I had been looking for a frame to build a randonneur-type all-around bike for some time. In my mind I had envisioned something with fenders, saddle bag, Brooks saddle, barcons, maybe moustache bars, compact double or possibly triple crank……then I saw this one, loved the color and threw a bid at it and walked away. I was somewhat startled when I won and started wondering what I had just done.

I don’t know much about this frame other than it is Columbus SL and that this frame may not be appropriate for my intended build. I have plenty of components laying around my garage, but no Campy.

Any comments or opinions about how you would build-up this bike?
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-80s-RO...item1e606c4e76

I don't think you have much of a choice there but to go with Super Record.
It begs for a racing stance I thinks.
Nice score BTW!

^^^^^^
I was thinking the same thing. Don't be surprised if that doesn't break my heart

I believe that to be a late 70', early 80's bike, based on the Portacatena dropout. The fork is not original. I think you'll find that this is more of a race orientated bike, rather than an all rounder. I has a Rossin for awhile, great riding bike. I sold mine because it was slightly on the small side.

What a beautiful frame! Not a randonneur, but beautiful nonetheless. It could make a good day-tripper, if you wanted to squeeze in the biggest possible tires, but I don't see a lot of potential for a true randonneur there. No worries, just keep hunting! If you're looking for a frame to convert to randonneur, you're much better off looking at 60's bikes. Almost all of them, even the top end racers, have generous room for tires and eyelets for fenders. I've also found they generally have much more relaxed angles than 1980's or even 70's bikes.

beauty for sure.

Du-Rah-Ace! Du-Rah-Ace! it would look hot covered in DA7400.

Di2, duh. Just kidding, I vote super record.

I agree with most of the others, it's probably not going to have the clearances for the wide tires and might not take fenders at all, without some gymnastics. But serious brevets are ridden on a wide range fo machines, not just Herses or clones of same.

I'd first pop in a set of wheels and see how wide a tire you could fit. Look at lateral clearance as well as radial. The tire needs about 8 mm clearance to the fender, and maybe 8 mm laterally to the fork blades and other frame members. Also look at the brake reach requirement. Short-reach brakes aren't usually able to handle 28 mm tires with fenders.

Since the fork is off of the bike, you can do a precise measurement of offset and of the frame angles, to compute trail. That will tell you if you can carry a front bag conveniently. The FB is not a requirement, just a style a lot of folks like.

If your wheels can handle a 11 tooth cassette, you can get a super wide range with only two chainrings, saving weight.

Went for $202 to someone..

Maybe it's an illusion, but the head tube looks awfully long for a 57cm frame.

To the OP I would imagine based on what he says in the 1st post

I had oggled this bike a bit while the auction was still active, beautiful frame, and the seller had a few other very nice frame sets for sale. In any event, I'm interested in seeing how this one turns out. I wouldn't rule out your rando build completely quite yet, but super record would be sweet on this bike.

Nice buy, nice price. However, that ain't a tourer. Real good road burning bike, comfortable, handles like a dream, the kind of bike that just begs for full 7400 Dura Ace (get the good stuff, don't waste your time with the same vintage Campy) and sewup wheels. Already have one on the road, a second that going to get built sometime before 1 March, and adore them.

But they definitely ain't tourers.

OK I have a question. the frae was likely a SemiPro race oriented frame yes? are not most pro stages 80 to 100+ miles? so wouldn't this frame make a decent sport touring bike? (sorry that was three questions)

I agree fenders and rear rack making it an 'all rounder' but what would be wrong with puting a sort a halfstep like a 44/48or 50 and wide range FW with maybe an old Suntour Mtn or touring RD? or even an old TA or stronglight triple and narrow FW.

PS that is a great looking frame

I think all of your points are very valid ones. The search will have to continue for Rivy type bike.

Geez, I hope not. I based my purchase on the seller stating the frame had a 57.5cm TT. I've found that TT length to be right in my wheelhouse.

Don't worry about the HT length. the TT is how Rossin measured frames. It should be stamped on the BB shell.

If I had deeper pockets, I sure would like build it with SR or other good quality Campy. After seeing that I had won the auction, my first reaction was to start looking for 8spd Ergo shifters. Not inexpensive they.

Touring bike is a completely different animal from an all-arounder, but I am convinced by the consensus opinion here that the chainstay would not be long enough for a Mavic OP/Ultegra wheelset I build with Vittoria Rando 28c tires. They will have to find a home elsewhere.

As much as the bike would look more authentic with a Campy gruppo; 1) I'm just not that familiar with Campy, & 2) it would mean buying the components from scratch. I think I have an Italian thread DA 7700 Octalink BB around here somewhere. And, the FC-7700 crankset doesn't look that bad to me. Do you think it would look strange to marry that with DA 9spd barcons and a B17 saddle?

I have a complete Campy SR group available. That being said, if you would find it more rideable with 9 spd Shimano, go right ahead.

Ms BG, I think you're right on the money. Last summer I did a handful of metrics toward the end of the season - three on a Woodrup with 32 mm Paselas, and one and a half on my Mondonico with Campy 10 and shod with YJ tubulars. I ended up needing to negotiate 5 miles of gravel road (chip without seal) on the Mondonico and then book hard back to where our car was. The road racer did it all. No reason in my mind that it can't also do one-day 200ks or double Imperials. Those limits are in my legs, not in the bike. I'm sure OFG would agree about his capability on his DeRosas. There's no reason this Rossin won't be similarly great.

AND the Mondo is just lighter and more responsive than the Woodrup, which is itself pretty good among touring bikes - not a slug!

^^^^^
Not that I think the 9spd would make it more rideable, it's just that I'm looking around my garage seeing a lot of Shimano 9&10 spd parts not attached to a bike. Although, I'm one of those who thinks that Shimano brifters don't look that appealing on lugged frames. PM me about the SR group, I am interested although I won't be buying anything new for this frame until I have it in hand.

BTW, thanks all for their comments, I haven't had a new frame to get excited about for some time and sharing comments with like minded lug admirers is the reason I keep coming back to this Forum with my weak patter.

Agreed, just look at the Tour stages in the "Hell of the Nprth" and other Flanders cobble stages. Racing frames can take it all.

Reading these posts, I’m starting to get the impression that a compromise bike between the racer and the rando may be possible. I won’t be sure until I have the frame to see how much tire clearance is available. If it’s a true racer with very tight, small rear triangle like the early 90’s Bianchi TSX that I was barely able to squeeze 22C tires on, then all bets are off. If, however, I can at least get a 25C on it; then the possibilities open up a bit for a more creative vintage build. Regardless, this going to be a super fun build provided it actually arrives from the Euro-continent.

You stole it that's for sure. No way I would let my 1988 RL frame set go fot that price!