Project SARONNI

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dodgiebros
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Project SARONNI

Postby dodgiebros » Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:14 pm

G'day fella's,

I've just picked up this beautiful old machine for my next project. It's my first resto of a real track bike (ie not a roadie conversion). She hasn't been ridden for years and has heaps of rust and dust on her. The ex owner was a lovely lady who was into track racing some time ago.... she wouldn't give year numbers for some reason :mrgreen: but I'm guessing somewhere in the 80s???
Tomorrow I'll give her a wash and take heaps of pics. I'm wondering whether she is worth restoring to original or not? Maybe the Retro guys can let me know on that one? From what I can see under the dust/rust so far is:

Frame: Colnago Columbus AELLE
Fork: rusted chrome :?
Cranks: 'mistral by ofmega'
Pedals: Ofmega
Hubs: Record
Rims: Fiamme Master singles
Stem: SR Royal
Bars: Cinelli Pista
Seat post: SR Laprade
Seat: CONCOR Supercorsa Comfort

Anyways, I'm so looking forward to doing her up 'to the max' :)
Any input is much welcome :)

Image

Hide
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby Hide » Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:07 pm

Damn! Great score! I guess at least rechrome the fork.
(I don't know why but forks are so bloody easy to get rust, my colnago's fork was plagued with rust)

Ofmega crankset are the most pleasing aesthestically looking i've ever seen..

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dodgiebros
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby dodgiebros » Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:32 pm

Hey thanks Hide, at closer look of fork crown it says Saronni with a big S. I'll be sourcing a reputable electroplater in town for sure. I ain't heard of ofmega but yeah they do look nice :P

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jaseyjase
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby jaseyjase » Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:39 pm

great find! definitely worth restoring! move this post over to the retro section!

subscribed to this thread :D

flashrider
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby flashrider » Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:28 pm

That's the shizzle, Dodgie....just don't stick crappy rims on this one!! :) Understated elegance would be the way to go IMHO. Ummm, powder blue paint job,(PM George Clark for tips, I saw a frame at his place that he prepped after blasting and pre powdercoating and it looked like a top notch spray job, amazingly good.) gold Izumi track chain and other Italian track finery and some repro decals. Polish everything to an inch of its life and post..Mebbe this one can make FFG too.
Projectus Distractus Maxima.

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dodgiebros
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby dodgiebros » Sat Jun 19, 2010 4:21 am

hey thanks for tips Flash, but I'm gonna have to do a full resto ( to original) on this one. I don't like red but I have to... I ordered stickers/decals from 'cyclomon', they turned up today and they look awesome... I'm thinking the bike is original??? If not, pls someone tell me...If it is, then that's the way it shall be. And yes, plenty of polishing to a high degree of mirrorness :p
My first question is 'is there a colour code for Saronni Red or what? I could leave the frame as is but there is a fair bit of rust under the very thin duco...

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GaryF
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby GaryF » Fri Jul 16, 2010 11:36 pm

Hi Dodgiebros,

The Saronni's were built by Colnago and, in my opinion, the 'Saronni red' was the colour to have. Colnago built them in recognition of Guiseppe (or Beppe) Saronni who rode their bikes with great success in the late 70's and early 80's. His Colnago's were a rich red colour that became known as 'Saronni red'. Your frame probably has a Colnago 'Ace of Clubs' cutout underneath the bottom bracket shell. You've got a Colnago track bike!!!

I found the Saronni's to have poor paint jobs and rust seemed to be common on under the paintwork. The Columbus Aelle was a lower grade of tubing but it would have been fine for a track bike.

In my opinion, your bike should be kept as original as possible but a re-chrome and paint would be something I would look into. A full bore track bike is great fun to ride around on,

Best of luck,

Gary.

PomFresh
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby PomFresh » Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:34 am

Nice find. Are you keeping the wheels as singles, or changing the rims?

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jaseyjase
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby jaseyjase » Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:54 pm


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The Womble
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby The Womble » Thu Jul 22, 2010 9:32 pm

If you dont keep those cranks and get them double chromed, I swear to God I will hunt you down and... U get the idea :mrgreen:

flashrider
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby flashrider » Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:35 pm

For crying out loud Jaseyjase, is there anything you don't have? Pull yer finger Dodgie seems everyone's keen on this bike...I am now cyberstalking this thread
Projectus Distractus Maxima.

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jaseyjase
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby jaseyjase » Fri Jul 23, 2010 12:29 am

flashrider wrote:For crying out loud Jaseyjase, is there anything you don't have? Pull yer finger Dodgie seems everyone's keen on this bike...I am now cyberstalking this thread
hahah not mine mate, ebay link :wink:

come get your brakes already!

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dodgiebros
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby dodgiebros » Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:46 pm

@GaryF - Thanks for the info. Since acquiring this bike I've spent endless hours googling for info. From what I can tell she's all original :)
I haven't started the resto yet as I'm moving house in a few weeks and don't want to lose any bits :mrgreen:
I did chuck some other wheels on for a quick test ride and wow, track bikes are so different...

@Pomfresh - yep, she is staying all original :) I'll get the LBS to do the tubulars as I've never had them before.

@JaseyJ - checked the Saronni stem out, don't need one but would be nice just to have 8)

@Womble - um... what you mean by 'double chrome'? Do you mean polish the bajesus out of them to a mirror/ chrome finish? :P

I've been lucky enough to source (from ebay) all the frame stickers from cyclomon, but still need the rim stickers... And I've just received a pair of Saronni shoes (pictured) from ebay that are a perfect fit for my feet and the original pedals :D

I still haven't found an exact paint colour code though :(


Image

.isaac.
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby .isaac. » Mon Sep 13, 2010 10:29 am

I think you should get a new saddle.

