So basically I have an early 80’s Colnago Mexico frame. Great frame in Saronni Red. The idea was to restore it faithfully with a Super Record group set of the time (I have the correct Campy Colnago pantographed chain set and set post and some nice TTT bars from the era so far). However as this is a bike that I will ride everyday, (I already am as a single speed with horrible wheels while I save some $$) I am beginning to think that in reality it would be a lot better ride if I put a later model groupset on it. I would much prefer to use 90’s era ergo shifters than reach down to use levers.
I guess the issue is, if I did this am I ruining the heritage and beauty of the bike, like putting mag wheels on a classic Rolls Royce?
Thoughts?
grind off all the cable guides and deraliuer hanger and make a mad fixy, with aerospokes
i kept my then mexico now pagani period-corrrect. but given i have the luxury of having another modern road/cx bike i was happy to keep it so and use it mainly for nice sunny-day rides.
Put record ten or eleven speed on it. You don’t want to have to go for the reach around every time.
Classic groupsets are great in theory but less great if you’re used to riding w ergo levers and riding every day, changing gears a lot. I’m sure many will disagree though
Totally agree!
Brifters rock!
i should state that i’m running a early 1990 c-record which had the option of ergo or downtube indexed shifters.
also, you should all watch lateline as hamish’s voice has a warm, rich timbre to it.
This is actually helping me a lot thanks guys. I was leaning towards ergo. Hmmm now to save the $$$$!
I’m presuming buying a groupset would be cheaper in general than parts? Any helpful hints on this?
Do it, a mix of modern and old is fine if it means more comfortable saddle time and enjoyment from a classic frame. You can always build it up original(if you wish) later on when you have the cash to have more than one bike.
I, for one, fully endorse mr mckenny’s views
I’m all for modern groupsets, but don’t let that stop you from a good old reach around.
I have an excellent condition mid 1980’s C-Record Group for sale, if it helps?
I 2nd the motion/views !!!
I also say go modern (it’s only a 2mm stretch on each side of the stays - easily reset) but it’s not going to be cheap. You’ll need at minimum a new rear wheel, derailleurs and brifters … maybe a new crankset & BB, and whilst you’re there you might as well build a new front wheel to match and go for new brakes to complete the ensemble. Then it’s also going to be black or carbon parts which don’t really look spiffy on a classic lugged bike with chrome.
90’s era ergo stuff is more hassle than it’s worth unless you can get it all complete and cheap. I’d opt at least for the pre-carbon chorus or centaur 10 speed … all silver including the hubs. Hard to find !!
I defiantly wouldn’t go carbon. Mid 80’s wouldn’t use ergo would they? They didn’t come out till the 90’s.
what about Campy Athena 11? are they still making alloy cranks and ergo lever groupset?
Hate to be different but I would say, Yes. You will. If you’re you’re asking this question you know that there’s at least a little part of you which will wonder what it could have been…
Personally I hate seeing late 80s/90s groupsets on 70s/early 80s frames. Looks worse than fully modern. If you said you had a Master X-Light Art Decor then I’d say build it full mod, but Caaahhhmon its a Mexico!!
I’ll be going early 90’s super/record/chorus 8 or 9 speed probably. In silver and replacing the black hoods with gum. The frame is too nice for anything else.
A Mexico in sparkling Saronni red with chrome chainstay and dropouts. Oh and fluted top and down tubes no less.
Stay away from indexed 8 speed… Chains are hard to come by and it was campags first ergo system… 9 is good ten is better and 11 is best…
I had 8 speed on my coppi and it was impossible to get it to shift clean across the cassette. 8 speed campag chains are basically impossible to find and it won’t shift real sweet like with out one.
I switched To 9 which also gives you much better choices in wheels ( modern spine arrangement ) then 11 speed which was totally sweet, then back to 9 speed before selling the bike…
Sprito is right though early 10 will look nice and work well.
I think you can get Athena in alloy Which has the much better new ergo hoods
Go 2010 spec though because campag have dumbed down the lower tier gruppos for 2011.
Ha !! How does a Magyar end up with the name Geoff?
And as Kanye mentions Athena 11 is a nice modern silver option for old school Italian bling. New is always good compared to buying someone elses crap. Shame Campy doesn’t have any silver hub options … boring really. I briefly rode an Athena 11 equipped bike and it all seemed to work very well.
