[CR]Colnago de Vlaeminck

(Example: Framebuilders:Richard Moon)

From: "The Maaslands" <TheMaaslands@comcast.net>
To: "CR" <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]Colnago de Vlaeminck
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2007 18:07:35 -0400


Roland wrote:

"Personally, I don't have much interest in Colnago vintage bikes that were built after "colnago" was pantagraphed on the upper part of the seat tube. There are other aspects of archaeolgical interest on Colnagos that help

date them and they have been dealt with at length by astute and knowledgable CR members. The DeFlaminck Colnago would hold zero interest to me even though I admire that great rider of Gios bikes and who could never complete one Tour de France. We must remember that Ernesto Colnago was a great publicist (vis the gold plated bike he presented to the Pope) and wasn't directly involved in building by the mid 80's. His story is rather unlike that of Sante Pogliaghi or Cino Cinelli, two great men indeed. "

I am somewhat confused by this post. Are you saying that Ernesto wasn't directly involved in building any frame by the mid-80's? On what authority are you able to make such a statement? What do you understand by the term 'directly involved'?

You then go on to state that Colnago's story is unlike that of Pogliaghi and Cinelli. I suppose that you are well aware of the fact that Cino did not build a single frame himself. This fact was oft confirmed by Cino during his life and reconfirmed by his son Andrea recently. So does this mean that Ernesto built everything himself?

The truth of the matter is that Ernesto Colnago, to this day, is involved in frame development at the eponymous company. There is not a day that passes, when he is at his home, that he does not visit the production and follow all the aspects of production. Does he do the gluing, welding or brazing of the frames? No he does not, but virtually every person who does has been directly or indirectly trained by Ernesto. In fact the average employee at Colnago has close to 20 years work experience with the company. The frame geometries are generally designed by his son-in-law Vanni Brambilla, but on specs that are agreed upon by Ernesto. Even the paint schemes are decided by Ernesto. It is my contention that Ernesto has not actively held a torch since the late 60's. Not even during the period in which he was the chosen builder for Merckx. It was not his prowess with the torch that made the man and his reputation, nor has it made the reputation of anybody else. Colnago is respected because he was able to supply a large number of pros with acceptable quality bikes and frames that worked well in their intended purpose. He has supplied many more pros than any other Italian framebuilder. (Cinelli and Poghliaghi have never supplied frames or bikes to any complete pro team)

Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ
USA