Retro Cycling Vintage

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Colnago is an Italian manufacturer of high quality racing bicycles founded by Ernesto Colnago in 1953.

Originally set up as a workshop  over the years Colnago have become one of the leading global manufacturesr of racing bikes.

Colnago split the early years of his career between working in the shop and  participating in various bike race competitions including the Tour of Italy. Later on the Colnago factory was putting out such mechanically very high level bikes that they were even used by the Italian national team. They evn produced bikes that brought great champions to victory in stage races and world championships.

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Pinarello Veneto Vintage Steel Road Bike vs NOS Colnago    US $1,100.00

Ferrari Red Colnago Custom Master 1980s 8 Speed Bike    US $950.00

Colnago Sticker Mountain bike Road racing Bike Vintage    US $20.00

COLNAGO Carbon 316mm x 350mm Road Bike Seatpost NEW    US $188.97

COLNAGO Carbon 272mm x 350mm Road Bike Seatpost NEW    US $188.97

COLNAGO 700c Road Bike Wheelset Wheel Bag SET Brand New    US $45.47

COLNAGO 272mm x 250mm Alloy Road Bike Seatpost NEW    US $38.47

COLNAGO 700c Road Bike Wheelset Wheel Bag Brand New    US $30.77

2x Bike Bag Dust Cover 4 Colnago Steel EPS CLX C50 C40    US $45.05

Astana Team Bicycle Cycling Colnago Bike T Shirt    US $15.99

Colnago Bike Cycling Bicycle Charm Italian Round Watch    US $.99

Colnago Bike Cycling Bicycle Sport Metal Watch    US $.99

Vintage 1979 Colnago Super Racing bike full Campy Mint    US $1,599.99

2010 Colnago CX 1 Carbon Road Race Bike    US $1,315.00

COLNAGO SUPERISSIMO VINTAGE ROAD BIKE NEAR MINT STEEL    US $649.99

Colnago 2009 CX 1 Carbon Fiber Road Bike Frameset 45cm    US $2,200.00

Colnago Flight TT Bike SRAM RED NEW LARGE    US $4,800.00

Colnago Forever Extreme Power Complete Bike 52 CM RARE    US $49,999.00

Colnago Fork Fixed gear track bike road Chrome 1    US $63.00

Colnago Saronni Vintage Road Bike Classic Master NOS    US $565.55

Ferrari CX 50 bicycle 26 colnago bike NEW mountain    US $1,499.00

VERY RARE Steel Colnago Mountain Bike    US $7,000.00

COLNAGO FULL CARBON ROAD BIKE 57CM NEW    US $3,899.99

COLNAGO Mapei team bike frame and fork    US $200.00

Colnago Vintage Road Bike    US $1,250.00

COLNAGO MASTER as Single Speed Track Bike 52cm    US $1,500.00

vintage COLNAGO road bike 56cm    US $1,675.00

COLNAGO FOR FERRARI CF 6 LTD COMPLETE BIKE 56CM RARE    US $49,999.00

Colnago C 40 C40 carbon 59cm road bike frame STAR FORK    US $1,498.00

Bike Colnago Super Campagnolo 50th    US $2,800.00

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In 1970  the company took a new symbol, the ace of clubs which is now throughout the world associated with the Colnago.

In 1972 the bike was produced for the record hour attmempt by Eddy Merckx. It was very innovative for its time with a great deal of materials research behind it, thanks to special tubing and the use of components extremely relieved and thanks to the work Colnago staff to file the welds, it came to weigh only 5500 grams.

