My new 'Italian' bicycle

Made in the early 1990's from Columbus SLX

This is going to be my restoration project

I didn't actually have any plans for a restoration project

I just saw this one on ebay.it the other day

and I fell in love ..

wow, beautiful.

its worth checking out ebay.it, I picked this up for the price of a Bob Jackson Vigorelli

she's purrrty!

digging the chrome bits.

I hate to say it buddha but there doesnt look like there's much restoration necessary! hehe. I like the wierd blur in the top left of the photo, reminds me of jons pic in the names & faces to bikes thread.

The decals are torn in some places and there are some paint chips

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290172139535&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:PIC&ih=019

but all things considered it looks like its in good nick

we shall see when it comes out of the box

Even though I have built a few bikes by now

I don't know anything about restoring bicycles

Pretty nice indeed, great colour.

Internal cable routing ! - Are you going to file these down and fill 'em ?

I already have three 'fixed' bicycles so I think that this one is going to be my 'roadie' bike

Wise move, I take it there are two internal routings ?

EDIT: just spotted the cable guide on bottom of the drive side chain stay.

It should build up nice and clean, I love internal routing.

I have never had a bike with internal cable routing is there actually a tube for the cable to run through inside the top tube, or is it just the two holes...?

You should have the two holes (obviously!) and two cable stop things that sit in the holes, as the cable runs through the top tube is doesn't need to sit in a tube of any kind.

You will often see a plastic tube stuck through a bike frame that has internal routing, like a Klein or similar, but this is to help you guide the cable from hole to hole, once you have the cable threaded through, you can pull out this plastic tube.

DO NOT pull this tube out before you have put your cable through, otherwise it can be a nightmare to feed the cable through. (think 2 hours spent with cotton, magnets and a sewing needle)

Also when you change cables or service your bike or whatever - you need to unfasten the cable from your (rear) brake, leave the cable in place (through the top tube) then thread the plastic tube over the cable so it goes through the frame, tape down the two ends that stick out of the two holes and then pull your cable out.

I have had a few internally routed frames over the years, I think they look great with no cables on the outside.

tynan
DO NOT pull this tube out before you have put your cable through, otherwise it can be a nightmare to feed the cable through. (think 2 hours spent with cotton, magnets and a sewing needle)

i'm really intrigued-- where does the cotton fit into the figure?

Oh thanks for that tynan, now I see why the frame in the photo has a bit of old cable hanging out of it, I am not sure yet whether I am getting this frame resprayed
but some of that plastic tubing you are talking about sounds like it might come in handy, is it something you can buy...?

I hear what you say about the 'internal' routing one of the things that really drew me to this particular frame is just how 'clean' it looks

hi Smiling Buddha, I am doing a very similar restauration project on a colnago master steel frame, also being build into a road bike (basically finding all the parts as the frame itself is perfect). If you like to exchange some ideas, sources, expreience whisper me. Haven't started yet. Pretty much the same as yours, have got frame and fork - thats it.

Cajeta [quote]tynan
DO NOT pull this tube out before you have put your cable through, otherwise it can be a nightmare to feed the cable through. (think 2 hours spent with cotton, magnets and a sewing needle)

i'm really intrigued-- where does the cotton fit into the figure?[/quote]

The method I used on a Klein Road bike (this method would not work on a steel bike for all the ferrically obvious reasons !):

1) get a long bit of cotton thread, enough to go hole to hole.
2) stick a sewing needle on one end.
3) tip the bike/frame up so that the holes are vertically above each other (or as near as you can get)
4) lower the sewing needle in and try and get it to hit the exit hole - use the magnet to attract it to the exit hole.
5) when the thread is through - tie it to the end of the cable and pull it back through the other way.

Basically what I am saying is be prepared to knock up all sorts of Heath Robinson type inventions to try and get that cable through as it is very fiddly.

I have had some success with a straightened coat hanger and a cone of paper pushed through the exit hole (think USAF mid-air refueling)

the-smiling-buddha Oh thanks for that tynan, now I see why the frame in the photo has a bit of old cable hanging out of it, I am not sure yet whether I am getting this frame resprayed
but some of that plastic tubing you are talking about sounds like it might come in handy, is it something you can buy...?

The piece that comes with frame above should do the trick, but if you need more - any plastic tubing that is thin enough to go through the holes yet accept the cable should do the trick - I asked for a piece of the stuff Klein used in their frames from a bike shop, they gave me free bit, but Klein are not sold in the UK anymore.

Lovely looking bike, well done! I have an Olmo built from around a similar period, the Columbus SLX tubing handles great and feels lovely. Sadly it came with some cheap aftermarket carbon forks, since then I've been on the lookout for an original pair!

Very nice, shine. I'm currently collecting parts for a re-build/restoration of my concorde, lugged Columbus slx as well but in much worse condition. Looking forward to seeing the end results.

Chris

Some internal router cable bike do have a small tube running inside the tube to make life easier so you may be lucky but you have the tubing though already so you are sorted.

Looks very nice.

hottttt

another way for the routing is take a bit of string, stuff it through one hole and put a vacuum cleaner over the other hole, it will suck the loose end of the string out through the hole.

BillB another way for the routing is take a bit of string, stuff it through one hole and put a vacuum cleaner over the other hole, it will suck the loose end of the string out through the hole.

brilliant! that sounds so much easier!

This one is for bicycle geeks - Internal cable routing - hang the frame vertical in the stand - tie dental floss to the seatpost poke it in one hole and dangle it exactly at right length to exist the second hole - take a bit of inner tube - tape it over a bic biro tube and put the other end of the inner tube over your vacuum cleaner - press the bic biro tube over the exist hole - turn on the vacuum and hey presto - you know have a piece of dental floss running through your internal routing.