Colnago Competition

[atulkunte69]

Hi all

This is what I bought last week in @ 450 $, It took a bit to bring it back in running condition. Getting COLNAGO bikes in India is as tough as getting Indian bike in Italy ;-)
Here are some pictures.

[Bill]

Definitely worth a restore! I agree that Italian and Indian bikes are not easily obtainable here either, but Colnago more scarce there though. Do not know where you find such rare pieces of history, but you do an awesome job .

[RobAR]

Nice! Very.

[atulkunte69]

(10-07-2012, 10:39 AM)Bill Wrote:  Definitely worth a restore! I agree that Italian and Indian bikes are not easily obtainable here either, but Colnago more scarce there though. Do not know where you find such rare pieces of history, but you do an awesome job .

Hi Bill,
yes, true,thanks now the problem.......
I am having problems on this COLNAGO. These rims are like SHAMAL rims which raise higher ( 35 mm height). If you see the picture 1 ( Not so clear) I had to put the rear brake assy from inside of the frame as it is found touching the tyre while running normally. I know it's a wrong way to put on brake assy. But no option for me,only this way it is letting the tyres to roll freely. The tyres are 700x 25C. If I use 700x23C will it reduce the tyre thickness so that rims will be rolling free thru brake assy (assuming brake assy installed in normal way). Something is wrong on the rear wheel.Either wrong brake sets or wrong tyres? I don't know..Please help.
I am already upset because of these rubbing tyres.

Note: Tyre is touching brake assy vertically and not side ways.

[Bill]

The wheels are probably not the original ones that came from manufacturer. Is there any number that refer to size of tyre needed on the wheel? I am looking up Colnago Bikes on the internet.

[Joe_W]

My guess would be that at that time one would probably use 21mm (or thinner) tyres on a road bike. Remember: we all used to think thinner and more pressure was faster!
Oh, and the other thing might be that it was 27" wheels rather than 700c...

[atulkunte69]

(10-25-2012, 08:50 AM)Joe_W Wrote:  My guess would be that at that time one would probably use 21mm (or thinner) tyres on a road bike. Remember: we all used to think thinner and more pressure was faster!
Oh, and the other thing might be that it was 27" wheels rather than 700c...

hey Joe....that's an eye opener for me. Now is 700 C tire different from 27"? If I get one 27" will it reduce the height of tyre above the rim? I need probably another 2-3 mm clearance to roll free.

[Joe_W]

According to http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html, 27" is equivalent to ISO xx-630, that is a bead seat diameter of 630mm with a width of xx. 700c is the old French standard term for ISO xx-622. So it seems as if this 27" has a bigger diameter. I mixed that up (the 700c are referred to as 28" wheels in Germany, which is... well, weird since 27" wheels are bigger...). Sorry.

[atulkunte69]

Hi Joe

yes I agree with you ...Just go thru the attached picture...If I use 27" tire I will get a over all diameter of 685 mm for the wheel with a bead diameter of 630 mm.
If I use 700x25c tire then I get overall diameter of 700 mm for wheel with bead diameter of 622 mm.
If I am right Let me know ...If I am able to get 27" tire on this rim i will be able to reduce overall rim height by 4mm to get a good clearance thru brake sets...

[Joe_W]

I also do not have experience with the older sizes, so maybe Nigel or somebody else (Dave, Bill, George,...) will want to chime in?
I assumed that if you get two tyres of a similar make (material, width, cross section), one in xx-630 and one in xx-622. If those two xx numbers are the same (width) then the total diameter of the wheel + tyre will be 8mm bigger for the xx-630 one. Thus my suggestion to go with something more road bike like (21-23 mm width). If you want a softer ride, you might be able to use a slightly wider rim with the tyre you now have. This will "flatten" the cross section of the inflated tyre slightly. It might just be enough to work.
Then, looking at the figure, it seems as if the 27" really means the outer diameter. This would then be smaller than 28" (which would be comparable to the 700c or ETRTO 622). This would mean that my hypothesis (similar cross section at similar width) would be wrong.

Let me use a quote from a Tarantino flick: "Standards. Do you know them, M*F*?". How many yards was a chain again and how many chains to the furlong? But I disgress / despair...

To be honest: I'd stick with the "weird" brake setup it is working... but on the other hand you might want to make this bike ready for L'Eroica...

[atulkunte69]

Sad news... I sent these pictures to COLNAGO, ITALY & COLNAGO-AMERICA thru their official mail ID's on their websites.. I got the reply what I was expecting. This bike is not a genuine COLNAGO... I was not surprised as it did not show any signs of a COLNAGO....
Please take back all the compliments given so far on this thread.
Now the next part...Can some of our experts here guess what bike is this? COLNAGO-AMERICA manager Billy says this seems to be some mid-80's middle level Japanese bike. Any Idea what it could be? So that I will make over this with a new face & identity.

