What have I actually bought?

[Senri]

Last week I bought this bike that I was thinking about for some time. It was not advertised as a Colnago, I just hoped so. I went with my 3 year old son and as he fell asleep on the way there, he was really sour when we arrived and he had to wake up and get out. This made it a bit difficult to inspect the bike, but I bought it anyway.
When I came home, I looked at it again a bit more carefull and I don't think it is a Colnago, but interesting anyway. I hope you can help me indentify what I actually bought!
OK, this is what I know at this moment. It is a steel lugged frame, with all the lugs except the bottom one chromed. All the stickers make it a Colnago Super, including the Italian Columbus sticker on the seattube and the Columbus sticker on the fork. Also the only handlebar end plug is carrying the Colnago logo!
The stem and handlebar are Cinelli, although I doubt these are original. The bike has for the rest the full Shimano 600EX group (6207) that looks original and is suppost to be from 84 (ADFC) or 84-87 according to Velobase. Only the brake levers are RX100's, but maybe not original.
The 6 speed cassette is from Maillard. Hubs are both Dura-Ace and the rims are Mavic E2's. Seatpost is a Laprade with the Rolls saddle.
Now some particulars that are also partly on the pictures which may help to positivily identify this bike. On the Bottom bracket is stamped Champion Tange, which designates the tubes used, and in my opinion rules out a Colnago. Forged dropouts on the frame say Suntour. The dropouts on the frok say Tange-TF-R. It is of course possible that this is a replacement fork.
The picture of the inside of the fork look very much like the C2 crown used on the mid 80's high-end Panasonic bikes (see picture). This is the same for the particular way of the seatstays connecting to the seattube. Mostly this is welded to the side, here they are lugged as well (see picture). Some Panasonic bikes from 82 and 83 had this. Last detail is the star/square plates used on the frame at the waterbottle mounts (see picture). The same can be found on the connection on the connecting tube between the seatstays that also has the hole for the rearbrakes (see picture).
The red paint seems original. The chromed rear fork on both sides seems particular too. The separating tape between the chrome parts and the painted parts look similar to some Panasonics. Although it looks like a Panasonic, I coulkd not find a similar model in the brochures from 78 to 89. Schwinn used panasonic frames as well, but these were more trekking bikes. The frame has no mounting eyes for racks etc, although the space bewteen the tire and the frame is pretty big. Maybe the original tires were bigger. I also thought about a Centurion, but could not find a similar model. I have yet to find a serial number on it.
I know this is very long story, but I really like to find out what it is! Now for the pictures.....

 

[ededwards]

I'm afraid that I can't help with identification but I agree that it is a bike badged to look like a Mexico but definitely not a Colnago - not a clover leaf in sight!

Still, it does look a nice enough frame so as long as you didn't pay Colnago money then should be fine (if a bit disappointed).

 

[Elev12k]

Hello Senri,

I have no idea what you got there, except for even though not a Colnago, you still got a nice bike.

Hope you will be able to simply wipe that little bit of rust away from the seatlug. No severe or modest rust anywhere under paint chrome or whatsoever? How is overall condition? Looks quite good to me from the pics.

Like those American Classic cages.

 

[JPintheCAN]

I agree it might not be a Colnago, but I especially love the fork crown/tab combo! very neat and strong looking. and the seat lug is really nice too, I like how it dips down below the seat stays.
I wonder why people used to badge bikes as something else when they were very nice bikes anyway?

 

[Senri]

I don't think I payed to much, it is a nice bike. It is not really corroded. No dents, just some spots and scratches. The worst parts are actually the seatlug and the top headset lug; the chrome is almost falling off.
I am really a bit puzzled by this bike. I still have to weigh the frame seperately, then I might figure out which Tange it has been (#1, #2, etc), but it seems a nice quality anyway. Most Tange frames were considered the same level as the Columbus tubing, were the Colnago was made of. That all makes it very strange why some one would rebatch it as a Colnago!
I just would like to find a frame number. I have looked at the BB, the dropouts and the headlugs, but no luck so far. I have heard that some brands in certain periods only used this security stickers for the number. Does anybody have an ideas which brands did this in the mid 80's? I have seen that there has probably been a type name on the top tube. I might be able to decode it.
Thanks for the complements, guys!

 

[Senri]

A little update. I decided to take the bike apart and clean it up as much as I can. I hope to be able to find the serial number in the process.
When removing the bar tape (white foam type), I found another one under it. I am not so knowledgable about these things, so can anyone tell me if this is normal? It looks like the old lacquered type, although this one is very sticky on the outside, possibly because of the tape on top. The cables were under it aswell, so I guess it is not that old.
Furthermore, I was surprised to find this step thickness change in the handlebar, close to the centre. Can anyone tell me if this is normal, particulary for a Cinelli?
Thanks!

 

[fiks]

Looks like white cotton tape to me, the stickiness is probably from the glue on the underside of the tape and has become discoloured and worked its way through the tape due to age.

Cinelli bars had a central sleeve so that's normal. Other bars, eg 3ttt, had a central bulge.

I think the fact that he bike wasn't advertised as a Colnago when it clearly has Colnago transfers on it suggests the previous owner either knows it's not a Colnago or knows absolutely about bikes. The markings on the bottom bracket shell usually indicates the maker of the shell although it's possible it's Tange tubing

I've never seen a Colnago with a seat lug like that. I'd say it's 100% it's not a Colnago; no lug or bottom bracket cutouts, no engravings. I'm sure it's as good as a Colnago though!

 

[Senri]

I have thinking about what to do with this bike for a while. I decided to build it to a fixed. I tried to remove the stickers, as I don't want to show it as a Colnago when it is not. The glue was very stubern, causing me to use a solvent, removing part of the lacquer as well. Under the first red paint, I came across the Colnago logo's again! Well I have left it like this for now.
I put on some Campagnolo Strada rims on old style Dura-Ace hubs. Seatpost and stem are Shimano 600 AX. I shortened an old mountainbike handlebar I had laying around. The cranks are Ofmega and a Phil Wood cog in the rear. I am pretty satisfied. Brakes are Shimano 600 with a Cane Creek crosstop lever.

PS: funny thing was that when I almost finished the bike, I saw that it has almost vertical dropouts! This had to be my lucky day, just removing some threat from the rear axle was all I needed to get tension and still have the possibility to tighten when the chain will become longer. I didn't even need a halflink!

 

[oldave]

It WAS a very nice bike, who cares what brand.

 

[Senri]

I am sorry you don't like it. I had been looking for a frame for a long time to replace my old, but incredibly rusty fixed, but all my finds were to nice to convert. I have been thinking about a respray, but I first wanted to feel it, before I put money into it.