In 1974 the name of the Colnago was associated for the first time with an entire professional team and in particular, that of Giuseppe Saronni, who  got the biggest wins of his career on Colnagos

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05 06 Colnago C 50 HP Carbon Frame Fork 57cm MINT    US $2,100.00

Colnago Frame Fork Blue Vintage 70s Brev Campagnolo    US $699.00

FRAME AND FORK SEAT POST COLNAGO CLX FULL CARBON    US $640.00

FRAME AND FORK COLNAGO 55 TH NEW    US $2,990.00

60cm Colnago Master Light Frame Fork    US $650.00

Vintage Colnago Master Columbus Gilco frame set 57cm    US $163.07

Colnago C40 Frame Fork Frameset    US $276.77

Colnago CX 1 Frame Fork Size 52s ACBK White NEW    US $2,785.00

vintage COLNAGO SUPER frame fork COLUMBUS Campagnolo    US $102.50

Italian Coppi Frame w Colnago Fork Campagnolo parts    US $150.00

COLNAGO START ALLOY FRAME CARBON FORK VGC 56    US $650.00

NOS VINTAGE COLNAGO MEGA MASTER FRAME    US $600.00

COLNAGO DOMINA DREAM HP 57CM FRAME STAR FORK BLK RED    US $1,300.00

Colnago CLX Frame and fork 57 sloping    US $2,100.00

58cm Colnago Tecnos Lugged Steel Road Frame Fork    US $112.50

COLNAGO Mapei team bike frame and fork    US $200.00

Colnago C50 frame fork w Campy Record HS seatpost    US $999.00

COLNAGO TECNOS Vintage ROAD FRAME Columbus steel    US $111.00

Handmade SEROTTA frame for Shimano Campagnolo Colnago    US $452.75

COLNAGO JUNIOR FRAME FORK COLUMBUS GT SIZE 54    US $750.00

Colnago CX 1 Carbon Road FrameSize 52    US $2,399.00

Colnago C 40 C40 carbon 59cm road bike frame STAR FORK    US $1,498.00

Colnago Master Frame and Precisa Fork Bello NEW 54cm    US $2,399.00

Decals Kit to Colnago frame    US $15.99

COLNAGO MASTER OLYMPIC TANGE FRAME PRECISA FORK 57    US $1,099.00

Colnago Vintage Frame decals NEW set FREE SHIPPING Road    US $40.00

Colnago Master 1 series Frame Fork Vintage    US $949.00

Colnago Souvenir Tie ClipCycling LogoFrame LogoNICE    US $.99

1X CAMPAGNOLO COLNAGO SHIMANO CHAINSTAY FRAME PROTECTOR    US $23.95

COLNAGO C40 CARBON FRAME FORK MAPEI special mountain    US $1,299.00

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In the eighties Colnago took a very thorough job of researching new innovations in materials research resulting in them coming to use carbon fiber and even a collaboration with Ferrari since 1986 in research.

At this time dates the start of production of the Colnago Master, a frame that has made history, with its tubing cold drawn, particularly from the "star", which Saronni won the Giro d'Italy. Particularly the fork introduced then, which had the feature of having the stems straight and not curved as in all other bikes. This feature became a prerogative of the Colnago since then.

In 1989, the collaboration with Ferrari, was born on the C35, a frame to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the founding of Colnago, available in both a racing model and mountain bike.

The use of the material changes dramatically in subsequent years, moving from steel to aluminum, but especially to carbon fiber. However, Colnago retains its role in the market for top of the range bike, with the production of C50 in 2003, the fiftieth anniversary of the company.

Now for a little conundrum...Should you ever put Shimano components on a Colnago or is it heresy to have anything other than Campagnolo on it!?

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Bianchi's  activities in 1899 expanded the areas of motor vehicles with the production of cars and motorcycles under the name of Edoardo Bianchi  Cars and Cycles. In 1914 it produced 45.000 bicycles, 1,500 motorcycles and 1,000 cars.

Bianchi is dedicated to cycling and those of this sport among its ranks the most important bearers Tazio Nuvolari. Remarkable was also the construction of vehicles for military use during World War II. After the war, Bianchi contributed to reconstruction and Italy with the motorization Bianchina Motoleggera 125 cc, a small auxiliary engine to be applied to bicycles.

