago?
Hi. I've just joined the forum and, as I've been curious to know more about my bike since I got it, my first post is to see if someone here can help me nail down exactly what it is.
I bought the bike a few years ago when I was looking for a classic Italian road bike for weekend rides. Eventually I realized it was too nice to risk crashing or scratching it up so it's been in storage pretty much ever since.
From digging around online I think it's a late 80s to early 90s Colnago Super Sprint. It's definitely Chorus all around...I think. Nothing is for sure as I don't have a lot of knowledge and can only go by what I found on VeloBase. I was hoping to find a photo online somewhere of the same paint job but haven't had any luck.
Anyway, here she is and if anyone can confirm my suspicions or tell me other wise I'm all ears.
I bought the bike a few years ago when I was looking for a classic Italian road bike for weekend rides. Eventually I realized it was too nice to risk crashing or scratching it up so it's been in storage pretty much ever since.
From digging around online I think it's a late 80s to early 90s Colnago Super Sprint. It's definitely Chorus all around...I think. Nothing is for sure as I don't have a lot of knowledge and can only go by what I found on VeloBase. I was hoping to find a photo online somewhere of the same paint job but haven't had any luck.
Anyway, here she is and if anyone can confirm my suspicions or tell me other wise I'm all ears.
03-25-14, 07:58 PM
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Help me ID my Colnago?
Nice Colnago. Can't help much. But please RIDE it!
03-25-14, 08:29 PM
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Lol. Thanks. I think she's pretty too.
Ive been out on it a couple of times and had a few people tell me I'm crazy to risk damaging it. The only flaw is the ding above the rear shifter. I really need to get something more practical for every day riding and save Creampuff here for sunny days.
Ive been out on it a couple of times and had a few people tell me I'm crazy to risk damaging it. The only flaw is the ding above the rear shifter. I really need to get something more practical for every day riding and save Creampuff here for sunny days.
03-25-14, 10:40 PM
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If you have the frame number--usually stamped on the bottom of the bottom bracket--email it to laura@colnago.com. That's what I did. I now know I own a "DREAM PLUS color AD14 produce on 1999"
03-25-14, 11:41 PM
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I'm of the opinion that dating a Colnago can only be approximate. I think you're in the correct ball park in thinking late 80's, early 90's as the build date of the frame.
The 'bulgier' website has information on the 'Super Sprint' in the 'Colnago 88' catalogue:
bulgier.net - /pics/bike/Catalogs/
The '88 catalogue example has 'Colnago' branded seat stay caps like those used in the mid 80's. Yours, with no branded seat stay caps, probably reflects a later build and I wouldn't mind betting that your frame is an early 90's build.
As for the colour scheme; I've got a similar vintage Colnago frame featuring the Italian flag colours on a white frame although it's a different pattern to mine. I've only ever seen one other frame painted in the same way as my frame and that was a track frame. I wouldn't be surprised if your frame's paint scheme is a limited design although I think I can recall seeing it before.
It's a very nice bike (I love the Chorus groupset) and I'm sure the occasional outing on a nice day would not harm it but do it good to keep the bearings turning.
The 'bulgier' website has information on the 'Super Sprint' in the 'Colnago 88' catalogue:
bulgier.net - /pics/bike/Catalogs/
The '88 catalogue example has 'Colnago' branded seat stay caps like those used in the mid 80's. Yours, with no branded seat stay caps, probably reflects a later build and I wouldn't mind betting that your frame is an early 90's build.
As for the colour scheme; I've got a similar vintage Colnago frame featuring the Italian flag colours on a white frame although it's a different pattern to mine. I've only ever seen one other frame painted in the same way as my frame and that was a track frame. I wouldn't be surprised if your frame's paint scheme is a limited design although I think I can recall seeing it before.
It's a very nice bike (I love the Chorus groupset) and I'm sure the occasional outing on a nice day would not harm it but do it good to keep the bearings turning.
Last edited by Gary Fountain; 03-26-14 at 12:11 AM.
03-26-14, 05:58 AM
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A keeper if it fits well! There are clear plastic protector patches available that I would seriously consider for protecting the paint from the pump where it is in contact. My Colnago is already worn in so it would be of marginal benefit.
03-26-14, 06:25 AM
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Very nice Colnago, however the parts are 1st generation Athena, not Chrous.
03-26-14, 06:28 AM
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That is not Chorus it is Athena. The shape of the crank is wrong, the brakes are standard side pull style not Monoplanor (which trickled down to Athena in '92ish) and the RD does not have the 2 position selection capability for wider range freewheels.
Check out Velobase This looks like the first Athena w/ Synchro 2 shifters from '88ish to around '92 when regular 8spd Ergo and other parts from Chorus started to be trickled down to become Athena and Athena parts were trickled down to Veloce I believe.
Athena https://velobase.com/ViewGroup.aspx?G...d-f5d0398b08c8
Chorus https://velobase.com/ViewGroup.aspx?G...0-6e53440db963
Great looking bike though
Check out Velobase This looks like the first Athena w/ Synchro 2 shifters from '88ish to around '92 when regular 8spd Ergo and other parts from Chorus started to be trickled down to become Athena and Athena parts were trickled down to Veloce I believe.
Athena https://velobase.com/ViewGroup.aspx?G...d-f5d0398b08c8
Chorus https://velobase.com/ViewGroup.aspx?G...0-6e53440db963
Great looking bike though
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
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Last edited by Bianchigirll; 03-26-14 at 06:38 AM.
03-26-14, 06:42 AM
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I must have been typing while you were posting!!
OP; What country is this in? back then I believe these bikes like many others were specced and painted by the taste of the Importer and not really by Colnago.
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
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03-26-14, 06:52 AM
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+1, this. Ride it or sell it to someone who will. Storage is no way to treat a fine bike that yearns to be ridden. Sure, don't use it as a gravel grinder, but clear protective decals will keep her looking good. There are long ones that can be adhered under the downtube, chainstay protectors and smallish discs that can be put under cable housing to prevent rub marks on the frame. Should work well for you.
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