[xerxes]

Some of the details of the frame, like the lugs and the way the seat stays wrap over the top of the lug at the join of the seat tube and top tube remind me of some pre 80s Raleigh and Carlton frames.

http://vintagebikecave.com/shop/carlton-continental-steel-frame-49cm-c-t/

http://www.vorb.org.nz/raleigh-carlton-t100633.html

http://curbdestroyer.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/my-raleigh-grand-prix.html

[Joe_W]

It's still a nice bike! OK, the magic of owning a real Colnago is gone, but now it is no longer a real "classic" frame you are free to do stuff to it though I have to admit that on the road downtube shifters are just fine.
Oh, on a side note: the rear brake housing seems to be rather on the short side, though I cannot really tell from the big photo. Can you turn the handlebars freely?

[atulkunte69]

(11-05-2012, 04:10 AM)Joe_W Wrote:  It's still a nice bike! OK, the magic of owning a real Colnago is gone, but now it is no longer a real "classic" frame you are free to do stuff to it though I have to admit that on the road downtube shifters are just fine.
Oh, on a side note: the rear brake housing seems to be rather on the short side, though I cannot really tell from the big photo. Can you turn the handlebars freely?

Hey Joe...Thanks for some encouraging words...
Yes.. I will be soon changing it into an amazing piece of bike. Probably I will have to put some considerable budget on it.
and yes...Handle bar rotates free... Rear brake housing is the story that I have mentioned on top earlier. Presently I am having my tyre touching on the rear brake mount by only inflating it to 50 psi. I think wrong wheels on the bike probably.....

[Bill]

As Joe said you are now free to do anything you like to it. New paint job, components, or whatever else makes you and your bike happy . Are far as the brakes go I have a stash of vintage road bike brakes. If we can get sizes you need I would be willing to give you a pair and all you have to do is pick up the ship costs.

[xerxes]

If it is a Raleigh or Carlton, as I suggested in my pevious post, with that "wrap around" seat stay, it will be one of Raleighs better frames. It's unlikeley to be Columbus tubing if it's a Raleigh or Carlton, as far as I know they never used Columbus, but it may well be Reynolds 531 or another Reynolds variant.

Carlton and Raleigh were originaly separate companies, but Raleigh later acquired Carlton and used the Carlton name for their better frames.

Is there a frame number on the bottom bracket? If so, you may be able to find out more:

http://sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/dating.html

http://www.carltoncycles.me.uk/details.htm

[atulkunte69]

(11-07-2012, 10:45 AM)Bill Wrote:  As Joe said you are now free to do anything you like to it. New paint job, components, or whatever else makes you and your bike happy . Are far as the brakes go I have a stash of vintage road bike brakes. If we can get sizes you need I would be willing to give you a pair and all you have to do is pick up the ship costs.

Yes Bill.. U R right...That's my next project..So nice of you offering me a pair of brakes... I love centre pull weinnmann...Are they OK for this kind of bikes or should I go for any other brakes.. You know the bike now... You can suggest me some good looking (& working too ) set for this bike ... Will let U know the size soon...I will bare the shipping cost happily over your gift..thanks for the offer again...

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(11-07-2012, 12:43 PM)xerxes Wrote:  If it is a Raleigh or Carlton, as I suggested in my pevious post, with that "wrap around" seat stay, it will be one of Raleighs better frames. It's unlikeley to be Columbus tubing if it's a Raleigh or Carlton, as far as I know they never used Columbus, but it may well be Reynolds 531 or another Reynolds variant.

Carlton and Raleigh were originaly separate companies, but Raleigh later acquired Carlton and used the Carlton name for their better frames.

Is there a frame number on the bottom bracket? If so, you may be able to find out more:

http://sheldonbrown.com/retroraleighs/dating.html

http://www.carltoncycles.me.uk/details.htm

Man... I know a lot now about bike tubing because of U. Thanks a lot. So does it mean that tube quality is good to put some more perks in it, to give it a totally fresh look.

[Bill]

Sorry to say I did not make it out to the shop yet but, just as reference here is a pair I think I have or did you want the style on your bike?
As I was saying these are not the actual ones just a reference....
http://forums.bikeride.com/thread-1205.html

[atulkunte69]

(11-07-2012, 09:03 PM)Bill Wrote:  Sorry to say I did not make it out to the shop yet but, just as reference here is a pair I think I have or did you want the style on your bike?
As I was saying these are not the actual ones just a reference....
http://forums.bikeride.com/thread-1205.html

No bill.. Not this kind... This is side pull brake... I wanted to have centre pull from Weinmann..They look just Awesome. Something like the link below.
If U find anything like this let me know.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67828494@N00/6010310800/

[GeorgeET]

Wow , someone actually build a fake bike . Man I have seen fake watches but a bike wow.
Looking at it the components do not look high end and made in Japan. The weld on the front derailer looks crude. So does the crank, I have never seen a rear brake mounted on the underside, weird. Yes it does look like a Japanese bike, Sorry you got scammed...........

The rear wheel stay goes straight back not at an angle like a single speed bike. Could be a parts bike.