Alright, so I'm looking to acquire something Italian, and I've got one bicycle singled out in particular, which is a Colnago Sprint. It's wearing a full Shimano 600 tricolor group, and it has a Columbus SL "compositione Colnago" sticker on its seat tube (but not on its fork, which is all-chrome and original... is the fork SL too?).

Can I assume that the Colnago is more desirable than a Bottecchia wearing a full Shimano 105 group? I can't tell what kind of tubing the Bottecchia has, but it's got Columbus stickers on frame and fork. The one thing the Bottecchia has which the Colnago doesn't, as far as I've seen, is internal cable routing. The bikes are comparably priced.

I'd be very curious to hear anyone's opinions on Colnago Sprints in general. I'd also be curious to know the history of the model, if anyone knows of it.

(one more thing... I have a few pictures of both bikes, but they were emailed to me personally by each seller respectively. Is it bad etiquette to post them here?) Edit: note that pictures are added below

Not bad etiquette to post those pics. Let's see those Italian beauties!

I guess it probably depends upon what era and model Bottecchia you're looking at, for one thing. I'd go ahead and post those photos so others can weigh in. I will tell you I've owned older Bottecchia road bikes (60's and 70's era) and they've ranged from fairly unremarkable to comparatively decent. I've also got an 80's era Colnago Super Sprint and it measures up with some of the best bikes I've owned.



I got mine as frame and fork. I wasn't able to find a lot of information about this model, but the chrome fork and frame have matching numbers so it appears the fork is original. I built her up with 600 tri-color and 105 brakeset because - oddly enough - I came across a fellow who said his Super Sprint was spec'ed that way. Don't know whether or not he was full of it, but it's a pretty good combination on this bike.

Alright, here are some of the sellers' pictures. I'll upload a few more of the Colnago than of the Bottecchia, since I'm leaning towards the Colnago.

Colnago Sprint :






Bottecchia, model unknown :

When I worked at a bike shop, the manager bought a brand-new Colnago, and I invited him to climb Tuna Canyon (Malibu hills, just past Topanga) with me. When we reached the first switchback, he said, "This is BS," and turned around, while I kept going up and up on my trusty old Nishiki.

Haha, nice... sounds like a reflection of the rider, not the bike. In any case, I'm not looking for a miraculous, performance-enhancing bike, don't worry I'm just looking for a bike that I'll really enjoy riding.

Ooooh man, that Bottechia looks sweet!

It looks very Italian in every respect. The red and white is a gorgeous combination, not to mention I'm a fan of gumwalls to and the 105, while a step below the 600, is still a good set-up. To bad neither are Campy's, but both have a good Shimano. The seat on the Bottechia also looks like a San Marco, which in itself is expensive. The color on that Colnago is just not doing it for me, and neither are the blackwalls.

I'd be leaning towards the Bottechia myself....

Colnago all the way.

You asked about desirability. That'd be the Colnago. And that pantographed seatpost (I think, looks like the "...GO" is visible) is probably worth a buck fifty alone.

The Bottecchia is possibly Columbus SL, I have a similar professional. It typically has the sticker right above the shifters, in your photo concealed by the tip of the bar.