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I'm in Holland doing an art project at the moment and found this rather lovely Colnago Competition CX bike I picked up... 1998/9, steel and very likely belonged to Bert Hiemstra who rode for Rabobank 1998-2000. I say this as there was a sticker on the TT with 'Hiemstra' on it, and I went to a town very close to where he lives to pick it up from a guy who races a lot and was 'selling it for a friend'. The photos he sent clearly showed the name sticker but when I picked it up he'd 'cleaned' it off so I was a bit gutted, but I have the original pics with the sticker showing if anyone is interested!
I had visions of myself cruising over Holland's beautiful highways and byways and charging through muddy pathways inaccessible to a mere road bike bedecked in orange and thought I could just fit it with a bit of adjustment, but although it was fine in terms of reach, unfortunately with chunky tyres factored in the top tube puts my unborn children at risk so I am selling it on...
59cm Seat Tube, Center to Top, 58cm Top Tube, Center to Center (made for lanky Dutch folk!)
9spd dura-ace an set up with Ritchey Logic Canti's, and 3ttt Pro Titanium quill stem, straight steel fork and really racy angles. This could have been for Hiemstra's winter training or for doing early-season cross, but he left Rabobank in 2000 so I'm not sure if it was ever pedalled in anger, but he would have been in the team with one Sven Nys at the start of his international cross dominance which is pretty cool.... I've looked at Rabobank pics from this particular year and the set-up is identical on their other cx bikes.
The components are all in good nick, some superficial scratches as you would expect but all functioning excellently and look great. Dura Ace shifters, hubs, headset, cranks, rear mech, STX front mech, and mavic GP4 rims with loads of life left. The brake pads will need replacing but I think I have some in a box somewhere I can give with the bike. I think the rear tub has a slow puncture so some latex might fix it if not it will need changing. I just chucked my Look pedals on it to ride it here so will be taking them off for the sale, I had put some Spd's on it for you if you need to ride it home though.
The frame itself is probably made from Columbus Thron but the sticker is not present-it is lugless and tig welded with oversize tubes for stiffness-some chips, scratches to the paint but all in looks pretty clean with that oh so classy Colnago neon accented Rabobank goodness!
Bad points: at some point the seatpost has been stuck and a small hole has been drilled in the front facing bit of the seat-tube above top tube. Pretty discreet and not really structural but worth mentioning. Also, whether to free the seatpost or to remove a crack in the rear of the seattube a small slit has been cut to prevent it from being an issue. It doesn't go into the weld and shows absolutely no sign of progressing so I think it will be fine, it is a long seatpost so there shouldn't be any stress put on that area anyway.
Lastly, the handlebars have put a small dint in the left side of the TT, so again, not perfect but I don't think it represents a structural problem. Detailed pics in the album show all this and you are welcome to ask for more or come see.
It's a lovely, light cross bike with quality components and a nice bit of history and I hope it goes to a good home.
I'm coming back over to London this weekend for a wedding and can take it with me on the ferry to handover either late on Friday or Sunday evening in Stokey (I warn you now that if it is on Sunday I will have a brutal hangover from the wedding and will very likely be monosyllabic, but will endeavour to make you a cup of tea)
more images in album here: http://imgur.com/a/l7Rir
Would like £**700 now 600 **for a quick sale-donation to forum and any questions fire away. I'm out tonight and will be on a boat all day tomorrow so might be a delay in getting back to you though..
Dibs followed by PM but cash talks and I'm on a tight schedule this weekend so would prefer a deposit to be paid to ensure folk are serious about picking it up as I leave again at silly o'clock on Monday morning and don't have time for running around, hope that's understandable.
Possible to ship...
cheers!