What Pinarello fork is this?
10-05-18 | 07:13 AM
#1
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From: PNW
Bikes: 1987 Waterford Paramount; 1986 Pinarello Montello; 2003 Lyonsport; 1986 Bridgestone Mile 112; 1981 Univega Viva Sport; 1984 Raleigh Gran Tour
What Pinarello fork is this?
A long time ago, the steerer tube on my Pinarello Montello got cut a little too short to use with some headsets. I've managed fine by using short stack height models and/or leaving off the lock washer. But I found this the other day, and am wondering if any of the savants here can tell me what model this might have come from. I don't believe the Columbus decal is right, although the crown is the spitting image of mine and the general shape of the legs seems right. My dropouts are "Campagnolo" and these are "Pinarello" but I don't know if that means much.
Plus, this stuff is good to look at anyway:
Plus, this stuff is good to look at anyway:
10-05-18 | 08:50 AM
#2
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The decal is the 1988+ version used with the SLX/SPX and TSX tubesets. Regardless, the decal is somewhat irrelevant, as SL, SLX and TSX used the same blades, with the SP and SPX blades being only 40g heavier. The Pinarello embossing simply means that they are slightly newer than those on your Montello, as Pinarello introduced self branded dropouts in the very late 1980s.
10-05-18 | 09:50 AM
#3
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Bikes: 1987 Waterford Paramount; 1986 Pinarello Montello; 2003 Lyonsport; 1986 Bridgestone Mile 112; 1981 Univega Viva Sport; 1984 Raleigh Gran Tour
The decal is the 1988+ version used with the SLX/SPX and TSX tubesets. Regardless, the decal is somewhat irrelevant, as SL, SLX and TSX used the same blades, with the SP and SPX blades being only 40g heavier. The Pinarello embossing simply means that they are slightly newer than those on your Montello, as Pinarello introduced self branded dropouts in the very late 1980s.
Yeah, my Montello is from 1986. Mine came with a SL-type decal on the fork blades (i.e., blue background rather than red as with the SLX). My frame was SLX, or so the decal says, which seemed a little odd for a 63 cm. But on the other hand, my complete bike weighs in at just a hair under 21.5 lbs on a digital scale with ordinary parts, so perhaps they chose not to use SPX despite the larger size?
See any reason this wouldn't be suitable? Fork rake remained the same, for instance? And would this have come from a Montello based on the crown, etc., or can you tell?
10-05-18 | 10:21 AM
#4
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From: Fredericksburg, Va
Bikes: ? Proteous, '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, 'Litespeed Catalyst'94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster
[MENTION=449311]Contigo[/MENTION] - Should be well suited!. IIRC all Montello's were SLX.
Here is my fork from a 1991ish Montello (60cm):
P1020140, on Flickr
Here is my fork from a 1991ish Montello (60cm):
P1020140, on Flickr
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10-05-18 | 04:09 PM
#5
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And you're just the person I was hoping to hear from.
Yeah, my Montello is from 1986. Mine came with a SL-type decal on the fork blades (i.e., blue background rather than red as with the SLX). My frame was SLX, or so the decal says, which seemed a little odd for a 63 cm. But on the other hand, my complete bike weighs in at just a hair under 21.5 lbs on a digital scale with ordinary parts, so perhaps they chose not to use SPX despite the larger size?
See any reason this wouldn't be suitable? Fork rake remained the same, for instance? And would this have come from a Montello based on the crown, etc., or can you tell?
Yeah, my Montello is from 1986. Mine came with a SL-type decal on the fork blades (i.e., blue background rather than red as with the SLX). My frame was SLX, or so the decal says, which seemed a little odd for a 63 cm. But on the other hand, my complete bike weighs in at just a hair under 21.5 lbs on a digital scale with ordinary parts, so perhaps they chose not to use SPX despite the larger size?
See any reason this wouldn't be suitable? Fork rake remained the same, for instance? And would this have come from a Montello based on the crown, etc., or can you tell?
Columbus issued the blue bordered fork decal with all SLX and SPX tubesets from 1984-1987. Columbus changed the fork decals for SLX and SPX to the red border for the 1988 model year. Reportedly, there were customers complaining about their frames not being full SLX and SPX. Most consumers didn't realize that these sets used the same fork blades as SL and SP. The easiest way for Columbus to eliminate the complaints was to issue a matching fork decal.
Assuming the decal is OEM, it would have come from a Montello or Gavia (TSX). I'm not aware of the fork geometry for these models having changed. I'd have no qualms about using that fork, unless you're going to enter it in a concours event at a bicycle show.
10-05-18 | 09:00 PM
#6
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From: PNW
Bikes: 1987 Waterford Paramount; 1986 Pinarello Montello; 2003 Lyonsport; 1986 Bridgestone Mile 112; 1981 Univega Viva Sport; 1984 Raleigh Gran Tour
Columbus issued the blue bordered fork decal with all SLX and SPX tubesets from 1984-1987. Columbus changed the fork decals for SLX and SPX to the red border for the 1988 model year. Reportedly, there were customers complaining about their frames not being full SLX and SPX. Most consumers didn't realize that these sets used the same fork blades as SL and SP. The easiest way for Columbus to eliminate the complaints was to issue a matching fork decal.
Assuming the decal is OEM, it would have come from a Montello or Gavia (TSX). I'm not aware of the fork geometry for these models having changed. I'd have no qualms about using that fork, unless you're going to enter it in a concours event at a bicycle show.
Assuming the decal is OEM, it would have come from a Montello or Gavia (TSX). I'm not aware of the fork geometry for these models having changed. I'd have no qualms about using that fork, unless you're going to enter it in a concours event at a bicycle show.
10-05-18 | 09:40 PM
#7
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From: Wurundjeri Country
Just to add - Columbus Pinarello forks don’t come up for sale all that often, then factor in required steerer length, colour, condition, etc and you’re in the land of rocking horse ****. So if you’re lucky enough to have one, use it!
My Pinarello was purchased with an aluminium fork and I put a generic Tange steel job on while I waited for a Pinarello fork to come up for sale. Years later I managed to bag a Columbus Air Pinarello fork from Serbia of all places! Paid a fair bit for it, but still half of what some vintage parts suppliers were asking for period incorrect forks.
My Pinarello was purchased with an aluminium fork and I put a generic Tange steel job on while I waited for a Pinarello fork to come up for sale. Years later I managed to bag a Columbus Air Pinarello fork from Serbia of all places! Paid a fair bit for it, but still half of what some vintage parts suppliers were asking for period incorrect forks.
Last edited by cb400bill; 10-05-18 at 09:54 PM. Reason: please do not bypass forum censor
