Modernising a Colnago

[Fab Foodie]

Seen a nicely modernised early 80s Colnago seen today with Capagnolo Athena 11 speed. Looked very classy I have to admit!

 

[mikeymustard]

Well done, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
I like modding older bikes, but I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to do it to a bike as nice as that!

 

[swee'pea99]

Lovely job, lovely bike. You're going to enjoy that a lot!

 

[froze]

If it were mine I’d just leave it alone.

I AGREE!!! Just leave it alone, it's a classic bike and you go dinking around with it and the classic value won't be there after you're done making your "improvements". If the bike in question was not a classic then ok go have some fun goofing it all up, but not a Colnago!

There is nothing wrong with square tapered cranks, I have a square tapered Suntour Superbe crank with over 160,000 miles on it and never had a problem and that's why it's still on the bike.

And really you need 10 speeds? just get a simple 7 speed freewheel and all you'll need to do is to maybe redish the rear wheel a bit and place a washer on the drive side. Why do you need the extra gears? most people really don't need all those extra gears.

 

[mikeymustard]

I AGREE!!! Just leave it alone, it's a classic bike and you go dinking around with it and the classic value won't be there after you're done making your "improvements". If the bike in question was not a classic then ok go have some fun goofing it all up, but not a Colnago!

There is nothing wrong with square tapered cranks, I have a square tapered Suntour Superbe crank with over 160,000 miles on it and never had a problem and that's why it's still on the bike.

And really you need 10 speeds? just get a simple 7 speed freewheel and all you'll need to do is to maybe redish the rear wheel a bit and place a washer on the drive side. Why do you need the extra gears? most people really don't need all those extra gears.

Bit late to the party? Modernising a Colnago

 

[woodbutcher]

l know l am waaay behind with a comment but for what it is worth if you feel the need for shamals, try doing what l did to get hold of these, l just concentrated on French and Italian ebay and other local bike stuff sites. These wheels inc. 8speed Campagnolo cassette cost me £195.
Sorry for all the background mess....life on the terrace

 

[woodbutcher]

OOPs forgot these

 

[woodbutcher]

just a quick look came up with these just for interest sake
https://www.ebay.it/itm/Ruote-Campa...284029?hash=item2cd9f52a3d:g:r0YAAOSw12pbfoUu

 

[woodbutcher]

or these https://www.ebay.it/itm/campagnolo-...m=153147708306&_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

[QUOTE 5354468, member: 43827"] I would have gone with silver wheels (if it was mine, which it is not, so I am just jealous), as I have never liked the way modern bikes plaster the wheels with logos and brands.[/QUOTE]

I don't like it either. Horrible and tasteless, the cycling equivalent of wearing really ostentatious bling jewellery.

 

[StuAff]

Seen a nicely modernised early 80s Colnago seen today with Capagnolo Athena 11 speed. Looked very classy I have to admit!

Athena looks great on older frames (at least with the aluminium chainset), it's got the right look. Although it got first nobbled (the early version, which I have on the Viner, was identical to Chorus etc apart from less carbon but much, much cheaper, then Campagnolo realised what an absolute bargain they'd let out the door and went to cheaper cranksets, lower spec shifting etc) and then discontinued....Potenza is available in a silver version though.

 

[Specialeyes]

So, a 10-day update on the Colnago: I'm bloomin' loving it. Commuted on it every day (bar the Bank Holiday, of course) and went for a longer ride at the weekend. As mentioned up-thread, it's not about needing more gears - but it is about putting the shifters on the bars and in doing so providing an extremely comfortable hand position and massively improving the bike's chuckability.

It's my go-to bike, and any bike that makes you want to ride it is a good thing.
It also reminds me that a good frame is somewhat timeless.

I'm lucky enough to have a few vintage bikes in original condition and have no intention of modernising any more of them - but this one now fits the classic handling / vintage looks / modern mechanicals niche perfectly... come to think of it, I've created a 2-wheeled MX-5 from an MGB

 

[dantheman]

I think the bike looked lovely to begin with, and even better with the brifters.. Down tube shifters never did it for me, and I realise I'm a youngster to a lot of you here, but never rode a bike with down tube shifters, and never want to really... It looks not only beautiful but like it would be lovely to ride...

I'm now quite jealous..