Help with Vintage Cilo
 

I'm looking at a "vintage" Cilo (we'll it is probably 1980-ish as Campy derailleur is Patent 1983.) It's almost all Campy NR or SR parts.

Anyone have any info on these bikes from 80's and older? I looked at two vintage bike sites but found nothing on "Cilo".

BTW - I think it has Vitus tubing (?)

I think that Cilo was a Swiss brand, although I'm not 100% certain. In the 80's they sponsored the Cilo-Aufina team, which had red, white, and gray jerseys. That's about all I recall - sorry there wasn't anything more useful...

Cilo was swiss but in the late 80's, they had a line from Japan also, which was identical to the specialized ironman model, to name but one.

A picture would be nice - Vitus sold frames to Cilo just like they did for just about everyone in the universe during the late 70's and 80's. That would be a Cilo-badged aluminum Vitus. Not a bad thing, I really like my Vitus. The full Campy stuff is a bonus. It may also be made with Vitus steel tubing, but that is, I think, unusual. Steel Cilos are usually made with Columbus. Check it out with a magnet. No stick? Vitus 979. Stick? Vitus something else.

I have a Cilo among the herd, which I bought as a frame/fork and have built up as a single speed. It was repainted at some point (and not well--disturbing rust coming through at several places). The only decal is a 531 sticker on the seat tube, but I'm somewhat suspicious of that one as it just looks awfully new and would have been easy enough to stick on after the repaint. Still, the frame is light and stiff, comparable to the other 531-made frames I have. The seller seemed to think it was a 70s frame.

Pics can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/rgrmw

Neal

I ride a Cilo that I bought new in 1985. The frame is Columbus SLX. The bike came with Mavic rims and DuraAce components. I replaced the front fork after a crash about 15 years ago and have been through a series of saddles, chains, cables, and various other "consumables," but the vast majority of the bike is original equipment. Still going strong... It's a nice, neutral ride.

Cilo bikes were made in Romanel sur Lausanne, on the shores of lake Geneva. The factory was about 5 miles from my house. They used to make very nice steel frames up to the late 80's, but totally missed the 90's aluminum and carbon trend. They went under a few years ago. I had a few over the years and the quality of the frames and the quality control went progressively south. This is when Colnago and Serotta hit me, and I never looked back.
I have a very fond memory of a light blue Cilo 731 frame though...