Columbus Ad on a bike. Keep or scrape?
 

When I first posted the acquisition of the Pinarello, someone suggested to get rid of the Columbus sticker on the forks.
I have debated ever since, about 6 years!
When I first picked up the Colnago, I was temped like may newbies, to repaint. I paid attention to the posters and the phrase " its original only once" and did not repaint. I may yet replace the Columbus sticker on the down tube due to the damage. I really don't see a problem with that level of change or, you could say, maintenance.

So the reason I have not removed the stickers is because it is " original only once" They are beat up as is the finish of the bike. I haven't seen them on any other bike that I can recall.

Should they stay or go? I am referring to the long one under the normal decal
https://live.staticflickr.com/3855/1...f6a9e40_4k.jpgP1020172, on Flickr

1991ish Montello

You could always claim they just fell off, on their own, along with Pinarello decals. :rolleyes:

@T-Mar LOL I like the thinking but then I would have to go after the other decals too! Columbus could have taught Pinarello and others how to produce decals!

I'd leave it on until it falls off.

Can you post a full bike picture? Por favor

@malcala622 Thanks for asking! I have posted this so many times I think BFr's roll their eyes!
This is the most recent pic after replacing most of the components, DA 740x, with Campagnolo Chorus.
https://live.staticflickr.com/1886/3...26fbf37_4k.jpgCConversion95, on Flickr

I usually stand back a few feet when I add something to a build. See if it fits with the whole look of the bike.

Im changing my vote....

Take it off!!!, take it off!!!

I would take that off in a heartbeat.

Unless it was originally plastered to the bike, you could liken removing it to undoing a drew "repair" from a previous owner. I love the bike's patina, but I personally think the sticker interferes with the line of the profile, and chrome makes it a less risky procedure. I say get rid of it...

"Cancel Culture" strikes again!

It is so drilled into me not to take pictures of the non drive side that I really couldn't find a good pic of the other side. Here are two I did find. Note the damage.
https://live.staticflickr.com/3836/1...aa0da5f_4k.jpgP1020151, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/3875/1...d179e25_4k.jpgP1020154, on Flickr

Entertaining responses! Love them!
I am torn, kinda like the non drive side. Part of me wants to remove them and the other part sticks!
I do believe they are original, like the rest of the bike in these two pictures.

Get the hair dryer. Warm up the sticker, peal and good bye. Were it me, the sticker would have been gone on day one, but that is just me.

Did you already remove the DA sticker by the shift levers? If so, why stop there?

Proving all sorts of things, right here. When I saw the picture, I wondered if you would change or stick. I applaud your ability to receive and process new information. would that we could all do the same.
Nice looking bike, get rid of the sticker.

natterberry No, there was no DA sticker on the bike. Everything on it was DA except for the HS, stem, HB, and post. Very nice group set, need to remove the hubs, then it will be complete Campy Chorus except the rear hub, record. The current cassette is a modification of the spacers between the sprockets to be Campagnolo compatable. Works great. Big improvement over DT index.
I think I have over 5K on this bike and really enjoy riding it. I am in the process of converting to tubular. Only taking me several months! Need the right spokes as the front wheel is radial spoke pattern on a Chorus hub that I have been warned should not be radial laced.
https://live.staticflickr.com/3854/1...2f4a614c_c.jpgOmega Strada Hardox V Chorus Front 32_01, on Flickr

I was referencing this photo. That sticker appears missing in the first post.

natterberry If you are referring to the sticker on the DT, it is not a DA sticker. It is a Pinarello decal commemorating 1984 Olympic win.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ty0AA...BW/s-l1600.jpg

They gotta go. To me it's akin to taking the wrapping off of something.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a2ff0a0df.jpeg


Either way, it seems absent in the first post. If that sticker(whatever it is) is gone, I really wouldn’t hesitate to remove another.

natterberry It is still on the bike, just faded to oblivion. That could be another thread or a diversion. Should the original decals be replaced? What would that do to the "Patina" of the bike? The decal with the signature of Giovani is gone on the back of the TT and Montello on the front of the TT. It fell of along with those on the TT and DT which show up as ghost images.
https://live.staticflickr.com/3894/1...63f9e554_c.jpgP1020156 , on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/2922/1...e1c655a9_c.jpgP1020157, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/5500/1...df2e11df_c.jpgP1020159 , on Flickr
The original decals were black. you can see bits of the edge in the last picture.
Its one thing for them to fall off, it's another to remove.

Y'all are doing a good job of moving me off the procrastination fence.

awesome looking bike, should be fine w/o the horsy dove. no two doves should stay on one fork leg. red 'n gold, small but powerful statement.
btw, is it a Tre Cime in Gelato color theme? gorgeous.

Seems odd to have two Columbus decals on a fork blade. I would think that a bike would come with one or the other. Are you sure a previous owner didn't add the vertical font decal? I would opt for one decal per fork blade.

P.S. Cool bike!

The bike would look a lot nicer without those giant white decals.

Those are silly looking stickers and their only function is to ruin the beauty of that lovely chrome fork. You are never ever going to meet the sticker stickler who would care about retaining such things. I hope I’m being clear but not rude or harsh. Nice bike!

Edit: Plus the bike will be lighter without them if that helps sway you.

Less is more.

I wish someone at the old Falcon plant had thought the same. They used way too many decals ... for over two decades. At one time, my '87 had like eight decals all over it, stock from the factory, including two on the front of the fork and two more on the back of the seatstays. wtf.

I picked up this Trek recently. The owner was very proud of his Campy choices and applied two big Campy decals on the seat tube. Yeah, they're sorta cool, and it was a really nice build, but, again, less is more.

https://i.imgur.com/hLK4pDV.jpg

WD-40 and a razor blade is all it takes.

I bought one of those Moto Team Champions with the zebra stripes in 1978. Pulled it out of the box and yanked the stripes off before I even put the wheels on. So you have my answer.