Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,999
Likes: 302
From: Hervey Bay, Qld, Australia.
Bikes: Colnago (82, 85, 89, 90, 91, 96, 03), 85 Cinelli, 90 Rossin, 83 Alan, 82 Bianchi, 78 Fountain, 2 x Pinarello, Malvern Star (37), Hillman (70's), 80's Beretto Lo-Pro Track, 80's Kenevans Lo-Pro, Columbus Max (95), DeGrandi (80's) Track.
I can see what you mean. I have a Conic SLX I bought as a frameset in 1991. It has plain lugs and an internally routed rear brake cable. It also has straight bladed forks. Other Conic SLX's I saw at that time, and on e-bay, had the same frame features.
The tubes of your frame seem to match my frame. Plain tubes except for the down tube which is crimped and wider at the bottom.
My Columbus frame decal has a red border with Columbus at the top and Colnago at the bottom in white lettering. Gold fills the red border with the Columbus 'dove' and SLX boldly stated and Conic underneath the SLX.
I wonder if your frame is an earlier model (external cable routing and curved fork blades) where Colnago was experimenting with the the specs of the frame thus the high end lugs and 80's paint job. I think your decal set is an earlier set as my set has 2 vertical 'COLNAGO' on the seat tube so it can be read with a frame pump next to the seat tube or a second biddon is fitted.
It is hard to see, but does your frame have only one set of biddon mounts? Further evidence of an earlier frame.
I would say that your frame is more desirable than my frame.