curiousabe

Was looking for something with SLX tubing and brifter so purchased this Fondriest Over X with SLX NEW tubing and 105 group set. I think the frame is from the mid 90s

• Anyone got some information or catalogue info on this particular frame?
• Does anyone know the difference of Columbus SLX and SLX NEW? I can only find little and confliting info on these tubes
• What should I do about these small rust stains? Cover with clear nail polish? I will not be riding this in the wet and it will alWays be stores indoors

Dylansbob 

Looks like a Ti stem too

repechage

Chrome, corrosion, some logical to perspiration,
could also be that the frame was never fully flushed from the plating acids in addition.

himespau 

Pretty.

curiousabe

Yea its a ITM Eclypse and it looks horrible and bulky imo will see if I can find a 3ttt record or record strada that fits instead

smd4

I don't think it looks terrible, although I do prefer this one:

icemilkcoffee 

You can't just cover rust with nail polish enamel. It needs to be sanded down first. The rust here appears to have gotten under the paint in places, so it is significant

unworthy1

yep ,this is too nice a frame to do any halfway measures. I'd both sand and apply the acid of your choice, including open up any of the "Spider-webs" with a pointed tool (needle) before you seal up with some touch up lac. Lucky the fashionista probably are way into pearl nail polish so wouldn't surprise me if you find some that sort of matches!
My pref is phosphoric acid, and would saturate cotton balls and tape them or saran wrap onto the rusty spots.
this paint job looks like it could be another of the "Varnish by Dosenno Carlo" jobs, even tho not labeled as such. Which may be a clue as to who was the contractor to build these for Fondriest. I don't have any reliable info but my guess is someone like Bonati, possibly whoever also built Guerciottis (?)
Also no real info as to what makes this "new" SLX, never seen that decal before, but since it's also clearly a "custom" set made for them by Columbus, might be nothing but marketing.
a fine bike, bound to ride like a champ, so enjoy!
Last thought: since there's a decal that celebrates 3 victories and the last is '95, chances are this frame is no earlier than that, maybe '96.
​

himespau 

Isn't there a "new SL" that significantly different than the stuff from the 80's? Would "new SLX" just be that with helical reinforcements, or is this frame too old for the "new SL"?

Steel1

Are the tubes oversized, or ovalized at any of the junctions?

Andrew_G

The general difference between SL and SLX tubes is that there are additional reinforcing ridges added to SLX tubes at the bottom bracket area, to stiffen things up a bit. The rIdges in the SLX seat tube also reinforce that tube where a front derailleur braze on is attached.

The first generation of SLX tubes has reinforcing ridges on the inside of the chainstays, where the tubes enter the bottom bracket shell. The chainstay ridges run lengthwise and are not spiraled, like the reinforcements on the seat tube and down tube (like those already existing on the steering tube).

Apparently the chainstay ridges were a stress raiser, and created some frame failures. Some harder used frames of original SLX developed stress cracks on the chainstays. The reinforcing ridges on the chainstays were eliminated on the "SLX New" tubes.


I was told directly of the frame failures of original SLX chainstays by framebuilder Roland Della Santa. Here is the SLX card from Columbus, and a section of a tube used to build my 2017 DS.



Columbus SLX Tubes card, with sample of tube


For the Fondriest, I do not know whether there are any differences in their SLX tubes compared to standard production SLX.

m.c. 

What stem is this?

Andrew_G

One additional comment: SLX tubes were made of traditional diameters.
If the Fondriest has oversized tubes (I can't reliably tell from the photos) that might be the reason for the special Fondriest SLX decal.

New SL, as I recall, changed from fluted and indented chainstays, to round-oval-round.

smd4

Dura Ace.

m.c. 

