-holiday76

I'll use this thread for my Colnago build. For now, I'd like some feedback as to your opinion on bar tape, cable, saddle color. I think i'm going to get a Brooks Swift. I thought about trying a Regal or some other Italian saddle, but I know I like Brooks saddle so that's what I'm leaning towards right now.

First of all, here's the a pic of a Super in the same colors for reference:



I think for cable housing i will use white. That seems like a no brainer.

For bar tape, my first choice is always leather which I could match with the swift, but I also have red Colnago cork looking type stuff that will match the frame. I think it's this stuff:



Should I use that or get leather to match the saddle?

BTW, there will be 8 sp ergo's with black hoods, if that matters to you.

As for the saddle, which color?

auchencrow

White Housing
Black Brake Hoods
White bar tape
Black Saddle

gomango

Ok, a couple of items here.

First of all, I love Brooks Swifts and Swallows.

They just fit me.

I just ordered a Swift for my John Hollands, and it won't be the last time I order a Brooks product.

So, if you have your heart set on a Brooks, go for it.

For my Colnagos though, I only rode Regals.

That being said, I'd really consider a white Regal Forato like this one.



Then, go ahead with the white housings. Jagwire would probably work well.

Next, I would really consider a product like Handlebra.



Yep, a very nice white leather wrap.

A riding partner has this on his Master PIU, and it is as nice as any wrap I've ever seen.

Even though I have my Master Extra Light for sale, I'll probably come back to another Colnago eventually.

....and a red Super would be sweet.

You'll love yours I bet.

...and the black Ergo hoods would work quite well with my scheme.

Drillium Dude 

Going by the thread a few days ago, something that matches the decals and frame window highlights. Since there's black in the decals, could go there. However, the white is more predominant, plus the lug windows/pantos are in white, too. So:

White saddle (I like Grady's Regal idea), white cables, white tape - and of course you can still go black, white or gum for the brake hoods. I don't even get that anal, matching up my hoods to everything else!

A Superissimo is a great choice, by the way. Is this going to be a modern or retro build?

DD

JunkYardBike

+1 + white saddle + white bar tape + white housing.

You want a gaudy Italian frame, you have to complete the look.

gomango

...and I always thought my Supers were understated compared to my MXL!

JunkYardBike

Anything requiring a white saddle is gaudy!

That said, I'm still working on my super-secret yellow eyesore, due out this spring. Check your local listings.

vjp

Please, no Brooks on this bike. Please.

ColonelJLloyd 

Black brooks, black leather tape and skinwalls. I'm sure a white Regal and white tape would look fine; just not my taste. I'm all for a keeping a bike as true to its country of origin in a lot of cases, but my determining factor in a saddle is comfort and fit. I'll choose a saddle and then I'll choose a color.

I say get a black Swift and use your red cork stuff. Ride it. If you don't like it, buy some black leather tape.

RoboIsGod

I must second this.

I don't think you'll find anything more perfect for this than the pictured above Regal Forato. Either that or a white Rolls or even Turbo. But please, no brooks on this beautiful Italian bicycle.

buldogge

If it is gonna be a Brooks, it needs to be a Swallow, and it will have to be black unless you can dig up one of the ltd edition white ones.

I would go for the perf. Regal as well...will be ordering one shortly for my De Rosa.

White tape...Fizik microtex or dual...maybe the perf. stuff OFG uses. World champ. stripe tape.

Black housing to make the logos pop and balance the hoods.

Silver stem and post (I assume).

Rims could go either black or silver...hubs and spokes need to be silver.

I like the GP4000s with "brown" sidewalls if you run 23c.

My 2c...

AZORCH

If you must go with Brooks, then the Swallow has my vote; I love Brooks for my touring builds but I'll be very frank: a Regal is the only saddle I'd consider for the Colnago. I find it to be - by far! - the most comfortable road/racing-style saddle out there, and it has the right "look" for an Italian bike. Just my two cents worth.

Bianchigirll 

I would do a black saddle. as for the bars and cable..... I think white, and the tires must have tan sidewalls.

otherwise see this...https://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/#5 LOL

-holiday76

Ok, I'll try a regal. I'm willing to broaden my horizons. Plus it sounds like there are a lot of potential buyers should I decide I don't like it. What's the cheapest place to get one?

Here's a Rega Forato for $76 plus shipping from the UK:

https://www.petracycles.co.uk/product...ource=googleus

As for the other items, I'm looking at the handlebra, but that stuff is expensive. I like leather because I can ride it with no gloves, though I suppose I'm open the anything on this bike since I'm not exactly going to be touring on it.

To answer some of the there questions, it's being built with 8 sp ergo, though I do have super record stuff should I decide to go that route. I suppose I could change my mind at the last minute but right now it's looking like it's either getting 8 sp ergo or possibly 10 sp chorus transferred from another bike I have...

The stem is a black cinelli.

I will probably run 23c tires so keep the suggestions coming for those as well.

KonAaron Snake 

I think it's going to look sharp no matter what you do, but I'm not a bike fashionista. That's another way of saying I'm not good with color coordination. Most of the time I use whatever saddle I can get a good deal on. I definitely need to try that handlebra stuff out!

buldogge

Petra's shipping is expensive. Chain Reaction is $89 including shipping.

I stick by my GP4000 recommendation.

well biked

First let me say that you have a beautiful frameset, so no matter what you choose to do, I know you'll have a beautiful bike.

I've had my Italian steel dressed out in several configurations. Here's a couple of pics with a black Swift, black tape, black housings:





Here's a couple with a white Concor saddle, white tape, white tires, and white cable housings:





And here's another in all black with a Selle Italia Flite saddle. This is the current configuration, and I have no plans to change anytime soon. My reasoning was that the white stuff looked nice, but was a real pain to keep clean (and the white stuff when it's dirty looks worse than anything IMO), and this bike is a rider. As for the Brooks Swift, I liked it, as I almost always do with Brooks saddles. But I have to admit, and maybe it's kind of petty, but I took it off because I felt like it's more appropriate to have an Italian racing saddle on this bike.

-holiday76

thanks for all the votes/opinions. Anyone else?

Roger M

What wheels are you going with(aonodized, black, polished, silver, etc)

Black tires or skinwall or other?

I saw the frame when it was for sale, this is going to be very nice looking bike any way you build it.

poprad

I think the black Brooks would look just fine, and in reality it is an Italian marque now. That's going to be a very nice build.

gomango

I like Continental 4000s tires, but these are very nice as well.

Veloflex Master 22 clinchers.

I think they'd look fantastic on this Colnago.

mazdaspeed

White microtex bar tape, white cable housings, white regal saddle pictured above (perforated to match the bar tape). Just IMO, it would be pretty hard to make that bike look bad at any rate. Throwing some yellow in there is another possibility IMO, or maybe a honey swift with honey bar tape.

buldogge

Hey Grady...Do these Veloflex run true to size? (seeing as the Contis are always a little narrower then listed)

How's the flat protection...or is there any to speak of???

gomango

I have them on three bikes.

Seem fairly close as far as "tts" goes.

I put a little over 1,300 miles on a set late in the season, and rode them well into November with no issues.

I have them on two De Rosas, my 35th and my Professional.

That do seem to get their share of positive comments as well.

I just put another set on a Zullo I am trying to put together.

Oh, I've had a major pain installing them on various Mavic rims, but Aaron said they went on his Marnati with zero strife.

-holiday76

hmm, Italian gaudy, how about these?



https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=Y1083