Charles et al,
Re. the emails below on the dating of the Colnago pantographed chainring of the Merckx.....
Last night I received a batch of 1970's catalogs purchased from another list member. Very cool, nostalgic and incredibly informative.
One of them, the "big Wheel, Ltd" catalog also known as "The Complete Handbook of CYCLING" from ca. 1973 or 74, blue cover, has a half page photo of a Colnago with the panto'd chain ring exactly as seen on the Merckx bike under discussion. What is really neat is the matching inner ring with similar cutouts. The catalog has the Colnago, Masi, and Cinelli as there most expensive complete bikes - all equipped the same and all at $750 - you decide - must have been a difficult decision? At any rate the catalog shows the Colnago and reads: "full Campagnola (yes, that's how it is spelled) $750.00" and "Drilled as pictured $795.00" making it the most expensive variant on offer. The bike also has a panto'd stem with a clover leaf and Colnago script, panto'd seatpost with two diamonds on the side (can't see the front) and unique drilled brake levers.
I believe the catalog is from '73 or 74 as there is no Campagnolo Super Record components listed yet. Same catalog has the Cresent stainless 10-speed, Teledyne Titan Titanium frame and the "new" Huret Jubilee derailleurs should that help narrow down the date. I'm pretty certain that all of these were 1973 introductions - yes?????
Eric Elman Somers, CT
Ray wrote:
with respect to the pantographed chainring, at first sight it may appear to be same as the one we see on many colnago's and frequently by themselves on ebay, but it isn't. the "C" is bigger, and it is not "framed," by a thin groove, unlike the more common chainring. additionally, this ring has cutouts in between the spider arms. i'd never seen this ring before. i would guess that it is period correct to the bike, and is an early version of the more common pantographed ring.
ray dobbins miami florida
*********
The ring Ray refers to was an 80s product (or '79 at the earliest)... earlier Colnago rings were considerably different. The one on the Merckx Colnago under discussion was first seen, so far as I'm aware, on the first generation Colnago Mexico, which would have been 1975. Merckx was riding De Rosa frames by then, wasn't he? Either that ring was added later..or it was one of the first ones made, or else Colnago made those rings much earlier than I thought. The earliest Colnago-doctored rings were either heavily drilled, with a club-pattern in the webbing, or were heavily milled with small ovals, and had a large club-pattern milling only (no *C*) in the webbing.
Any votes for me doing my brief-history-of-Colnago-pantographing slide show at Le Cirque? It was interesting at the Velo last Fall.. I'd need a powerpoint projector..you have one, Dale?
Charles Andrews
SoCal