Thanks, its very pretty.

smd4

Thank you. It was actually made by Nitto. The bolts are hidden, accessible when you remove the cap on the corner.

unworthy1

Thanks for filling in the blank areas re: "New" iterations of SLX (presumably also SPX if there was demand) and SL,ditto SP.
So in 2017 there was still a tubeset of New SLX for Della Santa to build your frame. Do you know when those tubes were made (did Roland have them in stock for years or bought them that year?).was there a decal for the tubing?
and congrats on getting a frame from him, his mastery is missed!

billytwosheds 

I will second/third a rust spot treatment, or perhaps an oxalic acid bath. The rust around the entry point for the internal cables looks a little iffy, could signal rust inside the tubes. And as others have suggested, this frame is worth the work.

Andrew_G

In 2017, Roland Della Santa had one or two sets left of NOS 1st generation SLX tubes. One NOS SLX tubeset was used to build my 2017 DS.

Since I'm of moderate weight (~155 lbs) and I usually ride on smooth roads (except for Eroica-CA 2017, 2018, 2019), I'm not worried about breaking the 1st generation SLX chainstays.


FYI, Columbus reintroduced the SLX tubeset a few years ago. I saw an article a while back that said Giovanni Battaglin asked for SLX tubes, but I don't know if he was the only source of demand for SLX.


From today's (2022) Columbus website: SLX Project ? Columbus

The new SLX tubes use spiral reinforced chainstays, not the straight ones of Generation 1.


Here's the 2022 Columbus catalog for steel tubes: https://www.columbustubi.com/wp-cont...log-v3-web.pdf


BTW, original SL tubes (main triangle) were .9/.6 mm; you can confirm this thru Columbus and Cinelli catalogs found on Velobase. However, current SL tubes are .8/.5mm. I don't know when the current SL tubes were first thinned down, but I have a Columbus e-catalog from 2015 which shows SL as .8/.5.


Also: Old SL and SLX tubes were a Chrome-Moly alloy. The newest alloy, Omnicrom, is Chrome-Moly with Vanadium. ("New and Improved!!")

The new Omnicrom alloy has greater tensile strength and better strength stability thru the welding/brazing process. (So says Columbus, in the 2022 catalog.)


Since I ride a larger frame with a longer top tube (ST = 60 cm c-t; TT = 59) I prefer .9/.6 over .8/.5:

In 2001 I owned a built-for-me Mercian made of 531C (.8/.5), The Mercian's lighter 531 main triangle had more head tube flex in the left to right direction relative to the seat tube. In contrast, the thicker .9/.6 SLX tubes (2nd generation) on my 1996 Richard Sachs steered more crisply. Original and current SLX tubes are .9/.6 mm.

m.c. 

I really like quill stems, especially when they are designed in a clean way like this one. I think they look much nicer than the modern type, which, to me, sort of look like something made with an erector set. I'm hoping to find a nice looking one for my tandem that has a treadless steerer. Maybe one of the Renee Herse stems. I'm hoping to use their light switch but haven't looked into what is required and they won't talk to me.

himespau 

I know it's not as clean looking (looks very industrial with the visible welds), but my favorite quill stem is the Nitto Ui-12. Lots of length options, either 0 or -17 degrees (something to check before you buy to verify you're getting the correct one), and a removable, 4-bolt faceplate. Much prettier than the Velo-Orange 2-bolt, 0 degree-only knock-off.

m.c. 

https://vintagenosbicycleparts.com/s...7400-26-0-nos/

I found this available. Id like to find the same design in a taller stem.

smd4

Unfortunately, as far as I know, that design was only sold by Shimano. They also sold a slightly heavier version in the 600 line, and it’s possible it’s slightly taller, but I don’t know that for sure. My stem sticks up about 67 mm from the top of the headset to the top of the stem.

m.c. 

I wouldn't think they would make them taller. I would think that goes against their market for those lines.

smd4

Yeah, they're both thoroughbred racing stems. Not really made for upright, comfy riding positions. The Dura Ace stem is arguably the epitome of quill steam design, for sure.