Columbus cromor - Mystery frameset

[Michum]

Hello, i hope that you are enjoying your easter holidays
I've came across this frameset, it looks beautiful and i have spare parts to build a nice bike on it but i would like to know what it can be before i spend my money on this masterpiece.
Columbus cromor
ITA standard
Giro d'Italia sticker
Everything tells me that it can be one of italian manufacturers.

 

[Battersby]

The paint and forks say F.moser

 

[Michum]

The paint and forks say F.moser

I was thinking about f.moser or eddy merckx (the second won't be ITA support) but i can't find any model that would match this colourway

 

[pigman]

From what I remember, Cromor isn't up there in perceived quality with SL, SLX etc, it's slightly lower. But not to the point where it's crap. Probably like 501 is to 531

 

[Battersby]

Isnt it their cromoly? So Reynolds 525 or 4130?

 

[chickendrumsticks]

Have a look here...

https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/columbus-•-tubing-decals-history-•.486965/unread
...you'll find this:

CROMOR: Built of cold-drawn, chrome-moly butted tubing, this set is for the more demanding riders who favour versatile, high-performance light frames, but can also be used for larger frames. Cr Mo Steel - Weight: 2190 g (Note: Columbus Matrix was the first name for Colombus Cromor; Matrix became Cromo when Trek asserted their right to the Matrix name.)

 

[DSH]

I was thinking about f.moser or eddy merckx (the second won't be ITA support) but i can't find any model that would match this colourway

Merckx were ITA standard, a legacy of Eddy learning from De Rosa.

Having said that I would agree with @Battersby , it looks very Moser to me.

Whatever it is, if it is the right size and the price is right (and if “unidentified” it should be cheap), it will build up into a very nice bike.

 

[Jesper]

From what I remember, Cromor isn't up there in perceived quality with SL, SLX etc, it's slightly lower. But not to the point where it's crap. Probably like 501 is to 531

Unfortunately CROMOR's perception has probably kept many folks from getting a bike made of it, including myself passing on a very nice Olmo for next to nothing because (with my nose up in the air!) it was not good enough (i.e. not SL, etc.). In fact CROMOR is a very high quality tube set that is still pretty darn lightweight. Its lack of "quality" is more based on its hierachy of Columbus tubesets based on weight more than anything else. Yes it is a seamed tubing, but of such high technical quality that its attributes are not seriously affected. Thicker walled so heavier, but not lacking quality since I doubt experienced builders would not want to use something hard to work with that does not produce a frame that meets their standards and is suitable its given purpose and price point. After learning about CROMOR (aka MATRIX before name changed c.'87) I no longer turn my nose up to CROMOR (or even AELLE) and now ride one of my favorite frames made with CROMOR tubing; a custom fluted ("Gilco" style) frame made by Rossin. I have seen CROMOR used for TT lo-pro frames for increased stiffness.

Note: there were at least 2 CROMOR decals. Both gray; early with "dot matrix" font (quick stop gap name change), and a more standard decal with thr wavy lines in the background. The later decal came into play c. '88 so aside from other frame features it dates the it to the very late '80s at the earliest (if decal is original). It seems odd the the main decals are missing, but the Columbus decal (known for deteriorating just before you need to sell) appears to be okay.

Note 2: I need to check on one frame, but Moser was using a lot of Oria tubing for frames by the late '80s. Not sure if Moser was using Columbus and Oria simultaneously or not. All my mid '80s and earlier frames are Columbus. My '87/'88 Leader SC is Oria, but I have another (late '80s-early '90s) frame that could be Columbus (I cannot recall).

 

[pigman]

Unfortunately CROMOR's perception has probably kept many folks from getting a bike made of it, including myself passing on a very nice Olmo for next to nothing because (with my nose up in the air!) it was not good enough (i.e. not SL, etc.). In fact CROMOR is a very high quality tube set that is still pretty darn lightweight. Its lack of "quality" is more based on its hierachy of Columbus tubesets based on weight more than anything else. Yes it is a seamed tubing, but of such high technical quality that its attributes are not seriously affected. Thicker walled so heavier, but not lacking quality since I doubt experienced builders would not want to use something hard to work with that does not produce a frame that meets their standards and is suitable its given purpose and price point. After learning about CROMOR (aka MATRIX before name changed c.'87) I no longer turn my nose up to CROMOR (or even AELLE) and now ride one of my favorite frames made with CROMOR tubing; a custom fluted ("Gilco" style) frame made by Rossin. I have seen CROMOR used for TT lo-pro frames for increased stiffness.

Note: there were at least 2 CROMOR decals. Both gray; early with "dot matrix" font (quick stop gap name change), and a more standard decal with thr wavy lines in the background. The later decal came into play c. '88 so aside from other frame features it dates the it to the very late '80s at the earliest (if decal is original). It seems odd the the main decals are missing, but the Columbus decal (known for deteriorating just before you need to sell) appears to be okay.

Note 2: I need to check on one frame, but Moser was using a lot of Oria tubing for frames by the late '80s. Not sure if Moser was using Columbus and Oria simultaneously or not. All my mid '80s and earlier frames are Columbus. My '87/'88 Leader SC is Oria, but I have another (late '80s-early '90s) frame that could be Columbus (I cannot recall).

An interesting insight. However, you did say seamed tubeset and thicker-walled, so those alone place it further down the ranks for good reason. If I was looking for that 'special build', I wouldn't look to Cromor. At the same time, I wouldn't reject a Cromor frame outright on the bases that I'm not racing, there's a good chance the frame would still ride nicely and I currently ride much worse.
I did say it wasn't crap and compared it to 501 - in times past I had a 501 Raleigh which I used to commute from Sheffield to Doncaster probably 3 times a week and to be fair, it rode very well. But I would never have raced on it