Colnago - real or fake ?

[pat1uk]

Hi - I`m new to this ,so apologies if I don`t get all the protocols right. I have recently bought a "Colnago CLX " on a well known auction site for a few hundred £`s. After closer inspection when cleaning it up I noticed that the black paint had been sprayed on over a base yellow and filled in the serial numbers on the bottom bracket. made me quite suspicious. the vendor assures me that he bought it new from a dealer and has never had a problem with it. as it is only an entry point Colnago I don`t think anyone would go to the trouble of faking it - and I read on forums that having several coats of paint is quite common on Colnagos.

Anyone help me with a view ? whatever,I can ride it as my "wet and Winter " bike,just curious. I found serial numbers on the bottom bracket : "M ( or inverted W ) 1283 x 1 " and "W" or inverted "M" opposite - see pics.
Thanks

 

[vickster]

If he bought it new from a dealer, ask him to contact them and get you a copy of the receipt (with serial number) to put your mind at rest

You can use google images to check out the colour ways of that bike over the years. If it matches, it's more likely to be legit

 

[midlife]

Way after my time but wasn't the clx a carbon bike?

 

[StuAff]

No way that's legit. As @midlife has already said, the CLX (still on sale, after many years and several revisions) is a carbon frame. Your bike is aluminium. Rough guess- someone bought a cheap Viking bike (wheels are a big clue), resprayed it, stuck the decals on, then went looking for a buyer. If you paid a 'few hundred' you were ripped off, new those things go for a couple of hundred. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[pat1uk]

Thanks for your time guys - I guess I will get a can of matt black paint and spray over the decals! for the money,it will make a passable winter training bike, when I leave my 1997 Bianchi with full campag kit and ambrosio wheels in the garage in the dry!

 

[biggs682]

Contact Colnago or it's uk distributor with the frame number and they should be able to confirm if genuine or not

 

[T4tomo]

Generally Colnago + eBay = fake.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

If the CLX was only ever made as a carbon frame then you've been sold a counterfeit and should get right on to eBay for a refund.
You've only got a couple of days left to do this but a good chance of getting your £400 back.