New Paint Scheme - Italian Theme - Advice please?

alistaird

All,

Not sure where to post this, so hopefully this is ok here.

I'm recovering from a hip replacement so am planning the re-build of my Colnago E1. Not a well known frame but is monocoque front triangle and lugged rear - and interesting frame that was only produced for a couple of years. I bought one 2nd hand a year or so ago and built it up to see how it rode and whether it was special. Well it is and now I'm planning a re-build as it really deserves a re-spray etc. I've got an all carbon Colnago fork to replace the part alloy one (which I think was a replacement anyway.) Looks wise - not dissimilar to a C40 or Extreme so a largish BB but not overly and relatively conventional tube sizing.

Here is a bad photo of the current frame:

s-l1600

These are the wheels (and I may well need to strip the decals etc off them):



I've got an integrated bar and stem from FSA (in white) and a carbon monolink seat post.

So here is my question - for all you artistic types...

I would very much like to get this re-sprayed (including seat-post and handlebars/stem) with an Italian theme and have found someone localish to do the re-spray but I need some great ideas on what sort of paint scheme to go with. My initial thinking was Italian flag blending from red to white to green but I'm sure the artistic guys out there could come up with something a bit more subtle. I was thinking a mix of clear coat and some red/green/white elements?

I would just love some ideas/mock ups etc for me to think about whilst I'm recovering...

Thanks

A

pblakeney

If it was me, I'd choose from either a red, white or green base (whichever is a personal preference) and use the other two colours for effect. The nicest paint job I've ever seen was a very pearlescent white with red & green flicks on a C60.
Then I'd apply Colnago decals.

norfolkwhite

I had a new Italian themed paint job on my De Rosa, also had seatpost and stem done. Images are now on the Kustomflow website (chap who did the paint job) - top service and pristine finish, very pleased with mine.

kleinstroker

Why not go classy and have a full Saronni red scheme done? White logo.

Would look nice I think

alistaird

PBlakeney wrote:

If it was me, I'd choose from either a red, white or green base (whichever is a personal preference) and use the other two colours for effect. The nicest paint job I've ever seen was a very pearlescent white with red & green flicks on a C60.
Then I'd apply Colnago decals.

Sounds interesting, any pics?

A

alistaird

Norfolkwhite wrote:

I had a new Italian themed paint job on my De Rosa, also had seatpost and stem done. Images are now on the Kustomflow website (chap who did the paint job) - top service and pristine finish, very pleased with mine.

That does look good....

Thanks

A

alistaird

kleinstroker wrote:

Why not go classy and have a full Saronni red scheme done? White logo.

Would look nice I think

Saw a modern De Rosa done this way recently and it did look stunning...

Keep the ideas coming please....

A

Harry182

My (slightly tongue-in-cheek) interpretation of the consummate Italian-themed Colnago paint scheme -

shirley_basso

Favorite paint jobs of all time:

Basso Astra



Colnago C59 150th anniversary



Colnago C59 AD10



Colnago C60 MHBL



Colnago EPS in PRZA or PR82

Wheelspinner

I had an E1 for years. Fantastic ride and handling. Very rare to see one, sold mine to a collector who had 9 other 'Nago's. The E1 ended up being his daily ride of choice.

It was a clear coat over carbon only with just a couple of small Italian flag and colour patches, with silver decals.



The PR99 scheme is nice and elegantly simple.

trivial_poursuivant

If it’s as rare as you say it is, it may be best leaving it. A rare Colnago in top condition will be quite collectible in a few more years. Respraying it could effect its value.

pblakeney

AlistairD wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

If it was me, I'd choose from either a red, white or green base (whichever is a personal preference) and use the other two colours for effect. The nicest paint job I've ever seen was a very pearlescent white with red & green flicks on a C60.
Then I'd apply Colnago decals.

Sounds interesting, any pics?

A

Unfortunately no, as it was in Mallorca. Similar to the one below but with more obvious red & green touches like the C59 150th. It is also hard to overstate how much the pearlescent paint dazzled.
I have a Saronni Master and while it is nice, I am not sure it would suit oversize tubing.
I got replacement decals from a guy in Australia for a reasonable fee but have lost contact details.

There is also that rare issue collectible point...

alistaird

Wow - some great ideas, thanks guys... Keep um coming.

A

Wheelspinner

PBlakeney wrote:

I got replacement decals from a guy in Australia for a reasonable fee but have lost contact details.

That would likely be this bloke?

http://cyclomondo.net

poppit

The most beautiful Italian themed bikes I’ve ever seen are the pinarellos that the national squads use on the track, similar to the one in this article about Viviani, https://www.vittoria.com/vittoria-visits-elia-viviani-team-skyitalia/

pblakeney

Wheelspinner wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

I got replacement decals from a guy in Australia for a reasonable fee but have lost contact details.

