Cyclists...should I buy this?

[K. Roman]

I haven't ridden since the early nineties, and I though I'd look for a bike that I wanted in the '80s. This is going for $600 and is in almost new condition.
It's an 1988 Colnago Super.
It's also my size.

Opinions?

[Racerbvd]

Go for it!!!!!

[Overpaid Slacker]

Yes. Colnago w/ Dura Ace in your size. Buy it.

It's a bit retro, too. Which is kewl.

JP

[JavaBrewer]

Would you keep the components, 6 spd, or upgrade? Upgrading gets expensive really fast but at least you can do it bits at a time. Really look over the frame for damage. Those brake cables are wild!

[K. Roman]

I just want to ride, and yeah I noticed the brake cables!!!
I'm going to check on it, but is that a fair deal?

And as for 6 spd, could I switch it over to less gears with just replacing the rear cogs?

[KNS]

If it were me I would buy it now! My regular ride is a 1986 Trek, six speed. I have a newer bike but it just isn't the same.

[nostatic]

imho it is overpriced. Plus check very carefully for rust. I bought a Davidson frame that was unusable when I got it due to rust in the bottom bracket and downtube. Old Italian frames were made of stout steel usually, but they also are prone to rust.

[Rich76_911s]

I don't know about the value $ wise of old bikes. So I can't comment on this particular bike being a good deal or not.

I just made the move last year from an early 90's trek to a modern '06 trek. I am glad to no longer have shifters on the down-tube, and the position on the bicycle is much, much more comfortable. If I were you I would go out and ride a modern frame and see if you like it better. I have no doubt about which one I would choose.

Rich

[CORNICE6]

I would check the frame very carefully for rust. Keep in mind that Colnago's known for very thin paint on their frames. If there is one spot of rust and I really like the bike I would offer less for it since it's a complete bike. Even better if it is ride ready but I'd get rid of that Dura-ace rear dérailleur though. Italian bikes should have Campy, but that's just me. Good luck!

[red-beard]

For that much, you could get into a decent modern starter road bike.

[nostatic]

I think it is a $300 bike...maybe.

The reality is that the parts are worth next to nothing. That era Dura Ace, while totally robust, is common and nobody wants it. The frame is "old school" and will almost certainly have internal rust. The rear brake cabling and non-aero levers will certainly work your forearms nicely...and you might actually stop.

If you want it for style points then I suppose it is ok, but I don't think it is worth $600 unless you *really* want to have a Colnago (they are not rare though) and really want to ride 6 speed friction. And I'm a retrogrouch...I'm running 8-speed barcons on my Salsa, but at least all the components are highly functional and it has modern brakes.

[einreb]

frame is worth $350? i cant tell anything about it by the pictures. is it lugged? nothing particularly valuable about the other parts.

colnogo's have a peculiar top tube fit that works for me (longer legs/shorter upper body) YMMV, i dont know if thats always been the case with their frames.

EDIT: columbus tubing. at a minimum you would need new tires, chain and repack the hub bearings and headset. nothing wrong with those brakes by design, but i bet the pads are like rocks.

you could also 'upgrade' to a more modern drivetrain, but you would have to replace almost everything on the drivetrain (diffenent hubs, cassette, chain derailleur, cranks (i think), etc)

[K. Roman]

Thanks for the replies. I really needed to know some specifics, ie: brakes, they do look old and 6spd is a lot of work.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by einreb

frame is worth $350? i cant tell anything about it by the pictures. is it lugged? nothing particularly valuable about the other parts.

colnogo's have a peculiar top tube fit that works for me (longer legs/shorter upper body) YMMV, i dont know if thats always been the case with their frames.

EDIT: columbus tubing. at a minimum you would need new tires, chain and repack the hub bearings and headset. nothing wrong with those brakes by design, but i bet the pads are like rocks.

you could also 'upgrade' to a more modern drivetrain, but you would have to replace almost everything on the drivetrain (diffenent hubs, cassette, chain derailleur, cranks (i think), etc)

Frame is worth under $200 imho. It isn't rare or particularly desirable unless you *really* want a Colnago. You are limited in how "modern" you can go, and you'll be stuck with full cable housing for the rear brake. If you want to go above 7 speed you'll need to cold set the rear dropouts because they're likely 120mm. Depends on the year...not sure off the top of my head when they went to 126. But most modern stuff is 130 even for road, isn't it?

I think enjoyment factor for riding would be much higher on a bike with index shifting and more modern brakes. The Colnago would be better for looking at though...

[look 171]

I give 4-5 hundred. Check the frame. Is it a 80's frame? Some of the early (even in the 80s) they did not have a # stamped onto the BB. Those were true hand build jobs. If that's what you are after. One simple way to check if the frame has been bend is that you go for a ride on a flat road and ride withour hands. if it track straight without any effort, then it should be ok. Most of the steel frame can be pulled back.

Wow nostatic, cold setting drop outs. Haven't heard that for a while.

Jeff

[nostatic]

sound better than "yanking them apart and stuffing the hub in"

[nostatic]

while we're on the topic of details, this looks like a low spec frame. The nicer ones usually had chrome lugs. Look for pitting on the fork and rear chainstay. Check for notched headset (fairly cheap to fix, but often an issue). Pull the seatpost and shine a light down the seat tube to look for rust. You can also invert the bike and often you'll hear rust tumble down the tubes. I've seen this on "new" frames as well, but worth a check. If you can, pull the cranks and bottom bracket to check for rust in the bb shell. Colnagos had various types of BB shells...some had cutouts, some had integrated cable guides, some were bolt-on - depended on the model and the year.

You can look for chainsuck as well but a 6 speed with decent care shouldn't have seen much. What type of tubing is it?

[K. Roman]

Dunno, but I think I might need som'n more modern, I don't know if I could deal with the brakes. Or the gears...

[nostatic]

if you think you need something more modern, then you do. Old brakes and friction shifting is quaint but a pita compared to even late 80's technology.

I don't like STI (integrated brake/shift levers), but most people do. I do love indexed rear cluster, and use barcons. I'm a bit of a retrogrouch, and the front isn't indexed. But my brakes are modern and have plenty of stopping power.

Won't be as cool, but a mid-late 90's Specialized Allez should be easy to find for cheap and it'll run great. My pick would be a Bridgestone RB-1 or RB-2 but it is a bit more retro (and more pricey because they have a cult following).

[gr8fl4porsche]

I'd stay away. 20 yr old bike is too old. The new components are worth paying for.