Collectible Bike: The Eddy Merckx’s Colnago Super Team Molteni from 1971

Colnago Ernesto & C. S.r.l. or Colnago is a manufacturer of high-end road-racing bicycles founded by Ernesto Colnago near Milano in Cambiago, Italy. It remained a family-controlled firm until May 4, 2020, when it was announced that the UAE-based investment company, Chimera Investments LLC had acquired majority of the Colnago stakes from Ernesto Colnago, although the headquarters will remain located in Italy since the acquisition. Instead of following his family's farming business, Ernesto Colnago chose to work in the cycle trade, apprenticing first with Gloria Bicycles at 13, subsequently taking up road racing. After a bad crash ended his racing career, he began subcontracting for Gloria, opened his own shop in 1954, building his first frames the same year. While building frames, he remained much in demand as a racing mechanic. He was second mechanic on the Nivea team Giro d'Italia under Faliero Masi in 1955, eventually being employed as head mechanic for the Molteni team of Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx in 1963.

The company first became known for high quality steel framed bicycles suitable for the demanding environment of professional racing, and later as one of the more creative cycling manufacturers responsible for innovations in design and experimentation with new and diverse materials including carbon fiber, now a mainstay of modern bicycle construction.

On the other hand, Molteni was an Italian professional road bicycle racing team from 1958 until the end of 1976. It won 663 races, many of them earned by its most famous rider, Eddy Merckx. Other riders included Gianni Motta and Marino Basso, who contributed 48 and 34 wins respectively. The Molteni family continues in cycling with sponsorship of Salmilano.

Now, the bicycle Eddy Merckx’s very own Colnago Super Team Molteni from 1971 which is shown below, on this actual bike, Eddy Merckx raced and won the 1971 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Eddy Merckx’s signature is visible on the top tube of the frame and it is still in the original paintwork that Eddy Merckx and his team would have ridden in. The frame itself was manufactured with the highest quality Columbus SL steel tubes. The Colnago Super was manufactured with a shorter, stiffer, and lighter frame. It was designed for high-performance and really helped Merckx surpass his competition, cementing him as one of the greatest of all time. Since its launch, most racing bicycles have actually been built with a geometry inspired by the Super. However, the 1971 team bikes were a bit more special since they were built using a stronger fork crown.

A bike of this magnitude has to come equipped with some great components, the crankset and derailleurs on this bicycle are all Campagnolo Nuovo Record, which was probably the best groupset of its time which is attached to a 5-speed Regina Cassette.

Eddy Merckx, is without a doubt the most successful cyclist of all time, he started out dominating the amateur events in the 1960s. After winning eighty races, he turned professional in 1965 and started to really flourish in the world of professional cycling. And by the time he retired he had won more Monuments, Grand Tours and races in general than any rider before or after.

According to one website, Eddy Merckx’s very own Colnago Super Team Molteni from 1971 was not available for auction as of this writing around 3^rd quarter of 2022, but rumor has it that it was initially offered for sale for 12,000 US Dollars.

Cheerio!