FixedFiend626

Have a slight dilemma on my hands. I'm trying to recommend a vintage road bike for a friend (who knows zero about bikes) and I'm more a track/singlespeed guy myself. I've narrowed it down to three, a 1981 Merckx with Columbus SL tubing, a De Rosa with SLX tubing and a Colnago Mexico from '81. All bikes are mainly Super Record (I know zero about Campagnolo dating/quality levels), around 2 grand and in pretty nice shape. Personally, I like the Colnago but I would take any if it were for myself.

Sorry if this is a troll thread, just need some other opinions.

Commodus

I'm ah...just trying to wrap my head around why someone who knows nothing about bikes would want to spend $2k on a vintage race bike with Super Record.

Can't quite manage it.

10 Wheels

Post in The Classic and Vintage Forum.

10 Wheels

Same thoughts here.

Buy a new bike.

Homebrew01

Same here. Waste of a nice vintage bike.

Why ? Point him to a $800 CAAD 8 (or equivalent) and be done with it.

me too

Yo Spiff

I'd go for the Colnago myself, simply because I love the way their 80's era steel frames look. But, like the others, I have to wonder why someone who knows nothing about bikes would want an expensive vintage bike.

kimconyc

From the three choices listed, I'd go for the Merckx for 3 main reasons:
1) It will be the cheapest option out of the 3 and since your friend knows nothing about vintage bikes why not go with the cheapest option?
2) From the pictures it is basically the frameset plus a few items (stem, etc.) so it can be built up with modern components (SRAM Rival/Apex, Shimano 105, or Campagnolo Centaur/Veloce), offering more convenient serviceability, which should also make sense since your friend probably will not know how to do maintenance on vintage parts.
3) The name itself will introduce your friend to something about road cycling and its history.









Or, just get a
CAAD10 5 105

for <$1700 and splurge on random pieces of crabon.

ultraman6970

The guy has no clue, for him a 300 bucks bike from walmart and a vintage bike will be the same. Specially if he has the money, and believe me, probably the guy wont care and the bike will be trashed big time. IMO you are wasting your time getting involved because it will hurt you to see the bike or trashed or unused.

I would advice your friend just go to to store down the road and get what ever he wants, doubt he will appreciate to have any of the bike brands you mentioned, neither deserve it enough to be proud of having one.

It would be like giving to my wife or to my 3 y/o kid a junior colnago to go and have fun. With my kid the would be dented after 2 hours, and maybe death after 2 months versus my wife that would donated the bike to the salvation army, or give it away for 50 bucks at CL UNUSED.

abstractform20

while i know the majority of BF posters will want to lecture you/your friend about "deserving" a bike, or some other lecture about spending money wisely (w/o knowing your financial details, or priorities), i say:

COLNAGO.

why?
beautiful. de rosa is nice but not as beautiful as the colnago you purchased.

merckx's bikes just dont do it for me. its like buying a livestrong trek.

whereas colnago and de rosa you have a legacy of master builders, vs merckx's legacy as a champion racer.

not taking away from his skill and accomplishments, but colnagos and de rosas over em for me

hueyhoolihan

if those are really the bikes in question. i like the De Rosa.

FixedFiend626

Wow.. some interesting attitudes from people who "know" stuff about bikes. I knew most roadies were elitists but Jesus..

Maybe you would advise a friend who's been riding s*** bikes for 40 years to just go out and get another s*** bike at wal-mart (sort of says something about your character) but not I, my friend. There's a decent chance he might actually really enjoy a nice, vintage Italian bicycle. And if he's not thinking about the legacy of Ernesto Colnago and the history of Italian craftsmanship every second of every ride, that's ok!

One other thing, you sound like a very angry individual, loosen up brother!

eippo1

Generalizations and assumptions abound here. That DeRosa with SLX tubing is a very, very nice bike. That's the direction I'd go. Of course the other 2 are nice as well, but that DeRosa is just sublime. Pose the question over in the C&V forum and you'll find many riders with those actual bikes that can give you more info.

kimconyc

I have two Merckx bikes and also a De Rosa Neo Primato. The Merckx century geometry is one of the best around. Otherwise, yes, I agree, a Colnago (probably not a De Rosa since it is the lesser of the big three) would be preferable to collectors and retrohollics.

