# saw a colnago master today - wow



## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

any other italian steel bikes to consider? the only knock against the master is that they seem to be pretty common. I am also interested in a de rosa corum but there are no dealers around.

If it matters I am thinking of a modern style build with 11 speed chorus and shamal two way fit wheels. thank you


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Rauler is back making nice steel frames in either lugged or tig'd. Rauler made a lot of Master and Arabesque frames for Colnago.

You can order them through a shop in Toronto.

Rauler — Stage-Race Distribution


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

The contact #'s are NYC and Colorado. I don't believe they are in TO


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## Tachycardic (Mar 31, 2013)

Ciocc Pro Race. Made in Italy, Columbus Niobium, and BSA BB.


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## ridesmasterx (Aug 3, 2013)

Go with the Wow. I did and like it more and more each year!! Common compared to what?


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

The Master was drop dead gorgeous. I really like the Colnago but I am wondering if there are any other brands to consider. maybe something a little less well known, maybe less expensive?


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## battaglin (Apr 19, 2002)

i've been looking for a tomassini velocista. columbus max tubes. 

I regret I didnt bid high enough on ebay, size 53cm. exactly my size.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

There's a lot of options. This outfit usually has a number of steel frames for pretty good prices:

. . : : G V H : : B I K E S : : . .

I think Pinarello still makes a steel frame, but it probably is up there in cost with Colnago. There's several custom builders. I always thought a Della Santa would be really cool to own (Della Santa custom built frames). 

And there's the used market on ebay. Tons of steel bikes. I bought a respreayed 1996 Merckx Corsa 01 frame a few years ago. The owner had recently painted it and the thing looked brand new. I think the respray and the carbon fork put off the Merckx purists, so I got the frame and fork for $700. The fork had even been painted to match the frame. I put 11-speed silver/polished Campy Athena on it. I did upgrade the shifters to Chorus. I had some custom wheels built for it (silver WI hubs, Sapim cxray spokes and silver Kinlin 270 rims) -- they look kind of look like the old Shamal wheels. The bike is a joy to ride, and I get all kinds of comments on it. Plus, it was a fun process amassing all the components. Modern steel (mine is Deda zerouno that is still used by custom builders) is fairly light. My Merckx weighs about the same as my titanium bike.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

I wish I had a bunch of money...I stumbled upon a pic of a Cinelli XCR. I am 45 and I may have to save up and make that a 50 year present. I really want a classic design with modern components and it looks perfect but way too expensive. the master in PR99 is also stunning.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Grandis, Battaglin, Bottechia, Scapin, all nice and made in Italy.

All can be ordered from their websites.


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## ridesmasterx (Aug 3, 2013)

Donn12, if you haven't seen a Formigli, take a look at the "Classic". I am a huge fan of flat top tubes and would actually never buy a bike without that classic look! Just my preference.


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## Easyup (Feb 26, 2012)

Donn, the answer to your question is No, there are not any.


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

Throw Tommassini Tecno and DeRosa Neo Primato in your search.

DeRosa just came out with a blue NP that is WOW.

Not sure about the modern Nag Masters - but the older ones with Gilco tubing were very very stiff - OK if you like that type of ride.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

I'd check this guy out as well. The man behind Ciocc. 

Products - PELIZZOLI world


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

Donn12 said:


> ...the only knock against the master is that they seem to be pretty common...If it matters I am thinking of a modern style build with 11 speed chorus and shamal two way fit wheels. thank you


"lucky you"...I rarely see Colnagos in my area, let alone Masters...and have "never" seen one with the same paint as mine, in person (and only a handfull of owner pics on the internet). FWIW, my 11-speed makeover was completed last night (black Athena/Belgium C2)...will be picking up after work today:


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

colnagoG60 said:


> "lucky you"...I rarely see Colnagos in my area, let alone Masters...and have "never" seen one with the same paint as mine, in person (and only a handfull of owner pics on the internet). FWIW, my 11-speed makeover was completed last night (black Athena/Belgium C2)...will be picking up after work today:


Why black? The best reason to choose Athena is the silver/shiny version.


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

Switched to one of the last of the latest Campy 165mm cranks (carbon) on my other bike, and picked up another set for this one, and didn't want to mix the colors....plus its already had "silver" . Also going to try the 52/36 for a minute first, which was also in black.

The next steel bike, either a Molteni or Zabel Master, or Molteni or light blue Tommassini, will have the silver.


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

...meh...I've got some coordinating to do:










...and I'm not liking the Athena thumb shifters...though the shifting seems more ”accurate”
than my Chorus. Single gear jumps, and less trimming is nice.


