dbhouston 

Merry Christmas morning! I came across this bike listed for sale in Oklahoma, and I'm curious if anyone knows anything about it? From here and elsewhere, I've gathered that Colnago made occasional tribute bikes for Bepe Saronni in his signature red color. This one seems to have Campy Victory or Triomphe 7 speed? Most decals are gone, but it's probably not repainted because there seems to be a remnant Columbus decal on the seat tube and this very odd head badge:

RobbieTunes

Paint work looks iffy, but you never know. Cool bike, no matter.

CliffordK

Post a photo of the seat tube decals. Also, can you get a photo of the bottom of the bottom bracket? Better photos of the lug cutouts?

That doesn't appear to be based on a mainstream Colnago (not a Super/Master/Mexico/etc).

Colnago did make a Colnago Sport and a Colnago Junior which could be the basis for this, although I think at least the Junior was usually marked on the bottom bracket.

It is also possible it is a nice fake.

I think those are mid-level Campagnolo components. Still, nice.

Overall, it might be a nice bike, but I wouldn't pay a lot for it.

Bianchigirll 

Looks like CampI Triomphe

repechage

That lower head lug Might be from a Colnago Sport...
I have always felt a bit uneasy about these subordinate models. Not enough unique metalwork / details.

i find the club on the headtube curious.
the segment to the top is the earlier shape, the left and right are not radiused to the stem... hmmm.
a deliberate decision but why.

Masi USA had a go with lower tier frames- I found the two models Nuova Strada and Gran Corsa a bit confusing.
I would have been inclined to make the Gran Corsa as the one price point frame.

dbhouston 

Those pictures are pulled from the Facebook Marketplace listing, not mine. The text just says:
"Brand new wheels tubes and tires Dang squirrel or pack rat gnawed the leather on the sest even as I had it safely stored away. Very light quick responsive. 14 speed $400"

Here's the link, if it works: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace.../?ref=feed_rhc

The bike is a curiousity, but doesn't seem terribly promising if nobody can identify the frame.

HPL

Agree, early Triomphe RD, Triomphe shift levers, cranks, rings (Vict./Tri.)

Not sure about the "Sport" model, stay caps fluted on examples I've seen, but that might have changed yearly, also have seen "LOSA" style lugs (not actual "Losa"). Head lug work is not very clean, but I don't think they made the Sport in the Colnago factory; many examples have "product of VELOSPORT" (?country) incorporated into the DT decal. I would say that it is not Colnago made, but still could have been marketed by them. It does not resemble features from my '75 Super, '86 Nuovo Mexico, or 90s(?) Super Pui (?).
I don't believe the Sport has any "crimps" on the chainstays. I thought Saronni's name was "BEPPE", seems odd. Also, the Saronni model was a Super variant, with Saronni panto's on stay caps fork crown, and Saronni dropouts. Should be Columbus SL tubing; what's the seatpost size? Mostly from memory; too bad there's no BB photo.
Everything seems wrong, but could still be a decent frame.

easyupbug 

Beppe is the Italian variation of the given name of Giuseppe, which is the Italian form of Joseph, like we would say Joe. While far from an expert I have not seen "BePe" as a nickname for Giuseppe. I wonder is there is a registered trademark in the corner of the head badge which IIRC I have always seen on Colnago badges. Still might be a very nice frame, I have seen lovely frames that unknowing people try to upsell with better name recognition.

Moe Zhoost

May be worth the asking price, but I see no evidence in the pics that it is a Colnago. The Bepe decal is odd, but it's somewhat easy to make your own custom ones these days. Since paint job (definitely not Saronni red) and brazing are a bit sloppy, I'd guess that one of the owners took a mid-level frame and repainted/customized.

nomadmax 

I think that bike got the Bike Forums "tribute treatment".

When the guy built it up, half his friends said "it's his bike, who cares if it's fake?". The other half said "what happens when he no longer owns it and someone gets duped?".

HPL

Let us put to rest the "Saronni Theory"; this is not a Saronni variant of a Colnago Super, nor do I believe that it is a Colnago Sport. I would ask the seller to post clear photos of the "Columbus" decal (could be a replacement), the bottom bracket shell bottom, and the front and rear dropouts; as well as measuring the seatpost diameter (I think "Sport" used Aelle tubing, 26.8mm), and the BB shell width (68 or 70mm), and give the thread info from the BB assy. At least you might be able to to determine if it's an Italian type BB and threading, along with the tubing type.

