Info on a Fondriest Columbus Gara Frame please

ScottyBoyRS4

Hi as the title says i need help with info on a Fondriest Columbus Gara frame, is this the name or just the tubing its made from also approx year and any other info you might be able to supply. Im looking to buy one but cant find alot of info, cheers

crankycrank

Gara is the name of the tubing. I do know that these are fairly heavy and durable tubes. Not found in too many racing frames and If I recall I saw one from about the mid-eighties but I don't know what year they originated or if Gara is still being produced. Sorry I don't have any more info for you.

Monty Dog

Columbus Gara was right at the bottom of Colombus' range of tubesets - a full kilo heavier that something like EL, so don't expect it to 'zing' along.
Fondriest as a brand outsourced most of their production, so it's hard to guarantee provenance to many frames, particularly at the lower end - such bikes were 'range fillers' designed to give low-entry models to attract dealers to take the whole range. Fondriest started selling bikes in the late 1990s following his retirement - the bike company was actually run by his brother, folded about 5 years ago and has been resurrected as a brand under Cicli Esperia.

Wheelspinner

Monty Dog wrote:

Columbus Gara was right at the bottom of Colombus' range of tubesets - a full kilo heavier that something like EL, so don't expect it to 'zing' along.
Fondriest as a brand outsourced most of their production, so it's hard to guarantee provenance to many frames, particularly at the lower end - such bikes were 'range fillers' designed to give low-entry models to attract dealers to take the whole range. Fondriest started selling bikes in the late 1990s following his retirement - the bike company was actually run by his brother, folded about 5 years ago and has been resurrected as a brand under Cicli Esperia.

How the hell do you know all this stuff???

I have a Fondriest from about 7 years ago, "Top Level" which was Dedacciai tubing of some sort, 7005 aluminium, with a carbon fork. It is beautifully made and finished, and a delightful thing to ride. Their current models sure look nice, if undoubtedly a re-branded Taiwan made carbon frame.

Monty Dog

My wife asks me how I have the capacity to absorb such useless information and that if I'd applied myself more.....
The info on Columbus tubesets is easy to find on the web.
Anyway, I once met someone who knows Maurizio and we shared some stories

turboslave

I have an old Fondriest built with Gara tubing, relegated to the turbo these days, however I can remember enjoying many a good long and comfortable ride on this bike, then as it is now it had carbon forks but was no slouch, though I was fitter myself in those day's.

As someone stated this tubing is the lower end of the Columbus range, regardless of the tubing grade, the main factor when assmbling a frame is how the main components (tubes) are put together, if done by one of the better manufacturers then more life can be introduced to the overall construction adding comfort, strength, zipp and responsivness over a dead feel.

I have toyed with the idea of letting it loose once again for the experience, but after loving the carbon experience way too much I dont think the retro skinny tubes is for me anymore., it also has an oversize stronglight headset which looks positivly disturbing.

If it was the only bike I had I know it would give many miles of happy cycling.

Enjoy