# I'm clueless... what do I have here?



## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

It was suggested I post this here... 

A friend and I are restoring/resurrecting an old Colnago. The previous owner swapped a lot of parts (didn't keep any of the original stuff) and left it in a shed for years. It was a filthy pig on flats when I got it. The good news is it cleaned up really nicely - what's there is in great shape. But it's a hodge podge of DiaCompe (brakes), ultregra, 105, 100... 

I don't even know what year the bike is, what groupo would've come on it, etc. 

Anything you can tell me would be hugely appreciated. 

Thanks!


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## jet sanchEz (Nov 28, 2005)

It looks like a Super to me. The original owner would have probably bought it as a frame set and then built it up with whatever he had on hand.

Very nice.


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

Mexico. Look at the close-up of the seat stay lugg on blue frame, down a bit in the pic lineup. Can anyone add to this?

The World's Best Photos of colnago and mexico - Flickr Hive Mind


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

I would guess late '70s/early 80s Mexico.

There are two catalog pages on Mark Bulgier's site

--one is for a 70s (73-75) (has the over-the-stay cable for the rear mech on non-brazed cable clips on the top tube), 

--the other is in the 1988 catalog (although listed as Esa Mexico)--that one still has the single wb lugs, understay cable.

Yours is somewhere in between... Braze on front mech would place it after 1982.


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

This helps - thanks guys. Would this have been sold as a frame set or complete? High-end? or mid-market? I'm guessing it should be rebuilt with "period correct" campy.


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## rplace13 (Apr 27, 2011)

Deep down inside all Colnago bikes want to be rebuilt with Campy Good choice! Great looking frame BTW, digging the deep red.


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## vontress (Jul 19, 2009)

This is very cool. Sounds like a fun project.


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## icsloppl (Aug 25, 2009)

*I believe* that a Mexico should have two crimps on the top tube, correct? Since this does not, it's most likely a Super.


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

It does have the crimps along top tube. So, that seals it? A Mexico?

And this would've been sold as a complete bike? Was the Mexico a high-end model? Rare? Anything special about this bike?

Thanks guys!


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

AFAIK, they were sold as both a bare frame or assembled.

What makes this whole thing complicated is that the early Mexico did not have crimped tubes, and I remember reading someone's story of two Colnago experts (one was a company rep) arguing about whether a particular bike was a Super or a Mexico.

Strictly speaking the crimped top tube model was the Nouvo Mexico ("Profil") that did appear somewhat later than the first ones.

Ray Dobbins has a good discussion of this evolution on his page (as well as reproductions of the catalog pages) here, & thinks that Saronni set his hour record on a Nuovo Mexico with the profiled tubing.

As far as rarity--I don't have a good idea. I have not seen that many in the past few years of watching all things Colnago on eBay.

I think though that the Master (that had the clover-shaped Gilco tubing--effectively crimped on two planes) proved to be more popular (and more collectable?).

But you have a lovely bike--well worth a fix-up. 

One thing I did notice though--your rear stays are chromed only at the fork ends--and most of the pictures I have seen show either full chrome rear "socks' (both stays) or the chrome that extends on the chainstay side. I have learned not to be bothered by such variations with Colnagos, though--there is probably an explanation, although we may never know.


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

One on ebay:
Colnago Mexico Campagnolo Record Cinelli panto Master | eBay


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## icsloppl (Aug 25, 2009)

OldZaskar said:


> It does have the crimps along top tube. So, that seals it? A Mexico?
> 
> And this would've been sold as a complete bike? Was the Mexico a high-end model? Rare? Anything special about this bike?
> 
> Thanks guys!


It should have 2 crimps vs. the full gilco "Master" tubing which has 4.

If you look at the Colnago catalog for that time, it was available both as a frame and a complete bike.

Mexico was a mid-level frame.

It's not particularly rare.

It's a nice Colnago from the beginning of the golden era of Colnagos. This particular one doesn't appear to be unique in any way that i know of.


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## Le Turbo (Jun 10, 2010)

Nice condition, nice bike. My Super has Brain tubing, not crimped, and the straight chromed Precisa fork. So this must be earlier, surely, with the curved fork? I've also a suspicion that it might originally have downtube shifters.


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## OldZaskar (Jul 1, 2009)

Le Turbo said:


> Nice condition, nice bike. My Super has Brain tubing, not crimped, and the straight chromed Precisa fork. So this must be earlier, surely, with the curved fork? I've also a suspicion that it might originally have downtube shifters.


The bike DID have downtube shifters - the previous owner (not the original) put newer STI on it. Good news is - one of the current shifters is broken... they have to be replaced!


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