Sunday, March 6, 2011

Colnago Sport Project: Update

Phew! It's been a busy weekend!

As I posted last Friday night/early Saturday morning, I spend a good bit of time that evening disassembling the Colnago. Well Saturday was no different. I spent pretty much the whole day on the bike. I took everything off that I could. This left just the crank, BB, and headset on the bike. I didn't have the proper tools for these things. So I threw the bike in my trunk and headed to the Halifax Cycle Gallery. There I met Adam who works in the shop. I met Roger, the co-owner of the shop, before and it seemed like a nice friendly place. Seeing as it is early March and it was dead in the shop, I asked him if he could do me a favor and let me use some stuff to further disassemble the bike. Success. With Adams help, tools, and a quick call to Harold back at Earle Industries in St. Johns to inquire about the thread direction of a bottom bracket, I was able to remove the headset and bottom bracket. Yuck! So much gunk.

I thanked Adam and headed off. Stopped into Canadian Tire to buy some brake cleaner for the wheels, goo gone for the handlebars, and a tongue and groove wrench for reinstalling the headset (I know cone wrenches are more proper but I couldn't get any).

Coming home I jumped onto the computer to ebay snipe some brake calipers. So I have a pair of Shimano 105 Dual Pivot Calipers on the way!

Put the BB parts and headset parts in varasol to soak for a few hours, and I took the frame outside to spray the inside with rust check. I also managed to clean up the front wheel a bit.

After a while I brought the frame back inside from it's rust checking and got the parts out of varasol to dry off. Wiped them down and regreased and reinstalled the headset. Once I had this dialed in it was so smooth, excellent improvement. Proceeded to install the stem, bars (now free of goo), and new brake levers. I wasn't going to do the BB as I didn't have the spanner tool for the non-drive side cup. But I was too impatient! I regreased and reinstalled the drive side cup using using my new tongue and groove wrench, slid the greased up axle in the non-drive side, and proceeded to install the greased up non-drive side cup with my hand, then a cloth and my hand, then very delicately my tongue and grove plies and a thick microfiber cloth. Made the adjustment and everything! I did the same with the lock nut. Now it is adjusted and it feels right, but I'm going to make sure the lock nut is tightened properly before riding this bad boy. the cranks are just placed on by hand for now until I can get access to the crank pull tool again to snug them onto the taper, but man they spin so freely now!

1am rolls around and the computer is making me tired. I go to walk to my bed room and see the bike and parts strewn across my living room. It was too temping. So I sat down for another hour or so to clean up the pedals.

Alright, alright, enough talk and some pics to break it up.

Some pics of the not so nice stuff.

Nice bars, but I'm pretty sure I did that scratching when I took them off :(

Should be able to fix this with black spray paint.

Not so easy to fix this...

or this...

or this ..

or this.

But I'll use some model paint or nail polish to touch it up just to keep it from rusting. Maybe one day I'll even get custom paint done on it.. but lets not get ahead of ourselves here.

Cost so far
Bike: $150
Cleaning/fixing supplies: ~$55
Shimano 105 Dual Pivot Brakes: $43
Shimano 600 RD-6401 Derailleur (just bought on ebay): $23

total so far = $271

I'm hoping to make a little money back selling the old derailleurs and shifters, but not much.

Still to Purchase
-Shimano 600 Front Derailleur: ~$20
-Shimano 105 or 600 downtube indexed shifters: ~$15-30
-Black and red bar tape: ~$15
-Brake and Derailleur cables and housing: ~$20
-7 Speed freewheel: ~$20

That brings this to $371!!! Didn't realize how expensive it got so quick! And I haven't even gotten to the worst part yet...


Yes I intend on putting a Brooks Swift in brown on this bike. It's going to cost a pretty penny, and it will probably be a while before I shell out for it, but it will look hella nice and totally be worth it. Even though the bike will have a black and red theme, I think the dark brown saddle will suit it nicely. I kind of regretted getting the black one for the surly and am looking for a more classic look on this bike.


Before and After


After again


Before



After


Before


After


Then there is this nice flutted seat tube


Before


After


Lunch

Next step is to repack the hubs. Haven't done this before but it doesn't look like it will be too complicated. I do however need a proper cone wrench this time...

After that, wait for parts to get here to start installing, and hopefully get some more stuff!

4 comments:

  1. Hi there i have just bought a Colnago sport similar age and colour but with slightly different stickers i am from london and have been searching on the internet for some proof that its original. Would i be able to send you some photos i am worried it might be a fake Colnago but the frame and colour looks very similar indeed. My email is jackyboy404@hotmail.com thanks Jack

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have owned one for 25years or so bought it brand new and it still looks like new. About a 9 out of 10 condition. Have taken good care of it and we have seen a lot of ks and has always been a good ride and a lot of good times. Hope to pass it down to my grandson some day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. When does the Colnago Sport date from? I have one and NO-ONE touches it! Still the best bike I ride...who needs Carbon...steel is real!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Its nice to see another red colonago sport , exactly like my bicycle.

    My frame has a made in Italy sticker on it in the same spot as your bike.

    Is the 80's Colnago Sport made in Mexico or Italy ?
    My frame has the two slots on the bottom bracket with two sets of numbers on either side of the slots.

    ReplyDelete