Thanks for advice, its appreciated,

Jim

It's a neat bike - I'll bet it rides great. They usually do.

I'm sure it does I just need to figure out what I'm going to do with it. I can tell you with all certainty that the '85 Shimano 600 stuff is getting axed.

There are only 3* Italian parts on it, the seat pin, Cinelli bars, Cinelli stem and Avocet seat*.

yes, contradicting myself... for sure...

but thats what I've been saying, there was no real 'spec' for any year during those years.
Colnago was an artisan shop, like the many artisan shops around in those years. They became swamped with orders from the US (and rest of the developed world) and did what they could, used what they had to build and fill the demand. Not saying in a 'bad' way. I believe they stayed as true as possible to their 'concept' of Colnago, or at least tried.
and the tubing manufacturers were 'experimenting' with new pipe also, 753, Gilco...
and the japanese had stormed the market in a big way...
it was a crazy time for higher end bikes... alot of the U08 buyers were now dumpin the french gaspipe for the same, but even pricier stuff (or similar stuff) from the EYE-dees. And Pantographing was like so much more kool...
I remember one kid (he was 18 at the time, I wuz training a bunch of these snotnosers...) showing up at the weekly training ride with a powder blue 'Super' (made me gag... where he found it, he would never say) panto'd everything AND had had glued on Clement Crit Setas with BLUE Rubber for tread. Gawd, it looked like a '56 red cadillac from Newark (NJ...) !!!!
I've ridden a bunch of nagos, from a range of years and, given the condition, they all were slightly different and also close enough to feel like nagos...
In all cases I believe they (the Colnago folks, and really all the small shop builders...) held to the 'build' geometry which, in large part, makes the ride.
Not necessarily better than many other Marks, just different.
then there was that West Coast Guy distributing Colnagos and supposedly also selling Nagos labeled under his 'House' Name - I forget that label... I was an East Coaster until '89.

anyway, I think 'handgrenade' close is mostly what you can hope to do, unless you were the 1st buyer. In which case you know when it was on the sales rack, just not when, or by whom it was made.
I think its all cool, and I love imagining there was some sweaty Italian laboring in a dark and dirty coal bin 'brazing' together my frame (and others). I have visited a few shops in Europe and many were like that...
(AS well as Vic & Mike Fraysse's basement in NJ - shortterm Shop for many a great builder).
From all that, I have HUGE regard for the guys who still work gaspipe into the magic we can call a bike...

BTW, miamijim - nice! you'll have great fun with that! enjoy!
its all good

Here's a similar one I picked 2 weeks ago, different details. Paid $300 bucks for it. don't know a year either I was thinking early 80's

I've been saying the very same thing. Then again, some guesses are better than others, and some people have spent some real time and effort to at least get one ring closer to the bullseye, even if there's little hope of hitting it. It's fun trying, anyway ...

I'd love to see saronni red.

Post a pic?

Marc

Dangit, seeing these I think I'm going to have to start looking around.

Be patient, persistent and ready to go if you find one. One of my techniques for mental well being is not to look for bikes unless I can go out the door immediately.

not wanting to start a new thread, but anyone know where i can find front derailleur clamps for this frame? I'm trying to look for a 28.6mm one for a campy frontD. its kinda hard to find a 28.6mm one.

marc

+1!

Although I didn't have to look too far...


So I took it down to compare details ... and ended up riding it 30 miles!!


Last time I took Ernesto for a ride was when East Hill came to visit last year. ..or was it two years ago?

Before that, I hadn't riden that bike for ten years.

And I must say... what a THOROUGHBRED!!!

"Coasts uphill" would be apt.

Thanks for the inspiration to go for a "real" bike ride.

VIVA COLNAGO!

Colnago on the fork crown is after 75, braze ons for TT cables were optional early to mid 70s, mine also has 3 braze on guides but only the clover on fork crown, worth a mention as some people doubt the authenticity of frames with more than 2 guides!

Wow. I just wasted 20 minutes hoping I could help someone out before I realized that this was a four year old thread.

Not wasted--lots of details if you are paying attention.

the upgraded Colnago timeline is on the Velo Retro site here