The part of the company that was solely involved with the construction of the four wheels vehicles  after initially joining of forces with Fiat and Pirelli all'Autobianchi who gave birth in 1955 was completely sold to two partners in 1958.

In 1959 Lino Tonti arrived as Bianchi's technincal director : with him a house in Milan takes effect; from the disgner's pencil rose the twin-cylinder DOHC 250-350-500 marking the return of the Grand Prix Bianchi (1960), the MT61, motorcycle for the Italian Army, the scooter 80 and the Teddy Bear Silas 175, motoleggera pitch sports. With the crisis in motorcycle sales in the sixties the Bianchi became a serious financial crisis, leading at the end of 1964, the declaration of liquidation. The production of motorcycles declined and the arm of the company inViale Abruzzi was taken over by Piaggio in 1967.
Since May 1997, Bianchi has become part of the Swedish group Cycleurope AB, the leading global company in the bicycle industry. The Bianchi group brands were added to those of Cycleurope, creating a single group on the bicycle market for the supply and distribution across the amplitude distribution worldwide.

It is among the most prestigious brands in the production of racing bicycles, which were used by the great champions of the past from Giovanni Gerbi ( "the red devil"), Constant Girardengo, Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi, to Danilo Di Luca and Marco Pantani.

The production of the Bianchis is not limited to the production of racing bikes in the racing department, but also bicycles for trekking, mountain biking, BMX and leisure.

The distintive Symbol of the company is the particular colour that the bikes were and still are produced in ,Celesete or as translated in Italian -  the  blue-green water Bianchi.

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The Campagnolo Nuovo Gran Sport is a groupset manufactured by Campagnolo as their  medium range componentry set of the 1970s.

The name was chosen by taking over those of the first product change in the early 1950s, the Grand Sport.

It was characterized by changing the parallelogram of the rear derailleur in aluminum and steel cage for the pulleys, but mainly by a very characteristic crank  with three arms to support the rings  (specially constructed so) instead of the traditional five. It was produced for the first time in 1974 and experienced a wide user takeup  due mainly to  its good quality units at lower cost than the top of the range of that group (New Record and Super Record). It even saw use by professional cyclists although not in the highest echelons.

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The first product to be branded under the banner of  Campagnolo's "Record" was a front derailleur in 1956. Two years later Campy introduced a Record crank with bolts of 151 mm, which allowed an inner ring of at least 44 teeth. The same year saw them introduce  aluminum alloy hubs, always marked with the Record insignia, available in both high flange and low flange options.

The first change to the Record groupset was introduced in 1963, while a new version, the Nuovo record, in 1967 saw aluminum alloy and not chromed bronze in the first version of the derailleur.

1967 also saw the introduction of a new crank i smaller than 144 mm, a measure intended to become a world standard for years, which was used to accommodate a minimum of 41 teeth ring.

In 1973 the group Super Record was introduced in both road and track versions.

Production of the Super Record continued until 1987, while the year before had seen the introduction of two new versions: Campagnolo Record and the C-Record.

Since then, the term Record has come back and is the only indication of the  top of the range groupset from the masters at Vicenza. In recent years it has had continuous innovation in technology with the introduction of Ergopower (a gear shifter integrated with the brakelever ), the first 9-speed rear transmission (1997) and finally 10 (2000). Both use increasingly valuable materials such as titanium and carbon in place of the now conventional aluminum. The 2007 version, which came into production in late 2006, provides the new Skeleton brakes and crankset with integrated pin to crank with the Ultra-torque.

