Ex-Rabobank Colnago Competition Art Decor CX Cross SOLD

I'm in Holland doing an art project at the moment and found this rather lovely Colnago Competition CX bike I picked up... 1998/9, steel and very likely belonged to Bert Hiemstra who rode for Rabobank 1998-2000. I say this as there was a sticker on the TT with 'Hiemstra' on it, and I went to a town very close to where he lives to pick it up from a guy who races a lot and was 'selling it for a friend'. The photos he sent clearly showed the name sticker but when I picked it up he'd 'cleaned' it off so I was a bit gutted, but I have the original pics with the sticker showing if anyone is interested!

I had visions of myself cruising over Holland's beautiful highways and byways and charging through muddy pathways inaccessible to a mere road bike bedecked in orange and thought I could just fit it with a bit of adjustment, but although it was fine in terms of reach, unfortunately with chunky tyres factored in the top tube puts my unborn children at risk so I am selling it on...

59cm Seat Tube, Center to Top, 58cm Top Tube, Center to Center (made for lanky Dutch folk!)

9spd dura-ace an set up with Ritchey Logic Canti's, and 3ttt Pro Titanium quill stem, straight steel fork and really racy angles. This could have been for Hiemstra's winter training or for doing early-season cross, but he left Rabobank in 2000 so I'm not sure if it was ever pedalled in anger, but he would have been in the team with one Sven Nys at the start of his international cross dominance which is pretty cool.... I've looked at Rabobank pics from this particular year and the set-up is identical on their other cx bikes.

The components are all in good nick, some superficial scratches as you would expect but all functioning excellently and look great. Dura Ace shifters, hubs, headset, cranks, rear mech, STX front mech, and mavic GP4 rims with loads of life left. The brake pads will need replacing but I think I have some in a box somewhere I can give with the bike. I think the rear tub has a slow puncture so some latex might fix it if not it will need changing.

The frame itself is probably made from Columbus Thron but the sticker is not present-it is lugless and tig welded with oversize tubes for stiffness-some chips, scratches to the paint but all in looks pretty clean with that oh so classy Colnago neon accented Rabobank goodness!

Bad points: at some point the seatpost has been stuck and a small hole has been drilled in the front facing bit of the seat-tube above top tube. Pretty discreet and not really structural but worth mentioning. Also, whether to free the seatpost or to remove a crack in the rear of the seattube a small slit has been cut to prevent it from being an issue. It doesn't go into the weld and shows absolutely no sign of progressing so I think it will be fine, it is a long seatpost so there shouldn't be any stress put on that area anyway.

Lastly, the handlebars have put a small dint in the left side of the TT, so again, not perfect but I don't think it represents a structural problem. Detailed pics in the album show all this and you are welcome to ask for more.

It's a lovely, light cross bike with quality components and a nice bit of history and I hope it goes to a good home.









more images in album here: http://imgur.com/a/l7Rir

Would like £ 650 shipped to UK NOW TAKING OFFERS ON FULL/PART BIKE for a quick sale, will be securely wrapped and packed of course, paypal preferred (I don't do gift payments so you're fully protected) and tracked (insurance at your discretion please).


cheers!

Lovely and a bargain to boot!
GLWS

I am so glad thats not in my size as I would have to have it

What a cracking bike

Thanks for the kind words guys-much appreciated.

Our own Mr Ed Edwards has had a look at the pics and contrary to my possibly naive/stupid/gung-ho approach to bicycle structural integrity is of the opinion a repair would need to be carried out to make this rideable... I'm surprised as i've ridden frames with drilled out cracks for a very long time with no incident but admittedly not CX bikes. ANd the possibility that i'm just very thick has occurred to me also.

In this case I don't want to sell without this possibility being made clear, and I have taken more pics and sent them to a couple of well known frame makers to get an idea of what this would involve. I really hope it will be relatively minor but will wait and see... I'm just disappointed as it is a cracking bike and with a bit of interesting history too. Ah well... thankfully Holland is dripping with lovely sportfietsen.

Will let you now what the verdict is on the frame when I hear back, otherwise if anyone wants to make offers on either group/Frameset (inc. headset/BB) or full bike get in touch. I'd really like to keep it together though ;( and if splitting the Dura Ace would go nicely on the Servais Knaven TVM Gazelle I just bought... but at the same time i'm a struggling artist type and very skint. Ah well...

Apologies and best wishes from me-would hope you guys understand it is through lack of information and not cynicism that I was selling without putting more of a caveat on the frame.

Gregor

Cyclocross

I looked at this bike long and hard before deciding three cx bikes was overkill. Good luck with the fix, hopefully a straightforward one. A reinforcing collar of some sort looks like the easiest solution, or else a sleeve and then a reduced seat post size, which I have on one of my bikes.

Hi Jerome,

thanks-will wait and see what the verdict is but hoping it'll be pretty minimal!

have taken some paint away around the slit and taken some hi-res pics to put them in the album above for better info.

waaahhhh.... feel like weeping a bit. stiff upper lip and all that. might go and throw some shit at the guy that sold it to make me feel better but it's a long ride over there!

some relatively good news from the direction of Dave Yates Cycles!

I sent them hi-res images and ask what kind of repair would be possible and price, this is the reply:

Hi Greg

Thanks for your email. We should be able to repair the tube by brazing a patch over the cut/crack - we can only give a firm cost on inspecting the frame but an estimate would be £25. Attempting to match the paint using our system would not be cheap (approx £100) and we couldn't guarantee an exact match and your frame would have to be fuly stripped down, no dirt or grease reamaining.

Regards
Debbie

Click to expand...

I can forward the original emails to whomever wishes. The paint matching around the area to be welded is expensive and I think could be done quite easily by anyone with the required experience for less, but that's how much the pro job is.

Hope this helps and any interest/offers please get in touch.

thanks[/quote]

Will reluctantly take offers on frameset (with headset/bb), frame and fork, or hopefully full bike...

Groupset I am thinking of keeping for my Gazelle TVM. But if you have an 8 spd Campag Record group I would swap. Or could swap 8 spd record group + cash for full bike. I'm open to offers. Ta.

Frameset now sold, thanks!