help needed with Mystery Columbus frame.
- Thread starter nowthenyogi
- Start date
why columbus? could it not 531/753?
The tangs on the brake bridge, the plainer lugs and the rounder profile fork blades would suggest 80's. But the non-allen key brake recesses would suggest early 80's.
Its possibly a bocama (BCM) fork crown
As a starter, can you determine seatpin size? If its less than 26.8mm, I'd say its a budget frame. There were lots of columbus aelle/zeta and Falc tubing frames about, which looked good, but were fairly low rent and typically had 26.4mm seatpins. 27.2 would be a good one for definite, and there's debate on what 753 had - some say 27.2, others say 26.8.
The tangs on the brake bridge, the plainer lugs and the rounder profile fork blades would suggest 80's. But the non-allen key brake recesses would suggest early 80's.
Its possibly a bocama (BCM) fork crown
As a starter, can you determine seatpin size? If its less than 26.8mm, I'd say its a budget frame. There were lots of columbus aelle/zeta and Falc tubing frames about, which looked good, but were fairly low rent and typically had 26.4mm seatpins. 27.2 would be a good one for definite, and there's debate on what 753 had - some say 27.2, others say 26.8.
nowthenyogi
Retro Newbie
Some helpful if confusing stuff in that link, google translate aint bad but they don't seem to have dutch down just yet 
.
I'm now almost 100% certain it is all columbus; spotted a bird nestling on the fork steerer after a little more paint removal.
I tried a 27.2 post in it - tad too big. only other I've got knocking about is 26.2 which is too small so it is probably 26.8. Also BB thread seems to be Italian.
Other thing I found a bit weird was the cutouts on the lugs are underneath, normal or seem unusual?
.I'm now almost 100% certain it is all columbus; spotted a bird nestling on the fork steerer after a little more paint removal.
I tried a 27.2 post in it - tad too big. only other I've got knocking about is 26.2 which is too small so it is probably 26.8. Also BB thread seems to be Italian.
Other thing I found a bit weird was the cutouts on the lugs are underneath, normal or seem unusual?
nowthenyogi
Retro Newbie
Midlife":htwanpin said:The cutouts on the lugs underneath were a little odd as was the rounded lug next to it. I expected it to be pointed
Can I buy the bar and stem please, pretty please
Shaun
I have plans for them, sorry!
Hi there buddy Hate to throw a spanner in the works but I recognise the cable guides from my "3 Raleighs". Not saying this is a Raleigh but most likely English built / modified.
My 5 Columbus bikes have a different style cable guide, all the same on all 5 bikes. They are simple like a single nipple with a groove in the centre, not split like Reynolds ones. Perhaps the clues lie there ? It's also very heavily pitted. Columbus tubes especially SL SLX which are 80's tubing don't really suffer that sort of heavy rot, even when they have been left out for donkeys years.
Hope some of this helps. If its an Italian BB shell, then perhaps it IS an early 70's Columbus with modified cable guides. Got a bike here exactly just that, a 70's 531 frame with typical 80's cable guides, added at a later date (only know this because when I stripped the frame back to bare metal it was noticable).
1 last tip : tubes are often individually marked with there correct status ie: 531/531c/Columbus. Try looking near the lugs on the tubes themselves. I ID'd 1 of my own by shear luck this way. Found the 531 stamp on the actual tube. After close inspection the other tubes had them too, faint but there, right near the lugs.
Good luck, yours Laz.
Hate to throw a spanner in the works but I recognise the cable guides from my "3 Raleighs". Not saying this is a Raleigh but most likely English built / modified.My 5 Columbus bikes have a different style cable guide, all the same on all 5 bikes. They are simple like a single nipple with a groove in the centre, not split like Reynolds ones. Perhaps the clues lie there ? It's also very heavily pitted. Columbus tubes especially SL SLX which are 80's tubing don't really suffer that sort of heavy rot, even when they have been left out for donkeys years.
Hope some of this helps. If its an Italian BB shell, then perhaps it IS an early 70's Columbus with modified cable guides. Got a bike here exactly just that, a 70's 531 frame with typical 80's cable guides, added at a later date (only know this because when I stripped the frame back to bare metal it was noticable).
1 last tip : tubes are often individually marked with there correct status ie: 531/531c/Columbus. Try looking near the lugs on the tubes themselves. I ID'd 1 of my own by shear luck this way. Found the 531 stamp on the actual tube. After close inspection the other tubes had them too, faint but there, right near the lugs.
Good luck, yours Laz.
nowthenyogi
Retro Newbie
Cheers for info guys, will have a look for any marking on the frame tubing. It's difficult to make out much because of the pitting and I've already done some pretty heavy sanding to get rid of surface rust.
'scuse my ignorance but what do you mean by 'domed'?
AndyPA":nb0ca5u8 said:
'scuse my ignorance but what do you mean by 'domed'?
nowthenyogi
Retro Newbie
used my googling ability to determine the seat/chainstay ends are not domed... however there is no sign of any columbus markings on the tubes, maybe lost in the paint stripping/sanding? brazing on the bb cable guides appears original and as its italian bb I doubt it is raleigh... so, still none the wiser!