The current Record group includes:

* Crank: with cranks carbon rings and aluminum, available in classic or in the 53-39 compact (rings from 48 or 50 external teeth, 34 or 36 inside). It is also available with aluminum cranks.
* Ergopower: with carbon brake levers
* Rear derailleur with parts in carbon and titanium screws, available in short or medium rocker (for the triple or up to 29 tooth sprocket)
* Front derailleur: with carbon fork and aluminum. It is available in versions for double, triple and compact.
* Bottom bracket: with box and carbon caps in aluminum, steel pin. The axis length is 102 mm for double crankset and 111 for the triple.
* Chain: lightened and the reduced width
* 10 Speed Gear: 6 of which in steel and titanium 4, available in scales 11-21, 11-23, 11-25, 12-23, 12-25, 13-26 and 13-29. Versions 11-23, 12-25 and 13-26 are also available entirely in titanium with aluminum supports.
* Hubs: with the body, axle and aluminum tape
* Seatpost: Carbon fiber with aluminum head

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The Campagnolo Nuovo Record is a groupset manufactured by Campagnolo  which represented the top of their component range in the 1970s.

The first members of the gruppo to be introduced were the bottom bracket and rear derailleur in 1967, which  showed no significant differences in design than its predecessor, except for being composed of aluminum instead of chrome-plated bronze.

Initially the change was part of the previous Record groupset, and then the other components were produced, again without significant differences compared to Record. The crank, initially with round 151 mm bolts, soon adopted the new measure from 144mm to allow the use of chainrings slightly smaller, up to 41 teeth, although the standard soon became the 42 teeth, and only after some years Campagnolo introduced the chainring from 41 teeth to complete the range that went from 42 to 57.

It eventually went out of production in the early 1980s after a decade in which it had become the most desirable groupset that any cyclist could aspire. Is still a group much sought after by collectors.

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The Campagnolo Super Record is a groupset manufactured by Campagnolo  which was the pinnacle of their range at the end of the 1970s and beginning of the 1980s. It was introduced as a complete system for both road and  track in 1974. Early versions of the Super Record such as  earlier versions of the New Record and Record, are now particularly sought after by collectors and have a value far greater than those produced later.

In 1979 the groupset underwent a major overhaul, in particular the rear derailleur shifted from the classic version with the writing in relief to those with "Campagnolo" in black on the parallelogram. This version is the most common, that all collectors know and love. A particular version of the Super Record, with parts numbered and plated in gold, is the prestigious Grouppu di Cinquantenaire, released in 1983 to celebrate fifty years of the company.

The production of the Super Record components ended in 1987 when for two years were those of the new products group, the C-Record.

In October 2008 Campagnolo released the new Campagnolo Super Record. With a change from the previous weight it has an exceptional Ergopower lever by the innovative shape designed to make the grip more secure and comfortable and this Ergopower now consists of carbon fiber. Also new is the rear derailleur format entirely of carbon and titanium screws with gold. The cranks' dark finish are more or less the same as the previous Record, just having less weight and more resistance to twisting. The brakes were tightened and made more lightweight, the chain is reduced by a few millimeters and thus also the sprockets to host the eleventh gear. The derailleur, still in carbon with gold and titanium screws and the headset is unchanged. This is currently the best groupset  on the market when you consider the bigger picture -   for lightness, precision, speed of change and the high price.

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The Campagnolo Gran Sport  was the first bicycle gear system that used the principle of the derailleur parallelogram, now universally adopted as the defacto bicycle gear changer and effectively what you can expect to see on your own modern day bicycle even now. It was designed and patented by the Vicenzan Tullio Campagnolo, owner of the Campagnolo company and presented to the public for the first time at the Paris Cycle Show in October 1949.

The first version was a model with two cables. It was never sold and produced in only 10 prototypes: one of two cables used to drive the chain to the largest sprocket, the other would move it over to the smaller one. A pulley with two wheels then served by tension, so that the chain would always be the correct tension. The revolutionary aspect of this change was the fact that the cyclist could continue to pedal forward (even though the change  often required to stick a pedal backwards for placement) without having to slow or even stop.

The following year  the single cable model was created, the ancestor of all modern derailleurs. While pulling the cable carrying the chain on the largest sprocket, you could go over small ones that cable release, thanks to the strength of a spring located in the derailleur.

