# Help with Master Light year?



## eighty08 (Sep 24, 2007)

I just saw this Master Light end on eBay and was curious to know what year it was from. Anybody know?

<a href="https://img188.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=07375_DSC05121_122_83lo.jpg" target=_blank><img src="https://img188.imagevenue.com/loc83/th_07375_DSC05121_122_83lo.jpg" border="1"></a>

<a href="https://img193.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=07381_DSC05133_122_6lo.jpg" target=_blank><img src="https://img193.imagevenue.com/loc6/th_07381_DSC05133_122_6lo.jpg" border="1"></a>

<a href="https://img161.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=07389_DSC05136_122_801lo.jpg" target=_blank><img src="https://img161.imagevenue.com/loc801/th_07389_DSC05136_122_801lo.jpg" border="1"></a>


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## TiDreaming (Jul 20, 2007)

I have similar frame, it is 1996, to commemorate the Olympics that year, one of the best Art Decor schemes IMO.


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## TiDreaming (Jul 20, 2007)

I have to say on closer inspection, that frame is in immaculate condition as far as I can tell from the photos.


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## Squidward (Dec 18, 2005)

That was my buddy's frame. Unfortunately, I do not recall the details about the year it was made. I assembled it from a NOS frameset that he bought from eBay and I was absolutely careful not to scratch or dent it at all. He loved that frame but he found a NOS Master X Lite in a similar paint scheme but red so he decided to sell this one to build that one. If I were two inches taller I would have bought it from him but, alas, it was not to be. We treated that frame with Frame Saver twice to absolutely make sure that we had good coverage inside the frame and he cleaned up the excess Frame Saver before we assembled it. He only rode that bike a few times and I don't think he put more than 150 miles on it.

Funny story: he's selling his Bianchi Coast2Coast because of this bike. He loves the way the C2C looks but the Colnago is such a vast improvement in terms of efficiency and handling that he just got to the point where he couldn't ride the Bianchi anymore.


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## Squidward (Dec 18, 2005)

Oh, here's his Photobucket gallery with more pictures of that Nag.
https://s179.photobucket.com/albums/w299/jmilagan/Colnago Master Light/

Here's his image gallery of his C2C.
https://s179.photobucket.com/albums/w299/jmilagan/Bianchi Coast to Coast/

He's now thinking of stripping it down to a frame and fork, selling it all and keeping only the Centaur components.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*1999*

If it's truly a Master Light, not Master Piu, not Master Olympic, etc. it's a 1999, the first year of Master Light production. It will say Master Light on the top tube. It has true horizontal drop outs and from the tiny pics, the rear brake cable goes through the top tube versus a two stop system along the bottom side of the top tube. These were on the 1999, changed to semi-vert drop outs and split rear brake cable in 2000.



eighty08 said:


> I just saw this Master Light end on eBay and was curious to know what year it was from. Anybody know?
> 
> <a href="https://img188.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=07375_DSC05121_122_83lo.jpg" target=_blank><img src="https://img188.imagevenue.com/loc83/th_07375_DSC05121_122_83lo.jpg" border="1"></a>
> 
> ...


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## cmg (Oct 27, 2004)

damn gov't computers firewalls, can't see any photo on a hosted site ! TiDreaming, that's a great looking ride. 49 or 50?


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## Squidward (Dec 18, 2005)

boneman said:


> If it's truly a Master Light, not Master Piu, not Master Olympic, etc. it's a 1999, the first year of Master Light production. It will say Master Light on the top tube. It has true horizontal drop outs and from the tiny pics, the rear brake cable goes through the top tube versus a two stop system along the bottom side of the top tube. These were on the 1999, changed to semi-vert drop outs and split rear brake cable in 2000.


Yes, Master Light, not Master Piu, not Master Olympic, etc. Yes, it says Master Light on the top tube, yes, it has true horizontal drop outs and, yes, the brake cable goes through the top tube. 1999 it is! Thanks! 

Now if only someone can give me more details about my Colnago International...


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## Squidward (Dec 18, 2005)

In this photo you can just make out the hole that the rear brake cable exits the top tube above the 'C' in the signature.


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## TiDreaming (Jul 20, 2007)

cmg said:


> damn gov't computers firewalls, can't see any photo on a hosted site ! TiDreaming, that's a great looking ride. 49 or 50?



Its a 49, fits like a glove.


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## toonraid (Sep 19, 2006)

I have a master olympic and thought they were only made in 93 and then due to copyright issues it was renamed! Although supposedly Colnago took their time with enforcing the challenge by Olympics and so a few were made after that year too.

I have an altain which is exact same colours and the posted pictures.


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## iyeoh (Jan 6, 2005)

I have a 1993 Master Olympic as well. Its a 51 cm. It was strange because my bike store (in the United States) had Master Olympics in certain colors/colours and Master Lights in other colors. About three months after I bought my bike, all the frames were named Master Light.

My 1993 has brake cables routed through the top tube, and does not use a two cable stop system. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen a Colnagor Master Light or Master Olympic with an exposed rear brake cable.

At the same time, during that mid-1990s era, my trips to Europe were met with a whole lot of Master Olympics and zero Master Lights. In fact, I walked into a bike store in Rome and when I mentioned the Master Light name, they looked at me like I was from Mars. It was 1995, and there were no Master Light frames that they knew of (and yes, they spoke English well).

At the same time, I rode around in my Master Olympic in the US and I thought that the name was the norm rather than the exception. I remember visiting some Colnago shops telling them I ride a Master OIympic.. and I got the "what the h3ll you talking about" puzzled look lol

Around the late 1990s, my trips to Europe (mostly the UK) showed Master Light frames instead of Master Olympic.

I do know that the Olympics squawked about trademark infringements in 1993. Apparently, intellectualproperty enforcement in Europe is somewhat more laxed lol

Anyway, my answer to the original poster is that its impossible to tell the year. If you live in the US, it could be anywhere from 1993 through 2000. I have a 1993 frame and I have the same exact stampings, details and fork, in a different paint scheme. One possible indication of age is that the later Master Lights were sold almost exclusively with a carbon fork, but then again some people insisted on the steel fork lol I know I would insist on a steel fork.


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## toonraid (Sep 19, 2006)

It wasn't that it was lax but rumour has it that they kept selling frames after 93 on the quite or supposedly from 93 stock!!!


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## iyeoh (Jan 6, 2005)

Just further clarification.

The 1996 Olympics gold medal went to Pascal Richard of Switzerland. His trade team (if I recollect) was MG Technogym, and I believe they were on Bianchis, but certainly not Colnagos. The race was in Atlanta and I was there to see it.

The Master Olympic was built in celebration of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, which was won by the late Fabio Casartelli. Another two prominent track gold medals were also won on Colnagos, if I recollect properly. 

Anyway, I purposely bought my 1993 Master Olympic in Team Ariostea colors because Fabio Casartelli joined Ariostea right after the Olympics (whereas Lance Armstrong joined Motorola). I wanted to buy a frame of significance. 

Of course, Casartelli sadly died descending the Col de Portet d'Aspet during the TdF in 1995 while riding for Motorola.


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## Duke249 (Apr 4, 2002)

*Iirc*

P. Ricard and MG Tecnogym (sp?) rode Coppi's in 96.


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## iyeoh (Jan 6, 2005)

Thanks for the Coppi info !


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