Restorating the “Caveman’s” Colnago Super

The restoration of a Colnago Super belonging to retired Pro athlete Conrad “The Caveman” Stoltz.
This bike has belonged to Conrad since his school days and was in need of some attention. It’s equipped with mostly Shimano 600 Tricolour components and had mismatched rims that needed sorting out.
Check out Conrad’s web site at www.conradstoltz.com to read more about this exceptional South African triathlete and what he’s achieved in his time at the sharp end of the field.

[@larsfrandsen2501]

Truly awesome job, Mate! Thanks for taking the time to show everything in real time (no sped-up nonsense and irritating, distracting music) so we can follow how and what is involved at every step of the process. Great video!

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thanks for the feedback Lars, glad you enjoyed it 👍🏼

[@larsfrandsen2501]

Just saw this. C Group Campagnolo levers.

[@jeffbrunton3291]

Watched Conrad in his last pro race, at the Xterra European Champs in UK a few years ago, he came a close second. He puts down a LOT of power, so not surprised he cracked the frame My daughter won the woman’s race, sprint distance, aged 15, first ever Xterra

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Yep, he’s a beast on a bike 💪🏼 Your daughter sounds very talented 👍🏼

[@KensalRider]

Brilliant stuff

[@hornthieves]

HOLY COLNAGO GRAIL

[@guyapple1727]

Excellent work. Very enjoyable and informative to watch! Thank you!

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thanks for the message Guy, glad you’re enjoying the vids 👍🏼

[@trevorbozzer4562]

Hi Brian…lovely job on a beautiful bike. Like Conrad I had a Colnago I raced in my youth but alas crashed it and bent the dt/tt…still miss that super to this day! Should have kept it and repaired it but with youth one doesn’t realize these things. So in my more advanced age I have taken to collecting bikes (Daccordi freccia W/1st gen chorus, chesini x-uno W/NOS super rec , Vitus 979 W/600…sadly still looking for an affordable Colnago or Pinarello😮). In doing these up I have learned a couple of things that might be off assistance. Firstly, get an ultrasonic cleaner…just wow on how they clean things! Plus an added benefit is they work wonders on records/vinyl 😁. Secondly, when touching up rust/paint use a matching primer first (thin coat obviously) then your mixed top coat to fill the scratches/chips. This will help eliminate the metal shadow under the paint and make it less noticeable. Cheers. PS love all the videos and have learned a lot as well. Trevor from Canada.

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thanks Trevor, some great tips which are much appreciated. An ultrasonic cleaner has been on my wish list for some time now, I’m just waiting for an affordable secondhand one to pop up for sale as they’re rather pricey in SA.

[@trevorbozzer4562]

@@BuffsVintageBikes Brett…I completely understand. Living in Canada has some advantages for these things…I got mine 6L off of eBay…chinese but it works fantastically. I was binge watching your Colnago series and have an additional tip I learned from another builder…put some white cloth athletic tape (the kind you use for your fingers in rugby…old hooker here😁) on your headset wrenches and this will keep them from scoring/marring the flats on the headset…particularly the aluminium ones. Keep up the videos and I can’t wait to see the Gios videos! Happy New Year to you and your family!

[@terrancefields4414]

If I ever get back to ZA .. I will find your feitz shop. I used to walk by a feitz shop every day when I would to town/dorp. Back in 1985 I bought a red Colnago when I kept at my music store. When I got divorced I liquidated including my red baby. A year later I went into a bike shop and the guy told me about this Centurion "Ironman" SOLD! Red/roi as well. I saw beautiful parts all around Cape Town coast. Do they connect to Paarl and Stellenbosch? Will there be an old vintage Reynolds 531 or Columbus bike for me? Can't wait to see your shop! Ja lekker!.

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Hi Terrance, you’re more than welcome to come and visit and I’ll make a plan to prep a 531 frame for you to enjoy some routes around the Cape. We’re spoilt for choice with some amazing roads to ride in the Cape which is why many Pro teams use SA as a training base in summer 👍🏼

[@derekbaldridge8245]

Very nice work! Love your videos, and the pace of them is quite relaxing. Keep them coming :)

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed them 👍🏼

[@marcusathome]

Another gem revealed! Love the attention to detail as well as the focused yet calm pace of work. Will be in SA/Paarl in December and definitely check out Conrad's site and maybe his trails.

[@ConradStoltz]

Brett! Thank you so much for an amazing restoration job. I really appreciate your love and passion that went into this build. The bike proudly hangs in my living room - ready to ride. For now my official excuse is "not enough free time" I'm super excited to travel to Italy in September for a comeback to XTERRA Worlds. Will certainly look out for Campy parts!