So, not a Saronni, not a Colnago made frame, may be a Colnago marketed "Sport" but I doubt it. May still be an Italian made frame, but a lower quality one. Also, not too many Italian serial numbers on earlier bikes; I do not have a '60s-very early '80s frames with any serial numbers. If sporting one, I'd assume a mass production frame.

Not a $400 ride given the evidence. An okay component group, but not good enough to buy for the parts alone at asking price. If I was buying it I might go $150 just for the curiosity factor, but I'd still try to get all of the pertinent info from the seller first. I doubt that the 7 speed is original to the frame if early/mid '80s. Ask the seller for any personal history regarding how long they had it, where they got it from, and any know modifications in parts/aesthetics.

xiaoman1 

CliffordK

To me, it look like there is excess brass from brazing around the top headtube lug, as well as along the lower edge if the downtube lug.

Of course, it could be paint or rust bubbles.

However, if it is brass, then it would be indicative of a low quality finishing job on the frame.

crank_addict

NOT a Colnago but the logo is very much of another make that's drawn confusion between them. The champion stripes is another play as well.

Unable to think of the maker, possibly Netherlands origin and contract for others makers. Budget to high end racers.

SurferRosa

If the bb, pedals, and headset are Campy, I'd pay $200 for the group (incl. crankset, brakeset, fd, and shifters), but I like all that Triomphe stuff a lot.

That would leave me with a frame, cockpit, and rear derailleur to part out. Maybe if I could get it for $250- $300 and ask him to keep his "new" wheels...

63rickert

Looks to me like a well built frame with a very bad paint job. Remove paint to be sure what's going on with metal. In mood for that sort of project? If in rideable condition take for test ride and see how it feels. If a good ride maybe $150. If not ready for test ride then $50.

dbhouston 

Since I made y'all think about this mystery machine, I went out to see it today and took a quick spin around the block.

The frame seems completely unmarked other than the BePe headbadge and Columbus decals on downtube and forks. Sorry, but I forgot what exactly the Columbus decals said. So, mystery unsolved, I suppose. Doesn't look like a repaint to me, but I'm no expert. That red is pretty vibrant with a good wipe - not the orange that those pictures seem to show.

Other than the long lost hubs and whatever wheels it might have had, it has the full Triomphe groupset including pedals, headset, BB, and seatpost.

I'd probably make an offer if I had some other use for the groupset, but can't see wanting to spend much on a project built around a mystery frame and needing a wheel replacement.

Thanks for the feedback! I'll return my attention to the 1988 Trofeo I already have in the works.

bikemike73 

A pic of the BB......as mentioned above would resolve most of the mystery.

I believed Colnago used 9 holes in the BB up until 1970 ish.

Then they used the Ace of Clubs logo.

Good luck.

Be nice if you could get more pics

dbhouston 

In the shell? That was completely un-marked. It had a couple of plastic guides attached at the bottom, but nothing else.

HPL

If the BB plastic cable guide is an original then it certainly points to an 80's frame (later rather than earlier); including the 2 sets of bidon mounts. I'm still curious as to the BB width and ST I.D.

I did some research to try to satisfy my curiosity and find anything that used that same "Headbadge" design, but came up empty. There was a reference to a "BEPE" bike in 2006 on this site, but thread stopped and I couldn't retrieve photos to compare bikes. I sent a PM to the OP to see if that individual was still active here; last post was 2006, so probably not.

There is a reference to a frame/bike bought in 1983 in a Belgium bike shop named "BEPE". I do not know if this references back to your frame as I have no photographic example to compare.

HPL

I didn't know if you managed to find out anything else about the frame you got. I have attached a photo of my "Saronni" for comparison; there are at least 2 versions ( I believe mine is a third) of the "Saronni" Colnago, mine is definitely not the "Super" variant (no "crimps" in chainstays, "SLX" tubing vice "SL" (might be incorrect decal after repaint), BB shell style like cyclo-cross frame [slotted cut-outs]). Saronni rear dropouts, Saronni fork crown, "S" seat stay (some versions have "SARONNI"). These photos are from the seller I got it from; if you need others I can provide them.

Greg Williams

It's funny, I just saw this on Facebook marketplace, googled bepe bicycle and found this thread about the exact same bike. From looking at the photos the workmanship is very low end. I've got a couple of early 1970's Colnagos, and while they're not necessarily perfect, they show pretty clean workmanship. I would advise anyone to avoid this at anywhere near $400. The poor workmanship probably means low quality straight gauge tubing and the Triomphe group is not very sought after.

th3realmckay

It's BAAAAAAACK! $300 this time. Exact same photos.