Hello,

Two weeks ago I bought a "Capo" bike.
I tried to search on the internet, but didn't find any similar frame.
Please help me determine the approximate date of manufacture of the frame.
Any comments are welcome.
Thanks

[MENTION=531]John E[/MENTION]. is the Capo King here, he'll be along soon and help you out...it's Austrian, it's pronounced SHApo...and that's all I got.

Thank you for posting!

CapO website: www.capo.at

Can we get a drive side photo? Simplex derailleurs and hubs? Details of dropouts?

The 6-digit serial number suggests late 1960s production, which we may be able to verify from any date codes you can find on the components, assuming they are original. Does yours have any frame tubing pedigree markings, such as Reynolds 531? What is your seat post diameter (bigger is generally better in vintage steel frames)? Yours might be a Flitzer or a Zehn Gang / Ten Gear (Speed) model.

Yours is a European model that never made it across the Atlantic -- Capo (founded in 1930 by Otto Cap in Vienna, and operated today by his son, Harald) or Cap:O, per Harald's latest logo, exported only about 400 bikes to the US, all circa 1960. I have attached photos of my two Capos, with the obvious resemblance between yours and my Modell Campagnolo.

[MENTION=17926]unworthy1[/MENTION] thank you for your quick reply

I'm intrigued that this example has condorino style handlebars, which was a popular Italian style c. 1960. I wonder if they are original to the bike? Vienna's proximity to Italy certainly makes such a nod to style reasonable. Interesting nonetheless.

I'm attaching some new photos, hopefully you can give me some new information.
I don't know much about bikes, I'm a rookie but hopefully I will learn in time.

At first sight I thought it is an older frame not only from late sixties, and I thought that maybe the bike was a single speed bike, and somebody changed some parts on it. I supposed these things because the the shifter cable are caught with duct tape, the rear brake cable the same, the paint job it looks like it was hand painted (maybe I'm wrong), and are a couple of different parts on the bike.

Front hub: Weco; Rear hub: Bianchi (two spokes through the same hole, didn't see anything like it until now);
Front rim: Rigida Chromage Superchromix, Rear rim: Rigida Chrolux - Chromage Superieur
Front brake: Weinmann 810; Rear brake: Altenburger Brillant
Shifters: Simplex Prestige
Brake lever: Torpado; Steam: Varese Super

Unfortunately does not have any tubing pedigree. Seat post diameter is 26.2

[MENTION=531]John E[/MENTION] very nice bikes

https://goo.gl/photos/2pFwTL3fsErjrkQ18

Otto Cap used a lot of Italian components. My Sieger has Ambrosio bars and stem, Agrati cranks, Campag. derailleurs and hubs, and Magistroni headset. I believe Harald Cap told me his father used modified Italian lugs on his frames.

wrt dating -

This model of Simplex Prestige shift lever did not launch until 1971, from what I have been able to determine.

Also note that the Simplex Prestige front mech mounts with allen capscrews. AFAIK these did not appear until the mid-70's.

Of course we do not know that these fittings are original to the machine...

They could have easily been mounted post manufacture.

Yes I think that the shifting set it was mounted/replaced sometime.

Cycle certainly appears earlier than these fittings.

Unlikely the condorino stem/bar set with its Torpado marked levers would have been original.

Also the Bianchi marked rear wheel.

The WECO marked front wheel is quite plausible; this is a German brand.

Will be fun to follow this discussion as we learn more about the bike!

I really like the condorino stem/bar but I suppose it's not the original handle bar.
The Bianchi rear hub I think it is approximately from 50's.
Didn't find any information about WECO front hub.

Thanks for sharing your opinions

I posted a link above with some pictures, please when you have time take a look and share your opinions with us.
If you need some other/more detailed picture just let me know.
Thanks

Rochet -

One of your machine's unique features in my limited experience of the marque is the fork crown. Have not before seen this crown with the chevron steps.

The top model Capo bicycles wore a distinctive stepped crown where the steps were in shallow arcs. Here are two views of what these look like.

Thank you again for sharing your bicycle. Please post again when you learn more about it.