webike4fun

Seen older threads-any new info? This one was floating around CL for a while and I figured the parts alone were worth the buy (this is one of our rationalizations correct?) Anyway any and all info is appreciated

RobbieTunes

I know zero about it, and have a Simoncini with the same identity problem.
However, that is one fantabulous ride.

Italuminium

spanish brand? https://www.goicontini.com/

But anyway, that's a really beautiful bike you have there.

EhGiOeS

I have two of them. At one time they hand made very fine bikes. All they sell mow are MTB's. They must have had a very close relationship with Cinelli. I've never seen those dropouts on any other bike. There's a kids road bike on EBay.es. My two are a Gilco road bike and a Reynolds 501 over sized tourer. Pictures at Flikr EhGiOeS!. Ed

unworthy1

I don't think he has a close relationship with Cinelli, I think he just likes the Cinelli logo so much he "appropriated" it.
I'm surprised that the cease-and-desist letters from Cinelli's lawyers haven't piled so high he can't open the door.
He seems to make his own investment-cast fame bits, and these look more sophisticated than earlier bits (tho with the same stolen Cinelli logo) although that BB shell looks suspisciously like a "Nash" from Long Shen (China).

RobbieTunes

man, buzzkill

Lascauxcaveman 

No kidding? That thing looks like caviar spread liberally across Salma Hayek's chest. (In other words, it looks pretty tasty.)

I wonder if I could tell the fraudulence if I saw in in person?

EhGiOeS

[QUOTE=unworthy1;15226594]I don't think he has a close relationship with Cinelli, I think he just likes the Cinelli logo so much he "appropriated" it.
I'm surprised that the cease-and-desist letters from Cinelli's lawyers haven't piled so high he can't open the door.
He seems to make his own investment-cast fame bits, and these look more sophisticated than earlier bits (tho with the same stolen Cinelli logo) although that BB shell looks suspisciously like a "Nash" from Long Shen (Ch

That's really interesting. Im always willing to learn from the better-informed. It was my impression that when these bikes were built, which I think was the early 90's it was a 1-2 man shop I live in Spain. While making a few hundred bikes in small shop. He has the time and expertise
to design and fabricate die cast molds. Do you think he also did the casting, finishing and chrome plating? People talk fakes as
though you can whip out your Dremel tool and turnout a Masi in an afternoon. Ed

Bianchigirll 

That is a great looking bike. Have you seen it? I would love to see what the tubing decal says. If it is worth the price of the parts what is the price? I might already have that int he livingroom and see what I want to sell to keep it.

Yeah the C migh be faux but it looks like good worksmanship all around. Yor not likely to another soon.

webike4fun

This was my first, " I am not going to buy another bike this year" purchase last December. $500.00 ultrgea/600 mix with Mavic wheelset new rubber too......always a sucker for that Anyway It rides unreal!! . The 2nd owner switch the fork and has no idea whee it is so I'm looking for a nice chrome one and will switch back to a quill stem ASAP

webike4fun

I like the sound of that!

Bianchigirll 

Oh you bought now asked later? good going at $500 I bet this would not last long.

I might keep the faux Colango theme going with a Soma straight blade fork. https://store.somafab.com/sostbltrfo.html

EhGiOeS

They also sold Carrerra ( race) with the Contini head badge. Looks like the same bike. They must have been low prodrction. Ive only seen about six in 20 years in Spain. This one has a Rossin fork. Ed

RobbieTunes

I'd go with the Tange Prestige chrome fork.
Lighter, not much more expensive.

Bianchigirll 

But hte blades are cruved, the straight one will look cooler. Not that there is anything wrong with being curved.

unworthy1

To clarify: I don't know that much about Contini, I'm speculating. But when this marque first surfaced in this forum, the first example we saw was similar in design but the lugs looked much cruder. There's certainly skilled workmanship evident in this example, but not having seen one up close I can't tell you if it's in the workmanship ballpark of something like a Cinelli...I'd doubt it, though.
I don't imply that this is a fake Cinelli, that's not what the builder intended and not many would be fooled into thinking it was even with no name and only the "C" logo to go by.
I have nothing against the bike: I like Spanish makes and components (more than many here do).
Aside from the crimped tubing and the grub-screw in the seat lug, I'd even own one of these.

EhGiOeS

What I think is the lugs are real, but were meant to be thinned ground down. For some reason he liked the Cinelli logo. All the road bikes I've seen, baring my 501 tourer, are made with Gilco tubing with Shimano parts dated from 88 to 93. So either he bought a train load of Gilco at
one time, not likely in a small shop, or he continued to order from Cinelli. I cant see Cinelli continuing to sell to him if he were faking their lug
set. Unless you think he was making Gilco tubing too. As for workmanship they are what you would expect from a small custom builder. I have
10 Colnagos the Continis are better than most of them and equivalent to the best. Actually the 501 tourer is the nicer of the 2. Ed

unworthy1

I don't know what that crimped tubing of your (or the OP's) frame is: does the decal actually say "Gilco"?
Cause here's another Contini from an earlier post, with same-looking crimps in the tubes, and his decal says "Tretubi" (3-main-tubes of Columbus).
https://picasaweb.google.com/11414043...82190076704050

We've seen other examples of crimped tubing (from assorted builders), some Columbus, some not, that was not genuine Gilco Design...
the website for the builder (Rufino Hernaiz in Navarra) says he builds with Columbus (Brain, Neuron, Genius), Dedacciai, and Reynolds (501, 653, 753, 853) tubing.

One thing I find "interesting" is: if Cinelli (Columbus) was actually doing the investment-casting of these frame bits that bear their logo (the BB shell, the lugs, dropouts and forkcrown), why wouldn't they add them to the range and offer them to other builders (not only one small-output shop in Spain)? They certainly sold their typical range of framebits to many, many hundreds of builders all over the planet.