Do you want to retrofit a classic Colnago road bike that’s been passed down from generation to generation? Maybe you found an old Colnago covered in dust & rust in the back of a friend’s barn or garage. Or maybe you just bought a suspiciously cheap Colnago from some shady seller on Craigslist, and want to see if it’s the real deal.
Well, now Colnago Retrofitting will verify the authenticity of that old school road bike, and then bring you up to the modern age as a verified Colnago Owner…
Colnago Retrofitting road bike authenticity verification service
Colnago Retrofitting is a new service offered by Colnago to owners of their classic bikes, and to those who think they own a Colnago, but maybe are not 100% sure. The Retrofitting service analyzes the frameset itself and its origins to verify the bike’s authenticity, and then officially certifies and registers it in a modern logbook of known Colnago bikes.
Colnago owners (or suspected owners) submit photos, a description, and evidence like a frame’s serial number or purchase invoice to Colnago. Their experts then determine if it is an original Colnago bike, and issue a Certificate of Authenticity if so.
The final step, is to send owners of vintage Colnago bikes the same NFC frame sticker that verifies the authenticity and ownership of modern Colnago bikes – just like the debuted on the C68 a couple of years ago. Linked to a secure digital passport for new & vintage bikes alike on the MyLime blockchain, this little smart tag can join your frame’s tubing series decal for a technological ‘retrofit’.
Why put an NFC tag on a vintage bike?
Colnago says their new Colnago Retrofitting program aims to combat counterfeiting, but also to add value and legitimacy for owners of vintage bikes.
As a guaranteed authentic mark of “the originality of the frame kit”, Colnago says it will give the bike added value on the resale market, especially bike collectors. It also adds more security in case of theft, as Colnago will be able to verify the bike’s ownership in case of any dispute. “Once registered, it will be possible at any time to verify – by scanning the tag with a mobile phone – the model name and the certificate of originality issued by Colnago.“
Colnago Retrofitting – The cost of authentication
Colnago charges 29€ for their Retrofitting process to verify that your classic road bike is real. For that, you get the official Colnago Certificate of Authenticity, the NFC tag to stick onto your frame, and a carbon Colnago Owners Club card used to register your bike on the public blockchain.
You also get the added bonus of special Colnago owner’s benefits, like preferred starting positions at some gran fondos & historic cycling events and invitations to Colnago-hosted events.
But what if it turns out that your garage-find Colnago is not, in fact, authentic? Well, Colnago will refund your 29€ as a consolation for learning that you’ve been riding a Faux-nago instead.
