maggio2

I jut found a bike in the trash and was looking for some info. It is a Rolls Bike and the stickers say Italian handmade and World Champion. It has Campy components. It seems to be a heavy but well made bike. Any info?

DieselDan

Don't know about the frame, but evaluate the Campy components. Campy did make some lower end stuff that's so-so, but it's worth a look.

kgatwork

Is it a ROLLS Eurocycle? Does it have any 3 leaf clover emblems or insignias?

maggio2

Yes, it has a 3 leaf clover style insignia

kgatwork

When I was a youngster, my parents bought me as my first 10 speed bike, a Rolls. It was Sky blue in color, low end stuff, but it was lite weight by those days standards, a lot lighter than my friends Schwinn Varsity's and continentals (funny thing is I wanted a Varsity). I think they paid 150 back in the early 70's. I seem to recall that it had Ambrosio aluminum rims, hutchinson tires, dia-compe center pull brakes, Huret front and rear derailluers, Christophe toe clips on a unknown steel lugged frame (don't remember seeing any stickers for the material) and it had a cheap plastic saddle. The fork dropouts where chrome plated as well as the rear dropouts. I really liked that bike, but it got stolen when I was 16ish, so I replaced it with a motorcycle.

I'd like to find out more about this bike as well, I hope someone can give more feedback. I know Colnogo uses the 3 leaf clover insignia, but I'm not sure why I remember seeing the 3 leaf clover insignia as well as the Giro d'Italy on the bike. (Maybe its got some thoroughbred history to it)

Citoyen du Monde

There was an American importer who marketed a bike under the Rolls name and 'illegally' used the world champion stripes on his bikes.

kgatwork

Thanks, I seem to remember the World Champion stripes on the bike too.

Chuck "FB"

I had a Rolls in the mid 70's which I bought from the shop manager of a local bike shop. I was told that Rolls was started by 2 (or 3?) "renegade" Colnago builders. Mine was all Campagnolo Nuovo Record and rode very nicely.

Chuck

bosco boy

Rolls bikes were imported by a fellow by the name of Rosaario Ondo I believe and distributed by Cyclesport in Park Ridge NJ. They were imported in the early seventies in competition with the Peugeots and Paris Sports that were popular during the early bike boom.

kgatwork

So for the big question is who did they import the bikes from?

maggio2

The bike is clearly from Cyclesport in Park Ridge, NJ. Any more info would be great. Were they the only source of Rolls bikes.

maggio2

Anyone have any additional info?

JosephCP

Hello.....I would be interested in talking to you about your Rolls...I am in the process of restoring mine.....it is serial # 2....yes...there are many similarities to the Colnago bikes of the 70's I have much info about it including original equipment and specs. Feel free to e mail me

JosephCP

Hi.....I have much information about Rolls....I am in the process of resotoring mine....send me an e mail and we can discuss if you wish

kgatwork

If you could post in this thread, I'm sure there are a few other people interested in the heritage of the Rolls. Do you have any model names, I'm pretty sure the Rolls that my parents got me was entry-level, but I'd like to know what other models were made, the frame material used, etc.

One other thing I remember is that it had a Stronglight A-9 headset, which I believe can still be purchased.

Thanks.

lolaworks

Hi, I have a rolls-colnago that I bought at Cyclesport of Park Ridge, NJ slightly used in 1974 (when I was a 15 year old racer). Here's what I know for sure: There was a line of Rolls bicycle that were imported in the 70's. most were just typical quality for the price, like Atala's or other Italian bikes. The Top of the line model, however, were truly great bikes made by Ernesto Colnago's shop, before Colnagos were seen much over here. They were imported by Rosario Ando, who I hear is still around though he must be quite old by now. The Colnago rolls bikes are identifiable by various cloverleaves but specifically the one cut into the bottom of the bottom bracket. I was recently asking John Eustus, who is a sometimes Bike race comentator, race promoter, and general bike maven about my bike and he told me something very funny that makes sense of stuff I heard back at the time: John says that Rosario and Ernesto Colnago hatched a scam whereby they took used colnago pro bikes that had been raced for a season (this at a time when Eddy Merckx was riding Colnagos) refinished them and sold them as Rolls Colnagos. My bike was Rosario's personal bike before he sold it to me, and he told me that it was made by Mario something, and that he was the guy making Merckx's bikes at the time. When John told me the story I began to wonder if I had an old Eddie Merckx bike, but I found out that mine is too small for him (it's 54cm), so alas I don't have the piece of history I'd hoped for. Somewhere on the colnago website they have the spec's on Merckx's old bikes I think. Check to see if yours matches. They sold in 1974 for $750 which was a lot of money. Where did you find yours and what condition is it in. I have been fantasizing about restoring mine--I painted it yellow in 1987!?!

bosco boy

I worked for Cycle Sport in the early seventy's and sold the Rolls bikes. They had a full line of bikes made by a couple of different builders. Rosario passed away a few years ago and knew both E. Colnago and T. Campagnolo.
Cyclesport is still in Park Ridge and may be able to tell you more about the bikes as Mike Grotz runs the place, his father was the man who with Rosario imported the machines.

maggio2

The Rolls I have has Campagnolo Valentino components so I assume it is one of the lesser models. It does have the Cloverleafs though.

maggio2

I found mine in Rivervale NJ and it appears to be in great shape.

stinz

I am looking for any rolls bicycles do you know where i can find them....please e-mail me back

cudak888 

Saw the title of this thread and couldn't help myself...

-Kurt

lotek 

stinz,

you need to realize this thread is over a year old, and the Original poster
never posted after this thread.
I deleted the duplicate and triplicate of your post.

marty

JosephCP

I will take some pics of my restored frame and post soon.

BobK11554

I have ridden mine since the '70s until I got into an auto accident on a century. The wheels will never be the same, but I still like the bike.
My brother has one too, in new condition, and he keeps it chained up in his garage so it doesn't get stolen. He won't ride any other bike.

jackc

If anyone knows where I can buy a Rolls bicycle please let me know....I owned one when I was 14..got hit by a car...I walked away...the Rolls died!