Schlafen

As I mentioned in my Peugeot PH12 thread, I have managed to source a pretty neat frame.
Columbus MS is the tubing with columbus bb and dropouts.
From my research this is a painted cromovelato frame.
Besides headtube and seat tube, no tube on this frame is round shaped.
Battaglin claims to be the first builder to use oversize lugs, but I believe Mendiz did it first.
Frame and fork came to me with a campagnolo headset, which I replaced with a Rudelli needle bearing headset, looks better on this frame imo.
The pictures are taken at night, so they are not the best, but, it is what it is. Paint is a bit rough.











This will be a restomod, 11 speed. In order to start the build, frame needs to be cold set from 126 to 130 rear spacing. Due to the festive period, it'll have to wait until the new year. I also need to get a nice seatpost which is an unusual size between 25-25.4mm. This is all I got for now.

repechage

Multi shape tubing... chain stays of different cross section, beefy...
I this case not the frame if someone walked in the door I would want to expand.

if you do- one side at a time- try the expand the rear and expect things to go equally...
no.

Bianchigirll 

Red, White and Green with 'onion bag' graphics, chrome and MS tubing? What is not to love about this.

I agree it might be tricky to get that rear coldset.

I'd build it as a 7spd and ride it around for a bit before I tried to get it cold set.

jamesdak 

There's a whole lot of good going on there. I like it.

Schlafen

I'm actually very excited to ride this one because of the tubing 😁 .

I figured it's going to be difficult to cold set it myself, that's why I have decided to take it to a frame builder to align it properly in a jig.

Going to be 11 speed, I left the Peugeot alone, but this one gets it hehe.

Schlafen

Soo this is where it's at:

Aerzon

That frame has a nice paint scheme. How many functional speeds do you get from that 2x11 drivetrain?

Schlafen

22 functional speeds.

The colours are nice.
However, it has many paint chips on the underside of the bb/downtube. All paint is a matt/satin pearl, and by the looks of it, there's no clearcoat. It will be very hard to touch up. Probably easier to remove it all instead, as the base layer is chrome. The ugly side of cromovelato paintjobs.

CO_Hoya 

I don’t think this is a classic cromovelato but rather just paint over chrome.

Per previous discussion, cromovelato is a tinted lacquer (or other transparent coating) over polished chrome.


Yours appears to be standard paint over chrome.

Both cases can have lousy adhesion without proper prep, at least that’s what I’ve read here and experienced with bikes that have come thru my shed.

Very nice job with your restomod, by the way. I’m considering cramming a 2x11 drivetrain into a bike myself and this is encouraging.

Sir_Name 

Agreed the colors are nice, FWIW I would leave the paint as-is...sure there are some chips, but those add character. Plus, now you don’t have to worry about adding a couple more over time. Even if that’s not a “first choice” paint job, I think it’s cool enough to leave in place. I usually don’t really speak up about these things, but there ya go, my .02... I’d clean, wax, build and ride it. Either way, curious to see how it turns out. Enjoy!

Schlafen

'Cromovelato' literally means 'veiled chrome'.

The veil can be translucent or solid. The process is the same as far as I'm aware.
Mendiz chromed most of it's frames and translucent cromovelato was one of the offetings, my frame got the onion bag graphic instead hehe 😁

Schlafen

Not my favorite color, I'd rather sell it before thinking about a complete repaint. I'll build it up and ride it first. If I like it...we'll see.

unworthy1

very interesting frame: not familiar with Mendiz: what's his back-story?

Schlafen

Rider in the 60's, team sports director for a Spanish team, built bikes from the 80's and on, still going but selling plastic bikes now.

However what made me chase this frame was the picture below:



Not sure who owns it, but if you type 'shimergo' in google pictures, there's a flicker account coming up with more pics, this one has a colnago fork.

I'd buy it in snap if I ever come across it for sale. Looks like my size as well 😁

aland2

6 ish

KenNC

Nice looking frame, and good looking restomod so far. Glad the cold set seems to have gottten done without a hitch. I look forward to seeing the finished bike! FWIW and recognizing this is a matter of personal preference, I think the paint looks great as is, it has just a touch of "patina" and not a speck of rust.

Schlafen

Slowly taking shape, not the best lighting but it's 11pm here, it is what it is.

Schlafen

So yeah... it's done,
I'll take some pictures in daylight when I can.

Narhay

Nice. Not familiar with the groupset. Looks a bit like sram.

John E

I love the frame, and I am not at all opposed to component updates or restomods.

It's a personal thing, but I don't care for low spoke count wheels and radial spoke patterns.

jackbombay

That bike cooks!

unworthy1

That is lookin' great! Now I wonder about this Columbus BB shell that is obviously tailor-made to fit the shaped down tube AND the individually shaped chain-stays (the 2 are different!). What's the story here: is this a Columbus "multi-shaped" tubeset with a name? I have not seen other examples (or paid any attention).

Schlafen

It is Sram, 11 speed, mix of Force, Rival and Apex

Schlafen

Not my first choice either but had them already, 11 speed hubs and in very good shape. If I end up keeping the bike, we'll see.

Schlafen

The tubeset is called just that : Columbus MS.
From my research it was produced mid to late 80's in a very small number, so frames are still very rare. Basso and Tomassini seem to be the most popular references which used Gilco or Columbus MS tubesets, as well as some high end custom frame builders.
edit: Colnago used Gilco tubsets as well but different shape tubes on main triangle