Colnago "1988 XL"...any information?
09-27-22, 09:19 AM
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Colnago "1988 XL"...any information?
I got a great deal on this frame on Ebay ($200 plus shipping!!! Including the fork, seat post, head set, bottom bracket, and ONE friction shift lever), and was wondering if anyone could tell me more about it. There doesn't seem to be much information about this model on the web, and the Colnago catalogs for the year it was made (presumably 1988) don't feature it.
The frame is in great condition, and I'm planning to make it a daily driver with a 10 speed Chorus groupset I have laying around, since the frame doesn't seem to be particularly rare or valuable (and I don't like leaving more expensive bikes unattended in front of a restaurant, for example). It seems to have the same geometry as my Master, although I didn't take precise measurements, just had them side by side.
It has a chromed, Colnago Precisa fork with a little bit of surface freckling that cleaned up with some metal polish. A Colnago headseat (which I've never seen before), and the rear dropouts are marked "Colnago." Other than that, there don't seem to be any markings on the frame, at least not in the usual Colnago spots (bottom bracket, top of seat stays, etc). The paint is very good, with only a few small road chips, and the decals are decent, but a little scratched up. I don't see any rust in the BB or seat tube, so it doesn't seem to have suffered much neglect.
It has round tubes of Columbus Tretubi, which I understand means the top, bottom, and down tubes are Columbus SP (or SL?), and the seat and chain stays are a lower grade of steel. It has an Ofmega bottom bracket, which seems to be spinning smoothly, although I'll probably regrease it before I build up the bike. Not sure if Campagnolo cranks will mate to the BB, seen some differing information on the web about this.
Anyway, posting to show it off a little, and hoping someone might know a bit more about this model specifically. Curious to know more about it. I presume it was a step down from the Master/Super, but would like to know if it was sold as a frame or complete bike, if it was a US or Euro or Asian market bike, etc.
Most of what (little) I could find on the web was somewhat critical of it, but I can't see why a bike with the same geometry and more or less comparable materials would be much different to ride than a Master or Super or similar bike. Personally, I have Colnagos in Carbon, Steel, Titanium, and Aluminum, and they all seem to have similar ride quality...the fork seems to make the most significant difference, more than the material.
Anyway, here's some pictures:
The frame is in great condition, and I'm planning to make it a daily driver with a 10 speed Chorus groupset I have laying around, since the frame doesn't seem to be particularly rare or valuable (and I don't like leaving more expensive bikes unattended in front of a restaurant, for example). It seems to have the same geometry as my Master, although I didn't take precise measurements, just had them side by side.
It has a chromed, Colnago Precisa fork with a little bit of surface freckling that cleaned up with some metal polish. A Colnago headseat (which I've never seen before), and the rear dropouts are marked "Colnago." Other than that, there don't seem to be any markings on the frame, at least not in the usual Colnago spots (bottom bracket, top of seat stays, etc). The paint is very good, with only a few small road chips, and the decals are decent, but a little scratched up. I don't see any rust in the BB or seat tube, so it doesn't seem to have suffered much neglect.
It has round tubes of Columbus Tretubi, which I understand means the top, bottom, and down tubes are Columbus SP (or SL?), and the seat and chain stays are a lower grade of steel. It has an Ofmega bottom bracket, which seems to be spinning smoothly, although I'll probably regrease it before I build up the bike. Not sure if Campagnolo cranks will mate to the BB, seen some differing information on the web about this.
Anyway, posting to show it off a little, and hoping someone might know a bit more about this model specifically. Curious to know more about it. I presume it was a step down from the Master/Super, but would like to know if it was sold as a frame or complete bike, if it was a US or Euro or Asian market bike, etc.
Most of what (little) I could find on the web was somewhat critical of it, but I can't see why a bike with the same geometry and more or less comparable materials would be much different to ride than a Master or Super or similar bike. Personally, I have Colnagos in Carbon, Steel, Titanium, and Aluminum, and they all seem to have similar ride quality...the fork seems to make the most significant difference, more than the material.
Anyway, here's some pictures:
Last edited by dpd3672; 09-27-22 at 09:23 AM.
09-27-22, 02:16 PM
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Nice bike you have over there....if the paint is original, this is by far not neglected. Cromor is the lower end of the Columbus palette, but it does not make it a bad bike at all, and the price you paid for it is called a robbery. I guess this must be the precursor of the Super91, but people who are smarter than me will confirm or deny this.
That fork is not precisa, since that has straight blades, see on later Masters...
Made a quick google check, and see, that over here, people are talking about exact copies of your on many occasions, hence I would guess it was internationally sold. The Germans point to this flickr page claiming, it is the full orig layout, it explains the Ofmega BB, looks like the headset was a different one (but that doesn't mean anything) so check it out if interested:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/248045...l-1032813@N22/
Lattz
That fork is not precisa, since that has straight blades, see on later Masters...