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Zynster
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby Zynster » Mon Sep 13, 2010 10:35 am

Fausto Coppi Reparto Corse | Giant Farrago Cross

ironhanglider
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby ironhanglider » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:20 pm

I'll happily join the chorus to say that it's a great find.
dodgiebros wrote:@Pomfresh - yep, she is staying all original :) I'll get the LBS to do the tubulars as I've never had them before.
Don't get someone else to glue your tyres. Their skin isn't on the line... Besides it's not that hard. There are a few schools of thought (religions?) with regard to glueing.

The method I use takes a couple of days, but the last tyre I had to pull off was on so firmly that it caused me to bleed under my thumb nails and I ended up having to use a lever to get the thing off, fortunately I wasn't stuck at the roadside at the time. I use the method of a layer on the rim, leave it a day, another layer, another day, a third layer and one on the tyre, leave it an hour and then mount. I think it is similar to this
http://velonews.competitor.com/2008/04/ ... rial_74487

I have used simpler methods previously and have never rolled a tyre. Of course for a track bike you should probably be using shellac...

Cheers,

Cameron

.isaac.
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby .isaac. » Tue Sep 14, 2010 6:04 am

dodgiebros wrote: Image
Just interested... how tall are you?

Nightheron
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby Nightheron » Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:51 pm

Just joined the forum as I was after some info on Aelle tubing. Then I saw Saronni. Your little trackbike is a deadset ringer for a Saronni Road Bike frame I picked up a couple of Months ago. I am getting it rechromed at the moment, then Lewis and Sons Powdercoaters Brisbane are giving it a coat in Black, and there black is unreal, deep and very glossy and smooth.I was going to keep it red, but I am a little tired of the Saronni look. I have a number of bikes running Retro so I am going to put Campag Centaur Carbon on it, Silver Cranks though. Black Record Hubs with black Razor rims, silver spokes. The Aelle tubing on my frame was rusted badly under the paint, just like yours.

nathann
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby nathann » Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:46 pm

EvilGenius wrote:I think you should get a new saddle.
No way! Concor saddles are 'cool'.

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QuangVuong
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Project SARONNI

Postby QuangVuong » Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:08 pm

5 year thread bump.

Dodgiebros, did you ever finish this bike? I reckon I have the exact frame as you in 55TT. Columbus Aelle as well. Unfortunately, no fork. It's not a lightweight coming in at 2145g for just the frame.
Image

I was actually buying a nice set of carbon Corima wheels(retro ones of course), and little did I know I was gonna bring home a Saronni, as well as a Minimax frame with most of a Mavic SSC(starfish) group, and a Pete Bundy frame. The seller was an old guy who was really into riding and getting all the lightweight stuff, which is why he has a lot of old stuff lying around and barely used too. The Saronni was just hanging on the wall, pretty dusty and rusty. It's missing pretty much all the decals, other than the Columbus Aelle decal and the very top of the ST decal.
Image

It does have the Saronni seatstay caps.
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And the Colnago clover in the lower HT lug.
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BB is slotted. No clover cutout like what GaryF says above. Is this just a lower end model that doesn't have the cutouts to save money?
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And this is the serial, S8, on non branded track ends. Looks Columbus like in shape though. What's your one?
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Now, I probably do have enough bits to build this bike up, and being in my size why not. Now, the hard bit is finding a fork. I doubt I would find a Saronni one, so I guess I'll find one close enough in shape. Do you have any closer pics of your fork?
VillaVelo, by the Vuong brothers

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dodgiebros
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Project SARONNI

Postby dodgiebros » Tue Dec 01, 2015 2:25 pm

Mate I'll drag the old girl out and take a few close ups for ya. I never did get around to the full rebuild. I just cleaned her up a little and got her rideable. I did source some new decals from Cyclomondo but have since lost them after moving house a few times. I can take pics with a tape measure on decals too if like? I'll back with pics as soon as I can...

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dodgiebros
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby dodgiebros » Tue Dec 01, 2015 5:11 pm

A couple pics for ya.. any other info needed, just let us know ;-)

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koshari
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby koshari » Tue Dec 01, 2015 5:20 pm

love the portrait of Dr Zacheriah Smith on the steerer tube,
Image

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dodgiebros
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby dodgiebros » Fri Dec 04, 2015 5:16 pm

Lol [emoji1] ^^

Richardcary
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Re: Project SARONNI

Postby Richardcary » Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:07 pm

Chrome-plating looks pretty when new, but is basically a bad thing to do as it involves dipping the metal in acid. This makes it prone to serious corrosion over time and causes metal embrittlement too. Getting forks re-chromed would now be very expensive. Might be best to get shot-blasted and painted.

Ofmega produced a selection of nice looking, mid-range stuff. Lacking the cachet of Campag but decent enough. A bit like buying Ultegra rather than Durace.

Aelle tubing is heavier than Columbus SL or SLX, a bit like Reynolds 501 compared to its more upmarket brother, 531.

Saronni was winner of the world professional road race in Goodwood, UK in the early 80s, in a thrilling sprint against Sean Kelly and Greg Lemond. He never made any of the frames but they were always eye-catching and sought after.

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