While I was searching for a Seventies Colnago Super I came accross many auctions, adverts and posts where people praised their lovely Colnagos with extraordinary and mostly highly ambitious asking prices.
Recognizing that many of these offers were dealing with faked Colnagos was a pain.
You can tell a lot about Bianchi (and their prices or their quality) but fakes you won´t come along amongst them.
Let´s clarify what makes a Colnago a genuine Colnago:
Anytime you´re looking at a frame with more than two brazed on cable guides on the top tube it´s not a genuine Colnago.
But please keep in mind that these cable guides on top tube were optional prior to 1977. Thus braze-ons might be there on earlier frames as well; but always only two of them.
Additionally frames named Colnago Sports were partially produced in Italy for the german cycling dealer Brüggelmann within the eighties and sold as their house brand. Ernesto Colnago initiated a legal battle regarding the name conflict and won.
Thus please be aware: None of the Colnago Sport bicycles is a genuine Colnago.
Finally I came along the following very helpfull list of frame specifications in order to match your frame to something like the Colnago time line and found these hints very helpfull in order to recognize fakes as well as genuine Colnagos.
Specifications for 1968
- "Super" decal on chain stay
- Fork crown (sand cast) with two holes in the points at each side
- Fork tangs wide, no cutouts
- Club cutouts in all three lugs
- Bottom bracket shell with drilled holes (eight in circle plus one in center)
Specifications for 1970
- Fork crown (investment cast) semi-sloping, flat front and back with two holes in
- the points at each side
- "Playing card" club decal graphics (inspired by 1970 Milano-San Remo victory)
Specifications for 1971
- Fork crown with clubs in top and two holes in each side
- Fork tangs narrow, no cutouts (or rarely no tangs)
- Club cutouts in all three lugs but club in lower head lug is now larger
- Hole in lower point of seat lug (last year)
- Bottom bracket shell with club cutout
Specifications for 1972
- Black Club/COLNAGO decal on head tube/seat tube (two seat tube Worlds bands) and
- COLNAGO on down tube
- Fork tangs with two holes (or very rarely three holes tangs or no tangs)
- Derailleur cable guide braze-ons top of bottom bracket shell
- Water bottle braze-ons on downtube
Specifications for 1973
- Wreath seat tube decal with Worlds band at top and bottom
- Fork crown with clubs on top but no holes in each side
- Fork tangs with club cutouts (or rarely two hole tangs or no tangs)
- Club cutout in lower head lug only
- Introduction of the Super Pantografata
Specifications for 1974
- Shifter braze-ons on down tube (option before this)
Specifications for 1975
- Mexico model introduced
- Diagonal Worlds band added behind black Club/COLNAGO head tube decal
- Diagonal Worlds band with yellow Club/COLNAGO head tube decal used for one year
- Vertical COLNAGO seat tube decal with single diagonal Worlds band at top
Specifications for 1976
- Fork crown with COLNAGO added to clubs on top
- Short Campagnolo or COLNAGO dropouts
Specifications for 1977
- Fork crown with shallow triangles cut into back (no recessed brake bolt)
- Top tube brake cable guide braze-ons (an option before this)
Specifications for 1978
- Fork crown for recessed brake bolt with shallow triangles cut into back
- Brake bridge for recessed brake bolt
Specifications for 1980
- Fluted seat stay caps engraved COLNAGO and straight seat stays (no longer biconical shape)
- Brake bridge with cast square boss for recessed brake bolt
Specifications for 1981
- Chain stay bridge is small spool shape (no longer tube shape)
Specifications for 1982
- Chain stays stamped COLNAGO on sides
- Derailleur cable routing moved to underside of bottom bracket
Specifications for 1983
- Aerodynamic fork crown
Following these specification guidelines
the shown Colnago Super is identified to be a genuine Colnago Super dating from 1978.
Hi, thanks for this article. Now i know my Colnago is a '78 Super. It looks exactly like the obe shown here only it was repainted and the decaks are gone.
ReplyDeleteI want to find the decals and would like to know if the " colnago" on the down tube a and seat tube are also decals or painted onto the frame.
Very good article, thanks agai.
Yuri