That would likely be this bloke?

http://cyclomondo.net

That's the guy! 8)

alistaird

And now I'm spoilt for choice....

A

alistaird

Wheelspinner wrote:

I had an E1 for years. Fantastic ride and handling. Very rare to see one, sold mine to a collector who had 9 other 'Nago's. The E1 ended up being his daily ride of choice.

It was a clear coat over carbon only with just a couple of small Italian flag and colour patches, with silver decals.

Interesting feedback on your E1 - thanks. I do like the ride - the only Nago I've ridden and good to know - it's a 'good one...'

I've definitely thought about keeping the clear coat over carbon with just a hint of Italian flag type colour patches and a new set of decals... New front fork is from a CLX and not sure what that will look like with clear coat as it's all red at the minute.

A

Matthewfalle

Azzurro all over, Italian flags in discreet places, all black finishing kit and some phat Boras on it.

Colnago in white.

shirley_basso

White bike and black finishing kit? No no no

rolf_f

Shirley Basso wrote:

White bike and black finishing kit? No no no

Are you a hairdresser by any chance?

napoleond

I love the Italian flag paint job on my Extreme Power, called ST02. The green is metallic. Mine is the naked carbon but looks pimp in white.
Google has loads of pics but here’s a close up of mine.

https://flic.kr/p/21aj9to

alistaird

NapoleonD wrote:

I love the Italian flag paint job on my Extreme Power, called ST02. The green is metallic. Mine is the naked carbon but looks pimp in white.
Google has loads of pics but here’s a close up of mine.

https://flic.kr/p/21aj9to

Neat, best one to date I think... This would look good on my frame especially with pearlescent colours:



A

Wheelspinner

If you are serious about colour and paint then it's always worth a browse through Baum Cycles Flickr pages... some exquisite work in there in every colour you can imagine..

https://www.flickr.com/photos/baumcycles/page1

I can see something like this layout working with red/white/green instead of the blue, and just clear coat over the carbon elsewhere, or even a metallic charcoal background.

mr_mojo

I had a C40 painted earlier this year by Cromaworks in Sheffield. Original paint in really poor condition and lacquer going milky in places so need doing. I used the Mapei world champion colour scheme as the idea. The red and green run down the top tube from the WC banding making the Italian flag colours with the white main frame colour. All logos and WC banding painted.

Not the best pictures!

alistaird

Wheelspinner wrote:

If you are serious about colour and paint then it's always worth a browse through Baum Cycles Flickr pages... some exquisite work in there in every colour you can imagine..

Nice selection - something like this might work in red, white and green:




A

alistaird

Mr_Mojo wrote:

I had a C40 painted earlier this year by Cromaworks in Sheffield. Original paint in really poor condition and lacquer going milky in places so need doing. I used the Mapei world champion colour scheme as the idea. The red and green run down the top tube from the WC banding making the Italian flag colours with the white main frame colour. All logos and WC banding painted.

That's nice but I think I'm leaning towards keeping some of the clear coat - but I like the idea of the flag theme running down the tube...

A

Matthewfalle

Shirley Basso wrote:

White bike and black finishing kit? No no no

white bike?

napoleond

AlistairD wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

I love the Italian flag paint job on my Extreme Power, called ST02. The green is metallic. Mine is the naked carbon but looks pimp in white.
Google has loads of pics but here’s a close up of mine.

https://flic.kr/p/21aj9to

Neat, best one to date I think... This would look good on my frame especially with pearlescent colours:



A

Mine is the slightly more recent version (it’s actually ST01, 02 is with white instead of naked carbon). This isn’t mine, all my photos were on photobucket which now wants a fortune for me to carry on using it!

alistaird

NapoleonD wrote:

AlistairD wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

I love the Italian flag paint job on my Extreme Power, called ST02. The green is metallic. Mine is the naked carbon but looks pimp in white.
Google has loads of pics but here’s a close up of mine.

Neat, best one to date I think... This would look good on my frame especially with pearlescent colours:


A

Mine is the slightly more recent version (it’s actually ST01, 02 is with white instead of naked carbon). This isn’t mine, all my photos were on photobucket which now wants a fortune for me to carry on using it!

And I think this is the same bike with 50mm Boras which would look similar to my 50mm Vueltas.

Colnago C-50 & Boras by Andres Flores, on Flickr

Colnago C-50 & Boras by Andres Flores, on Flickr

That's nearly perfect

Thanks NapD.

A

napoleond

Mine has these bottle cages too-