1997 Mondonico EL-OS
05-23-18, 06:31 PM
#27
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looks excellent! Esp. the original fork. Personally I like the other wheel set, but this is really elegant.
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05-23-18, 06:44 PM
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Very nice! I would love to find or build up an EL-OS frame with some ~modern Campagnolo. Enjoy, curious to hear how it rides.
05-23-18, 10:02 PM
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That looks great! I winced at the fork on the original build but scrolled down to see the update and was amazed by the difference... I was staring at a Mondonico on Ebay a couple weeks ago but it has Campy 8-speed stuff, which I read enough about to make me skip the opportunity. Maybe someday. Enjoy!
-Gregory
-Gregory
05-24-18, 12:11 AM
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The ride is honestly very comfortable and the wheels are a lot less harsh than the old Mavics. The steel fork feels A LOT nicer than the carbon Reynolds one too. Plus, the Vittoria Corsas are very compliant. The combination is truly amazing. And the bike still feels very snappy. It seems to transfer power like an SLX tubed Bike but with less harshness. Impressed so far! Will do a few longer rides too and report back... thanks for the kind words!
05-24-18, 12:33 AM
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How I envy you... THAT is one of my 'grail' bikes- even down to size & color. One almost identical to it- a Monza- turned up on eBay about five years ago (at a more than reasonable price), and I've been kicking myself for not snagging it ever since.
Also, I can vouch for the DT Swiss 240s; they'd be an excellent choice. You might want to check into a full DT wheelset, as the also make excellent rims.
-
Also, I can vouch for the DT Swiss 240s; they'd be an excellent choice. You might want to check into a full DT wheelset, as the also make excellent rims.
-
05-24-18, 08:09 PM
#32
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That looks great! I winced at the fork on the original build but scrolled down to see the update and was amazed by the difference... I was staring at a Mondonico on Ebay a couple weeks ago but it has Campy 8-speed stuff, which I read enough about to make me skip the opportunity. Maybe someday. Enjoy!
-Gregory
-Gregory
What have you read on Campy 8?
05-24-18, 08:54 PM
#33
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Less stuff about its performance than that it's really not compatible with any later stuff and nearly impossible to find replacement parts to fix the components, so once things start breaking then the whole group is shot. Maybe that's wrong, but I read similar sentiments in a few places before deciding to forego the purchase opportunity.
-Gregory
-Gregory
08-31-18, 09:22 AM
#34
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Update
Just a quick update... Threw on some all-black Vittoria Rubino Pro G+ tires in 25c, a Rasta set of Paul skewers (the gold really works with the gold nipples and the gold flake in the paint) and switched to a repop Selle Italia flite saddle... Here's what it looks like now:
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08-31-18, 10:48 AM
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Dang that’s hawt! Looks fast.
__________________
N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
08-31-18, 11:49 AM
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Gorgeous!!!!!
EL-OS is such a magic carpet ride, too.
EL-OS is such a magic carpet ride, too.
08-31-18, 12:19 PM
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And that paint - gorgeous!
I know, because I own a Torelli Pista in black, and like your Mondonico, they both received their paint jobs in the same shop in SoCal with DuPont Imron paint and I can tell you there isn't a better paint job to be had on any bike. Shines beautifully and is thick and liquid-like. Decals are also some of the best quality I've been around.
If I purchase one more bike it could well be either a Mondonico or a Torelli, and yeah, the paint is a big part of the reason.
08-31-18, 12:25 PM
#39
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Thanks and I agree! I've never seen high quality paint like this on any other vintage road bike. Quite impressed. The paint looks like it's brand new. And the decals are the opposite of the ones you find on vintage Pinarellos... But my favorite part on the bike is the slick monostay...
What a beauty! I like the new touches, very clean and sharp.
And that paint - gorgeous!
I know, because I own a Torelli Pista in black, and like your Mondonico, they both received their paint jobs in the same shop in SoCal with DuPont Imron paint and I can tell you there isn't a better paint job to be had on any bike. Shines beautifully and is thick and liquid-like. Decals are also some of the best quality I've been around.
If I purchase one more bike it could well be either a Mondonico or a Torelli, and yeah, the paint is a big part of the reason.
