jliet

Hello everyone! Managed to grab this 'Gardin' frame for cheap. I'm trying to identify tubing/potential year/any other information, which would be appreciated.

For reference, I have managed to find this: Fixed Gear Gallery :: Christopher Tallman's Cambio Rino - which basically looks identical.

• It feels very light, and has ovalised tubing (as seen from the pictures). From what I've read - it could be Columbus tubing? Has very weird angles though... almost like a 650 wheel could go on the front.
• Has gardin engravings on fork, bottom bracket, nothing on the BB shell.
• Campagnolo drop outs
• Came with sugino super mighty track version (year marking G-5), though this is definitely a new addition.
• It's been (clearly) re-painted, and badly. However, there doesn't seem to be paint underneath the orange so either it was also originally orange and someone tried to 'fix it up' or it was stripped and then painted badly. Having said that, the orange paint seems to be surviving quite well...

Basically any help on identifying tubing/whether this was one of Gardin's frames built in italy vs. canada would be useful! Thanks.

T-Mar

The really steep head angle was a trait inherited from Cambio Rino. Even the road fames were atypically steep. Based on the F. Gardin crown, I believe this is fairly early in the venture, circa 1981-1983.

As for the tubing, it could be just about anything but I'd be leaning towards something higher end, given all the embossing, especially the head tube. My first step would be to remove the front wheel and examine inside the bottom of the steering tube for the five helical ridges that indicative of a Columbus steerer. Then I'd determine the diameter of the seat post. The findings should give us a good idea if it is a Columbus tubeset and the level.

Senrab62 

Beautiful bike! Thanks for sharing.

I too have a couple track bikes where the clearance is tight due headtube angles. Tire to down tube bothered me so much, I checked to ensure the fork wasn't tweaked!

You could consider a 650 conversion to mellow out ride and net some extra clearance, but if you can handle the angles, build it up and ride it!

Keep us posted.

jliet

Thanks for the information. The seat tube is definitely 26.4 - let me clean up the steering tube and see what it looks like!

jliet

Can't see any helical-esque features inside here, though it looks like a mess...

T-Mar

26.4mm is quite small, unless it's metric tubing, which I wouldn't expect. Even Columbus' lowest tubeset, hi-tensile Zeta, typically used a 26.6mm post. Cambio Rino was a big user of Zeta and I have even seen them use it on track frames. However, there's also a possibilty that it's an undersized post. Check for a shim or signnificant pinching at the top of the cinch slot.

T-Mar

I don't see any ridges either. So, unless it's tretubi, that eliminates most Columbus tubesets of the era, except lower end Aelle and Zeta. A lot is ridng on that cinch slot!

jliet

Thanks so much for the continued information by the way!

You actually made me double check - the person I bought it from had a 26.4 post which was very solid - for bad reasons actually! It had actually been pushed until it hit the oval section of the seat tube and that's why it was so stuck.

26.4 is actually 'quite' loose - definitely 26.6+.

I guess it is more difficult to identify Zeta vs. SL? Another thing I found interesting is the tubes themselves - picture attached, haven't usually seen this sort of hole/weld combination on the top tube?

jliet

Thank you! And yes the headtube angles are very weird - it does make me wanna just throw on a 650 front wheel without messing around with anything else and just ride it without a brake.

I wonder what riding that would feel like with these angles haha

T-Mar

First, given that it's a track frame, I wouldn't expect SL. My prime candidates would have been PL (pista legerre) or PS (pista spint) as they were Columbus' two dedicated track tubesets. PL was intended for continuous effort events like pursuit races. It was plain gauge and used 0,6mm main tubes, typically requiring a 27.2mm seat post. PS was their sprint set and used 1.0/0.7mm butted main tubes, typically requiring a 27.0mm seat post. However, both used the Columbus steering tube with the helical ridges. So, if it is PL or PS, it's a tretubi version and not the fulll set.

Given the undersize post, the cinch slot would be pinched at the top. Take a screwdriver with a wide flat blade and gently pry it open until the the cinch slot is slightly wider at the top than the bottom. The top openining will likely no longer be round, so measuring the inner diameter won't be of much value. You'll have to experiment with seat posts of various diameters, until you find one that fits just nicely at the the bottom of the cinch slot, where the tube will still be round.

That hole in the seat tube is a vent to release gases from inside the top tube during the brazing operation. You can put the hole either in the head tube and/or the seat tube. There's quite a bit of build-up inside the seat tube, near the top. It could use a light hone or ream to clean it out. In a pinch, try some degreaser and a light manual sanding.

geeteeiii

Steerer tube looks quite dirty inside, cleaning it up might reveal some ridges? You will get used to the toe overlap, i personally prefer the steep track angles to slacker ones, makes the bike nice and responsive.

jliet

Thanks so much, will play around with that! Will also clean up the steerer, maybe some of those ridges will appear...

Honestly, I rode it from the seller to my house and it felt great - i'll give the steerer a bit more of a scrub, let's see...

3speedslow

That head tube panto is something you don’t see everyday! Nice machine you have there.