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

that is a really pretty bike. If it were mine I would switch to a more subtle bar tape and try it with all focus on the frame. maybe even try a light orange tape?


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Donn12 said:


> that is a really pretty bike. If it were mine I would switch to a more subtle bar tape and try it with all focus on the frame. maybe even try a light orange tape?


That frame is just screaming for some classic white cork tape.


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

Donn12 said:


> that is a really pretty bike. If it were mine I would switch to a more subtle bar tape and try it with all focus on the frame. maybe even try a light orange tape?


Thanks... I think it's the carbon fork that's throwing it off. I tried to go back to the chrome, but remembered that I swapped it due to fit issues, with the steerer tube being too long. Shop said they couldn't lower it cleanly cuz they'd cut in the middle of the threads... didn't want to chance it. 

Would also go with silver spokes, when I can figure out which way to go on wheels... Original plan was to have 2 sets of same wheel, with different cassettes, to swap between bikes. Just threw these on to check, but may go back to box type rim.

For the OP, FWIW, it's really nice having the new components on the old steel frame. Rear shifter was getting worn, and the extra gears allow for more enjoyable ride in my hilly area. I think the steel bike is now within a pound or two of my carbon.


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

rufus said:


> That frame is just screaming for some classic white cork tape.


Maybe...if I still had the chrome fork on there. I've gone through all the bike's colors over the years, as far as tape, but I keep coming back to green, since it's so under represented. White tape will be for something like this:


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## Mr_Clean (Feb 12, 2012)

Here is a modern build. The current Record groupset in the picture didn't flow so well, so it was later swapped to the previous generation Record from a other bike. In order to keep the classic lines, we laced 32h Ambrosios to Record hubs using silver cx ray spokes. I think the modern classic approach turned out well (post groupset swap).










Too colorful? The saddle and tape need a little patina.


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

Mr_Clean said:


> Too colorful?....



Nope...looks great. Although I do think that we should swap either seat posts, or forks.
:thumbsup:


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## Donn12 (Apr 10, 2012)

I decided to start slow...I bought a campy 11 speed de rosa that should be here in a week or so. 

It is a Neo Primato 59cm. I am pretty excited about my first steel Italian Campagnolo equipped road bike.


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

Congrats! Good luck with the changes, if any.


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## hfc (Jan 24, 2003)

Late to the thread but I'll throw in my $.02.

Since you posted in the retro section, I'll assume you're looking for older steel. I have a Moser in Columbus SL tubing and a Tommasini in SL - SP mix tubing. The Tommy has reputation probably equal to Colnago but I like the Moser a little better. There are tons of old makes out there that will give a great steel ride, in addition to those mentioned above, Battaglin, Rossin, Merckx, Gios, Guerciotti, to name just a few. I decided I wanted to get a vintage frame and started my search with Colnago, because of my experience with a couple of their carbon frames, but ended up with these two. Exploring the histories and qualities of the different makes is a lot of fun. I'm partial to Italian bikes, but you can also find quality from French, British, and US makes as well.

If you want to get an older steel frame and put modern bits on it, then be aware you may have to have the frame cold set or spread out to 130 mm spacing for modern wheels and cassettes. Not a big deal with a steel frame.

Gratuitous pics of my steel.


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## honkinunit (Feb 13, 2005)

By the end of the lugged steel era, there were several USA made frames that are arguably better than 98% of Italian frames of that era, but if you must have Italian to go with your Campy stuff, I get it.

Yamaguchi, Gangl, Columbine, Eisentraut, RRB, just to name a very few. You could argue that a lot of Serottas and Waterfords are superior, also. 

I even once owned an early lugged steel Moots that rode as well and had every bit as good a finish as my brother's Master Light. 

Speaking of which, you can still get a lugged steel, 1" head tube, totally custom frame/fork for $2000 and up. I'd get a new custom before paying anywhere near that much for an older frame. 

If I was looking for an authentic retro, I'd get an old USA frame or a Carlton 753 Raleigh. I saw too many Italian frames back in the day that were misaligned, poorly done, and with brittle paint. I used to see a lot of Italian frames that buckled in a crash where the downtube shifters went, or just behind the lugs. Both of these issues are due to overheating the joint during brazing. I actually bought a rideable mid-70s Colnago Super a few years ago that had a very slight buckle on the underside of the TT just behind the top lug. I wanted the components, which included a pantographed Super Record crank and a SR headset in good shape. I ended up just riding it a bit and then selling it off for what I bought it for.


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