Made a quick google check, and see, that over here, people are talking about exact copies of your on many occasions, hence I would guess it was internationally sold. The Germans point to this flickr page claiming, it is the full orig layout, it explains the Ofmega BB, looks like the headset was a different one (but that doesn't mean anything) so check it out if interested:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/248045...l-1032813@N22/
Lattz
09-27-22, 06:27 PM
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My second Italian bike, and my first Colnago - well, mine was an 89 XL, specced in exactly the same way as the one in the Flickr link. Rode it for a couple/three years, a capable enough machine, but not built to a finish I was all that happy with. Cromor pipes didn't make for a light, or particularly awesome handling bike, but it was decent enough for its price point. Paid around $800 for it in '90.
Have fun with it - not so high on the coveted list, so you can afford to bash it around with little worry - that's how I rode mine
DD
Have fun with it - not so high on the coveted list, so you can afford to bash it around with little worry - that's how I rode mine
DD
09-27-22, 06:47 PM
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Nice bike you have over there....if the paint is original, this is by far not neglected. Cromor is the lower end of the Columbus palette, but it does not make it a bad bike at all, and the price you paid for it is called a robbery. I guess this must be the precursor of the Super91, but people who are smarter than me will confirm or deny this.
That fork is not precisa, since that has straight blades, see on later Masters...
Made a quick google check, and see, that over here, people are talking about exact copies of your on many occasions, hence I would guess it was internationally sold. The Germans point to this flickr page claiming, it is the full orig layout, it explains the Ofmega BB, looks like the headset was a different one (but that doesn't mean anything) so check it out if interested:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/248045...l-1032813@N22/
Lattz
That fork is not precisa, since that has straight blades, see on later Masters...
Made a quick google check, and see, that over here, people are talking about exact copies of your on many occasions, hence I would guess it was internationally sold. The Germans point to this flickr page claiming, it is the full orig layout, it explains the Ofmega BB, looks like the headset was a different one (but that doesn't mean anything) so check it out if interested:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/248045...l-1032813@N22/
Lattz
My second Italian bike, and my first Colnago - well, mine was an 89 XL, specced in exactly the same way as the one in the Flickr link. Rode it for a couple/three years, a capable enough machine, but not built to a finish I was all that happy with. Cromor pipes didn't make for a light, or particularly awesome handling bike, but it was decent enough for its price point. Paid around $800 for it in '90.
Have fun with it - not so high on the coveted list, so you can afford to bash it around with little worry - that's how I rode mine
DD
Have fun with it - not so high on the coveted list, so you can afford to bash it around with little worry - that's how I rode mine
DD
And thanks for the link. That bike is exactly what I have. Interesting to see what it was built up with. I'm going with more modern components, but nothing too anachronistic...10 speed integrated shifters and some upgraded wheels with 130mm hubs, since I don't have any spare 126mm wheels or older groupsets. It took a tiny bit of flexing, but the 130mm hubs fit in the dropouts pretty well, and everything looks pretty straight and true.
Last edited by dpd3672; 09-27-22 at 06:53 PM.
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11-03-22, 09:39 AM
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Finished the build and took it for a ride last night...weather was unseasonably warm here in Michigan. Posting a pic because I'm a bit OCD and love closure, lol.
Very nice ride, indistinguishable from my Master. I built it as a beater, but I think it might wind up my "go to" ride. It's nice enough to appreciate and not so nice I'll stress about every scratch. The Tretubi Chromor tubes feel great, maybe not as stiff as the Gilco, but unless I rode them side by side, I'd never notice. Blindfolded, I'd swear this was a Master.
Built up with mostly spare parts I had, I probably have about $600 into it total...probably the best bargain I've ever got in a bike.
Chorus 10 speed group
Bontrager Race X Lite rims...not my first choice for an Italian build, but I found a great deal on them...Trek rims with Campagnolo hubs don't generally appeal to either the Italian bike crowd or the Trek crowd, so they were a steal ($90+Shipping on Ebay). They're actually pretty great rims, and I think the white spokes kinda look good on this bike, with the other white accents. 28mm Michelin Pro tires (came with the rims) which are a nice, comfortable ride compared to the 23/25mm tires on my other road bikes.
A Cobb saddle and some generic cables/housings/bar tape complete the build.
Very nice ride, indistinguishable from my Master. I built it as a beater, but I think it might wind up my "go to" ride. It's nice enough to appreciate and not so nice I'll stress about every scratch. The Tretubi Chromor tubes feel great, maybe not as stiff as the Gilco, but unless I rode them side by side, I'd never notice. Blindfolded, I'd swear this was a Master.
Built up with mostly spare parts I had, I probably have about $600 into it total...probably the best bargain I've ever got in a bike.
Chorus 10 speed group
Bontrager Race X Lite rims...not my first choice for an Italian build, but I found a great deal on them...Trek rims with Campagnolo hubs don't generally appeal to either the Italian bike crowd or the Trek crowd, so they were a steal ($90+Shipping on Ebay). They're actually pretty great rims, and I think the white spokes kinda look good on this bike, with the other white accents. 28mm Michelin Pro tires (came with the rims) which are a nice, comfortable ride compared to the 23/25mm tires on my other road bikes.
A Cobb saddle and some generic cables/housings/bar tape complete the build.
Last edited by dpd3672; 11-03-22 at 11:58 AM.
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