[@ConradStoltz]

Just for the record - I bought the bike in 1989 when I was 16 for R750. The reason it was so "cheap" was the cracked chainstay. But it was the closest I could get to owning an Italian bike with a few Campy parts 😂 I had just had a custom triathlon bike built by Bill Lange and he assured me he could replace the Columbus chainstay with a Reynolds one. So grateful now

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thanks for the message Conrad, hope to see you on it at one of the vintage rides later in the year. Truly awesome to hear that you’re making an Xterra comeback, I sure you’re going to smash it 🙌🏼👍🏼

[@jeffbrunton3291]

Wow, that stem looks great, what a transformation!

[@WorldofColnago]

Great work

[@ianharland5362]

amazing job, beautiful results

[@felixzm6869]

What a beautiful job man.

[@landyr71]

Awesome work Sir 👍🏼

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@Edsonvier646]

Ficou espetacular ❤😊

[@aleksandrkorzyn4453]

Какой вы молодец ! Очень хорошая работа !👍👍👍✋

[@Yonok2009]

Excellent restoration

[@Yonok2009]

Spent yesterday refurbishing some brake pads after watching your vdo It never crossed my mind prior to your vdo Came out splendid :)

[@charlsouma]

Simply amazing

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thanks Charl 👍🏼

[@27bikebrothers27]

Lovely job congratulafion

[@markkoussa2888]

Just a little tip: For rusted chrome such as the fork crown, fine steel wool works alot better and does not scratch the chrome as tin foil sometimes may. Otherwise great restoration! Excellent work.

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thanks Mark, I use fine steel wool as well but in this instance I needed something a little more aggressive 👍🏼

[@avelinodeguzman3480]

How i wish i have one of your bike.

[@scotiavelo1405]

Alan Partridge brought me here “Pyrotechniques” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

absolutely stunning be great to see it again once the campag parts have been fitted (personally I think it would look better with some period correct Vittoria Open Corsa CX tyres - but that's just me)

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

I like the way you think 😊 Conrad already has plans for new tan sidewalls in the line of 28C Panaracers Gravel Kings 👍🏼

[@trevekneebone369]

Lovely restoration. How do you prevent the polished aluminium from oxidising, after you have polished off the anodising?

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Unless you’re riding in wet weather often, the aluminum won’t simply oxidize. You can keep it looking good by giving it a good hand polish every 6 months to a year, depending how much you ride your classic bike.

[@trevekneebone369]

@@BuffsVintageBikes I have less luck where I live. Salty seaside environment eats polished aluminium!

[@ECOstudioXV]

Congratulations! Amazing job. Do you know actually how you can paint over chrome the clovers? I have an old Colnago Tecnos frame and the paint guy does not want to do the job, as he says it would not stick to chrome....

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

I’m pretty sure that if you clean up the clover with rubbing alcohol and paint it using a fine brush and enamel paint then there shouldn’t be a problem with adhesion to the chrome.

[@dioright]

Bright example of what is the real restoration, instead of strip the frame and spray everything in pink or something

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[@gearsandsprockets2820]

Awesome job. Would you consider making some 105 crank decals? 😁

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

I’m always willing to give it a go, where about’s you based?

[@gearsandsprockets2820]

@@BuffsVintageBikes Am from Malaysia.

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Okay, I’m in South Africa so I suggest you try someone locally rather 👍🏼

[@gearsandsprockets2820]

@@BuffsVintageBikes 👍sure. Thanks again. May I also suggest you check out Mother's polish. I feel its shine is better compared to autosol and leaves less residue as well.

[@arncj18]

9:22 why not rust remover? does it ruin the forks chrome?

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

No it won’t ruin it but too expensive for so much needed to dip a fork.

[@donnovicki9771]

Water paper? Is that wet sanding?

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Yes

[@jamesniv8436]

You should get soft jaws for your vice great vidio

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Thank you, I recently purchased a set of magnetic soft jaws 👍🏼

[@jeffbrunton3291]

Basically what I do Yours turns out great, while mine - doesn’t........

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

Keep at it, practice makes perfect 😝👌🏼

[@rolandbachi6880]

Colnago und Shimano😭😭😭😭😭🖓

[@BuffsVintageBikes]

🙈

[@ConradStoltz]

I know! That's how I bought the bike in high school. Would LOVE Campy all round. Waiting for Bitcoin to do something spectacular 😂