Puget Pounder

I'm taking a look at a Colnago tomorrow. Any tips on trying to figure out if it's the real deal?

mapleleafs-13 

Did u get this from Hamilton?

Picchio Special

If it had "Colnago" stamped in about a zillion places, it's a Colnago. That kind of thing is tough to fake.

Puget Pounder

Fair enough. I was thinking clovers everywhere on the lugs and a cutout on the bb. I just don't know how many counterfeits are out there.

And no, I'm not getting this from Hamilton, whoever that is.

miamijim

Counterfiets, for all intents and purposes, do NOT exist. Its exceptionaly difficult, time consuming and expensive to make a fake. Im my opinion slapping on different decals doesnt qualify as fake. My Colnago frame isnt stamped with 'Colnago' anywhere but its unique features make it easy to ID as a Colnago. If you want a more positive ID we'd need close up pics:

1. Side of head lugs
2. top center of brake bridge
3. chain stay bridge
4. rear drop outs
5. seat stay caps
6. under side of BB
7. any 'clover' cut outs there may be.

abarth

Definitely worth checking out if it is your size. I saw that frame on Craigslist for over a week. The seller initally posted an asking price, but took out the price on repost. How much is he asking for now?

Picchio Special

Actually, clovers everywhere on the lugs isn't really true after about 1973.

Puget Pounder

I didn't really talk price when I sent him an e-mail. I generally don't until I am there in person, so we will see. I guess I'll have to use my best judgement when I'm there.

I'm going to bring a 27.2 seatpost (even though I know some 27.0 ST colnagos exist) and a BB to make sure it's italian threaded just to be sure. I hope it's a nago I guess I just have to use my own judgement to assess quality over whether it's specifically a colnago. I just saw a couple posts on here where people were talking about repainted/redecaled frames with colnago labels. There was a Nishiki that was like that somewhere long ago in the forums.

I just wanted to make sure before I dropped a bunch of money on it.

abarth

Is that you flipping the nago on Craigslist already?

Puget Pounder

Not flipping. I have buyer's remorse so I'm selling for what I sold it for. Paint was touched up everywhere and the fork isn't original. In retrospect, I shouldn't have bought it since I don't need more bikes and don't have the funds to build it up, but I got too excited at the prospect of owning a colnago.