BTW, many of the Merckx bikes were actually welded by De Rosa so your point is basically moot.

kimconyc

Also, btw, Merckx broke the hour record on a Colnago. All three of the frame builders in question are closely interrelated in terms of pedigree.

Commodus

You're suggesting your friend spends $2k on a heavy, flexy bike with obsolete, with very expensive components and nearly non-existant spare parts. Does he want to hang it on the wall? Is it some kind of 'investment'? Does he just want one because he thinks it is pretty?

I'm sort of assuming he wants to ride the thing. Maybe this is not the case. If he does, tell him to take his $2k and buy a new bike. It will perform much better.

You are actually the one who is doing your friend a disservice here, by (apparently) inflicting your own brand of bike-snob on him.

Homebrew01

He should get a decent modern bike, not a crap one. Then if he sticks with it, becomes more familiar with bikes, he might be able to make a better decision for himself about what his next bike will be .... vintage, super-duper carbon, or something in between.

In general, I'm opposed to picking something like this out for someone else, unless there's a good reason, such as a gift, or "they always wanted ...."

triumph.1

I would take the Colnago and it's really no ones business whether the man should or shouldn't have a vintage bike, geez............

volosong

Super Record is good stuff. I have an old bike with Nuovo Record components, a step down from SR. The components last "forever". I've been running the same hubs since the late 60's. (Well, I guess that old Mondia should be called a vintage bike ... not an old bike.)

Not sure why people are ragging on spending two bills on an old bike for someone who doesn't know squat. Depends on how he plans to use it. Collector item? To sit around and admire the workmanship? Or to ride for fun and exercise? If it is to use on a daily/weekly basis, I have to agree with the others. You can get a pretty spiffy and lightweight new bike for his budget. If he wants it for other purposes, then it is difficult to assign a cost/value to the purchase.

I like the Colnago, but its rear derailleur looks more like my Nuovo Record rather than a Super Record. The DeRosa looks like it has the Super Record RD.

dcvelo

Elitist roadies? Who knew?

But to be fair there seems to be a bit of information missing from your posts as well. Your friend's choices are hardly limited to a POS from Walmart or a vintage Italian bicycle. You haven't made it clear why a quality newer road bike isn't being considered as an option.

BillyD

I don't see the problem here. If the guy wants to spend 2k on a vintage bike that's his decision. Apparently he doesn't want a new bike, he wants a vintage bike . . . pretty straightforward. No, he doesn't need a reason other than that's what he wants. Geez!

OP, I would go with the De Rosa, myself.

Soil_Sampler

+1...except, it would be new.

mazdaspeed

The de rosa is the nicest bike out of all of those IMO

WAZZUBIKER

I own two Merckx's. A century and a corsa extra. Both of them were under 500$ each and came super record equipped. No need to pay 2k and parts are easy to find on ebay.

R T

First of all it's advise you illiterate fool. Secondly, apparently that is what he wants. What does it matter to you? Are you one of those fools we see on the roads riding the best of the best that think you're a whole other level above everyone? Attitudes like yours are what keep people away from our sport. So if you have nothing useful to post in regards to the op's post, stfu and don't post. Tough concept I'm sure.

Op from experience of owning one before, I loved my Merckx. I think it will be the least expensive option out of the three in question. Parts are available for older bikes so don't let that discourage a choice. You could also put some modern pieces on it if that was an issue.

Homebrew01

In general, yes. But it appears that his friend knows nothing about bikes, so he's not specifically wanting a vintage bike. Sounds more like he's being talked into it, which some of us feel might not be the best idea.

I own and ride my vintage bikes sometimes, so I don't have anything against them, but they have some disadvantages compared to modern bikes. If the guy is not "into" vintage, perhaps a bike with indexing, better brakes and a warrantee might be better .... maybe

He should ride a variety and see what works for him.