And that paint - gorgeous!
I know, because I own a Torelli Pista in black, and like your Mondonico, they both received their paint jobs in the same shop in SoCal with DuPont Imron paint and I can tell you there isn't a better paint job to be had on any bike. Shines beautifully and is thick and liquid-like. Decals are also some of the best quality I've been around.
If I purchase one more bike it could well be either a Mondonico or a Torelli, and yeah, the paint is a big part of the reason.
08-31-18, 01:39 PM
#40
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Very nice @Caliwild and you can colour me jealous. I had my hands on a nice blue Mondo frame earlier this year and had much the same Chorus 10sp build plan as you have. I then discovered the frame had been in a frontend impact collision which damaged the top and bottom tubes so the frame is scrap. Still have the Chorus group. One day....
Cheers.
Brad
Cheers.
Brad
If you look at it as dollars and cents, you can get a replacement steel road frame for much less than the price of the repair. But if to you the bike is more than a commoddity steel frame, the repair was far less than buying a similar vintage road frame at the top of the market, such as a De Rosa or an Alfredo Masi.
But if you have not tossed your original steel fork, I'd like to buy it. My ELOS has the Reynolds carbon fork, and I'd like to be able to replace it with a Mondonico steel fork.
08-31-18, 01:44 PM
#41
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Did you find a difference in ride or handling when you exchanged the original Mondonico fork for the Reynolds carbon fork? I have the same bike as yours with the Reynolds fork. Well, it's newer, a 2005.
Is yours a mono strut?
08-31-18, 01:56 PM
#42
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Less stuff about its performance than that it's really not compatible with any later stuff and nearly impossible to find replacement parts to fix the components, so once things start breaking then the whole group is shot. Maybe that's wrong, but I read similar sentiments in a few places before deciding to forego the purchase opportunity.
-Gregory
-Gregory
I've certainly had my problems sourcing 10 speed campy components. It looks to me like the 8-speed parts will not be more difficult to handle.
08-31-18, 01:58 PM
#43
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That's how I feel about my ELOS! I also have a bike with standard diameter 7-4-7 tubes, and I think the ELOS is better than that is.
Did you find a difference in ride or handling when you exchanged the original Mondonico fork for the Reynolds carbon fork? I have the same bike as yours with the Reynolds fork. Well, it's newer, a 2005.
Is yours a mono strut?
Did you find a difference in ride or handling when you exchanged the original Mondonico fork for the Reynolds carbon fork? I have the same bike as yours with the Reynolds fork. Well, it's newer, a 2005.
Is yours a mono strut?
08-31-18, 03:46 PM
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Very very nice thoughtful build.
08-31-18, 06:01 PM
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Brake calipers are exchangeable across all gruppi. Bay has had 8 sp derailleurs, cassettes, cranksets, and Ergopower sets available nearly every time I've spot-checked for it. All the non-8 speed era pedals fit onto the 8-speed cranks. BBs do not have speed ratings or gruppo, but you need to get the correct spindle lengths.
-Gregory
08-31-18, 08:01 PM
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I see your point, finally. I think where we differ is that i don't care if 8 sp systems for example are outdated, as long as they work.
09-01-18, 08:01 AM
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Very nicely done, that is a crowd pleaser for sure.
09-05-18, 12:45 PM
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Took it out this morning for a longer ride and I have to admit that the ride is very SMOOTH. It's probably a combination of the effects of the steel frame, monostay, and the comfy 25c tires on the wide rims... It's definitely not twitchy but it's quite responsive as well. The Campy groupset rivals anything I've ever ridden before and might actually feel smoother-shifting than my brand new (2016) Record groupset on another bike... Overall, I'm very impressed. Makes some of my other vintage bikes seem much less civilized...
09-05-18, 10:32 PM
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Question... one of the hoods has a tear underneath and the dangly bit is bothering me! Any idea if I can find replacement hoods for this group? Thanks in advance...
09-17-20, 11:23 AM
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New brakes
Went all out with the new brakes... Let me just say that these are the best rim brakes I have ever tried... Might be better than some disc brakes...