During the 1950s the  Gran Sport gear system underwent many changes and innovations, becoming the derailleur in wide use among professional cyclists. Campagnolo also started to mark "Gran Sport" on other components, from the pedals to the front derailleur.

During the 1960s and 1970s saw the introduction of other components  to the Gran Sport range. High quality components but less than that of the premeir Record gruppo including cranks, pedals and seat post. This new change involved releasing them as a new groupset and this was given the  name Nuovo Grand Sport.

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Campag Delta Brake

When we're talking about cycling components that riders have looked desiringly at over the years through the shop windows with lusful eyes there are plenty of candidates for the number one spot. The first Shimano index gearing, the first look clipless pedals, the first purpose built mtb groupset or any groupset from Campagnolo that had been perfectly engineered to provide the best possible synergy between rider and bike possible at the time.

Campagnolo started out in 1933 when Tullio Campagnolo came up with various ideas while competing as a racing cyclist.  These included quick release mechanisms for bicycle wheels, deraillieur gearing and a rod gear system for positioning a deraillieur. Although this can be contentious as many companies have later claimed to come up with the same design. Infact as a teenager in 198os east end of London an old and somewhat eccentric local character was adamant in conversation that he had infact invented deraillieur gearing. And he didn't have an Italian accent!

The company slowly expanded from making hand built hubs and deraillieurs from the back of Tullio's father's hardware store in Vicenza to making parallelogram front and rear deraillieurs.

During the 1950s Campagnolo started manufacturing high end parts for sports cars such as Ferrari and Maserati and built parts for space sattelites during the 1960s. To this day it is still possible to purchase high end Campagnolo wheels for Ferrari sports cars.

Major success came Campagnolo's way when Eddy Merckx used the refined version of the earlier produced Record deraillieur, the Nuovo Record to win the first four Tour de France victories.

Following on from this success Campagnolo introduced the Super Record groupsets for road and track use in 1973, one of the most sought after groupsets in history.

Shaken by Tullio's passing in 1983 Campagnolo continued to make advances in bike design with one of the most beautiful brakesets ever produced - the coveted Delta calipers.

In 1986 Campagnolo launched the C-Record groupset - A redesigned Record  to meet the challenges posed from Japan's Shimano components  and then 3 years later tried a short lived foray into the emerging MTb world with the Euclid off road groupset which failed to catch on.

The 1990s saw Japan's dominance increase over Campagnolo with Shimano stealing a march on integrated brake and gear shifting and Campagnolo trying to catch up.

The day's where Campagnolo were the default high end player in cycling were over but as retro cycling vintage collectors we are blessed that the Campagnolo parts from before this era were made to such high standards of workmanship and design that many examples still exist today in almost perfect condition.

If you are putting together a bike and want classic components that still work perfectly you know what brand to hunt for...

There is only one Campagnolo

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Welcome to the world of Retro Vintage Cycling. Over the coming months and hopefully even years I'll be delving deep into the history of classic cycling equipment and manufacturers resurrecting memories from an earlier time when bikes and their components were made from metal rather than that plastic stuff they call carbon fibre and reliability was a given.

We'll be looking at classic early groupsets from Shimano such as the 600EX and Sante as well as their Suntour equivalents from the time. And no website on cycling would be complete without the leading marque of all - Campagnolo and their offerings such as Nuovo Record and the aesthitcally, if not quite functionally perfect Delta brakes.

Hopefully we will get around to looking at early off road offerings too with a trip down memory lane on the frames that made mountainbiking such as Kona Cinder Cones, Specialized Stumpjumbers and for our UK readers the classic Muddy Fox Courier.

We'll also take a look back at our first bikes such as PK Ripper BMXs, Raleigh Choppers and a whole host of Schwinns.

If you want to join in the fun please subscibe to our RSS feed or if you would like to share your memories then please get in touch.

All the Best

John