Hi all i have a Francesco Moser Super Prestige frame but the Columbus tube decal is missing, can anyone help id it i think ive possibly found a match

[Woody662011]

 

[jim haseltine]

I had a Moser like that which I used as a training/winter bike, Aelle tubing, almost certain that it had mudguard eyes but maybe I used tube clips then had them brazed on at a later date. When I stopped riding it sat out the back of my garage for years. Wish I knew what happened to it as it had a Super Record seat pin.

 

[Jesper]

I don't just came across a picture of a identical frame, the frame is fully chromed then a blue paint sprayed over the top but sadly for some reason the original decals were never sealed with a coat of lacquer so some were completely missing like the tubing decal others like the head tube I could see the remains of Francesco Mosers face and while lifting the frame some ended up stuck on my hand I would like to replace the decals to spruce it up but identifying the tubing is the tricky part but if the key is the seat tube size that is helpful.

I think if your frame is "Aelle" tubing it would also be no earlier than '78. 1977 is when Columbus changed/split up and I believe "Aelle" was introduced just after that period ('78-'80). I think your frame should at least have the world championship decals for 1976 (track pursuit) and 1977 (road); both decals located on the seat tube one above the MOSER decal and one below. I know later bikes (at least by 84/85) have 2 of the world championship decals (identical) with the location (San Cristobal); decals are located in the same locations as the earlier world championship decals. On ebay I saw an early set of decals with the "head" headbadge and it had 2 world championship decals with 1978 as the year Moser won (both road and presumably track). He did not win a world championship in that year; but he was awarded the "Pernod" trophy for most points in the 1978 season so I don't know if the decal manufacturer got confused while printing those decals, they are incorrect per the official cycling records. I think my may "Aelle" frame may even be earlier than 84/85; there is a catalog which has been identified as 1981-1983 (I don't know if it is accurate), which has my very same frame (decals match as best as I can tell, not great detail in catalog photo), and those bikes in that catalog all have the "MOSER" headbadge in vertical letters. That may at least narrow down the years a bit to pre-'81, or at least pre-'83; now you should be in the '79-'80, or '79-82 ballpark. My "Aelle" frame has the San Cristobal world championship decals and not the earlier '76 & '77 decals. Also, checked my seat tube for that frame and it is 26.8mm; and the BB shell has the "FM" cut-out. Aside from seat tube and decals, the BB cut-out might be another year indicator or tube set indicator; I don't know. I have been told that Moser did not produce bikes in '77 or '78; the bikes he rode were De Rosas. That is from another source; I have already been told about a 1978 Moser that sports their motif and no De Rosa insignia. That is all I have. Good luck.

 

[jim haseltine]

We had a good relationship with the agents who imported Moser fames in the late 70s/early 80s so got quite a few of the top range which were quite obviously De Rosas. Some had FM BB shells and some looked to me as if they were pro team quality rejects - poor tracking with filed dropouts. For one season I rode a perfect SL tubed frame which was fully chromed with a blue lacquer finish. Weeks after I bought it another arrived in our shop which I really wanted but couldn't justify having two, similar finish but the head badge was an engraved version of the 'head'.
I also gained an autographed poster of the great man which spent some years on display in my house. Unfortunately time and sunlight have faded the signature to invisibility.

 

[HPL]

We had a good relationship with the agents who imported Moser fames in the late 70s/early 80s so got quite a few of the top range which were quite obviously De Rosas. Some had FM BB shells and some looked to me as if they were pro team quality rejects - poor tracking with filed dropouts. For one season I rode a perfect SL tubed frame which was fully chromed with a blue lacquer finish. Weeks after I bought it another arrived in our shop which I really wanted but couldn't justify having two, similar finish but the head badge was an engraved version of the 'head'.
I also gained an autographed poster of the great man which spent some years on display in my house. Unfortunately time and sunlight have faded the signature to invisibility.

Hi Jim,

Were any of those bikes pre-1979? Were any without the Pernod award decal? You stated they were made by De Rosa, but were being marketed as Mosers; true? Did any have De Rosa lug cut-outs, or did they get "M" treatment as well? That would be an interesting bike with the engraved headbadge; I would assume a special edition of some sort. Do you know what year the headbadge changed from the face to just lettering; did it stay the same while you were still involved with those bikes?

Thanks,
Howard

 

[jim haseltine]

It's all a long time ago so my memory isn't clear. It would have been late 79/early 80 when we first started seeing Moser frames. I don't recall many (or any) of the top frames without the Pernod decal. Head badges varied between the 'head' and letters with the 'head' being rarer and disappearing pretty quickly - sometimes the letters had a cartouche-like band of world champ stripes. Letters varied between yellow and white. The SL frames without exception had De Rosa heart-shaped or deep V cut outs with the BB shells having either slots or FM cut outs. Cheaper frames had FM lugs, fork crowns and BB shells.
As this was back in the days before digital cameras we didn't waste film on taking pictures of just our bikes - that fact combined with various house moves over the years means I have no pictures to confirm.

 

[keithglos]

This might help. Picture of one of my Mosers, brought over from Italy by Sansom team member Phil Edwards December 1979.
Specially built by De Rosa with Campagnolo Super record titanium group set. Original spec included Mavic Blue SSC rims, Everest alloy 6 speed freewheel and 8 ounce Pirelli tubulars.

 

[jim haseltine]

Took a while for my defective memory to get in gear. The importers were Caratti Sport which was run by the Edwards family and based in Bristol from what I remember.

 

[Gregorey]

Hi guys, I will use this thread, because I bought similar frame in France a few years ago but couldn't get any info about it. At that time I hoped it has something to do with De Rosa because of heart cut-off lugs but the main difference are labels...never seen label's like that on FM bikes. Also from the head sticker design (cycles) it looks like it was maybe made for English market.

Hope someone can share some info about it.

 

[uncleivan]

There is a Francesco Moser catalog at bulgier.net. The catalog dates from 80/81.