# early 90's Olmo



## mattytruth (Aug 2, 2006)

Hello, I Just picked this up today from craigslist. I was wondering if anyone had any info. It's Tange tubing with almost complete xt spd group. It's very clean & well maintained but I cant find a damn thing online about Olmo making Mountain bikes. Any info appreciated.


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## jmmUT (Sep 15, 2008)

Onza is the brand. They are most known for trials bikes which they still make. I think they did road bikes too.


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## eastcoaststeve (Sep 19, 2007)

jmmorath said:


> Onza is the brand. They are most known for trials bikes which they still make. I think they did road bikes too.


Hope that's not your final answer.....

Steve


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

A few Italian bike manufacturers ventured into making Mountain bikes in the late 80s-earlyand 90s. They weren't as well received as their American counter parts so they abandoned those ventures. Nice pick up , you beat me to it.


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## unicrown junkie (Nov 12, 2009)

What the heck?! Wow, I never knew Olmo put out a MTB either, seeing the thread at first I thought it was a misnomer. What next!!!!

I saw an early Cinelli MTB back in 1989-90 when we visited Fisher's warehouse over in the North Bay area. It was clearly a clone(though not completely identical) to the Fishers, Evolution headset, etc, etc. The quality wasn't that great, none of us were excited any longer after fifteen minutes of giving it a good looking over.

Funny thing I see about your Olmo is that wishbone stay, makes me think its lineage was either Raleigh or Mongoose.


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## mattytruth (Aug 2, 2006)

First Flight has a Cinelli & a Pinarello & Hillary Stone had a Colnago a while back but this is the first Olmo I've seen. I took it out this morning for a nice 15 miles of single track & I've got to ask, is there anything better then flying by college kids on fancy new full suspension 29'ers on a 20 year old bike you bought for $175.00 on craigslist the day before. Age has it's benefits Ha ha. What's up Chef? you'll be happy to know your old Yo is owned by the gal who runs the bike church in asbury park. It's looking good with an Answer accu-track on it. be well people.


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## even (Dec 13, 2010)

Olmo has always made MTB, but they've never made it up outside our borders. Pretty common frames, scarce attention to details, heavy, dull, and scarcely performing. This is true for Olmo, Colnago, Rossin, Pinarello, Atala old bikes. Want a decent Italian vintage MTB? Scapin, Grandis, Pegoretti, Ferremi, Nori. Cinelli . Forget the rest.


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## mattytruth (Aug 2, 2006)

even said:


> Olmo has always made MTB, but they've never made it up outside our borders. Pretty common frames, scarce attention to details, heavy, dull, and scarcely performing. This is true for Olmo, Colnago, Rossin, Pinarello, Atala old bikes. Want a decent Italian vintage MTB? Scapin, Grandis, Pegoretti, Ferremi, Nori. Cinelli . Forget the rest.


That's funny, that wasn't my experience at all. I found the bike to be not particularly heavy. Very lively & responsive. & I don't know how you determine performance, Everything works correctly as far as the components go. The geometry suits me well. The frame & fork are straight, the welds are clean & the paintwork is excellent. I'm curious, how does one have the opportunity to ride & evaluate all of these different brands? Have you? If not then your opinion isn't really relevant. If you have than I wonder how your opinion was formed. Did you work as a reviewer for an Italian mountain biking magazine in the late 80's- early 90's? Your statement is broad & I'm just trying to clarify how you developed this knowledge.


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

There are very few professional reviewers from the 80s and 90s on this forum, Matty. I think you should take everything you read on the internet with a grain of salt. After all, an opinion is an opinion. And anybody can share their personal opinions about bicycles on an open forum on the internet.

You like the bike. Who cares what anybody else thinks. 

As for how does a person try so many different bikes, I can't speak for Italian bikes but personally, I've ridden bikes by at least a dozen American builders so it's not that far fetched to try a bunch of bikes and form rough ideas about how you like them rather quickly.

Anyhow, I think it's awesome when people ride past people riding modern 29ers so go out and keep kicking some ass.


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## mattytruth (Aug 2, 2006)

Thanks gob, I appreciate your point. & don't really care what anyone thinks. It just bugs me when people make seemingly arbitrary generalizations about something so subjective. It stinks of brand snobbery, & makes the person giving there opinion seem ignorant & after looking at even's gallery it seems we probably have a lot in common bike wise. Again, Thanks for your kind words, they weren't lost on me.


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## kpomtb (Feb 2, 2006)

It seems as if the poster with the opinions on Italian frames, may be Italian, and therefore have some experience. He states that: "Olmo has always made MTB, but they've never made it up outside our borders." Given that, he may have more experience than most with mtbs from the Italian companies.


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## chefmiguel (Dec 22, 2007)

Quick question Matt is that stem inserted to the safety line? Looks pretty high up.


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## mattytruth (Aug 2, 2006)

chefmiguel said:


> Quick question Matt is that stem inserted to the safety line? Looks pretty high up.


Yup, It's right at the safety line. The tiny head tube makes it look longer.


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## Shogun700 (Jun 15, 2009)

Headseal-is that a little bootie to keep crud out of the headset? I kinda like that, never seen one before.


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## mattytruth (Aug 2, 2006)

Shogun700 said:


> Headseal-is that a little bootie to keep crud out of the headset? I kinda like that, never seen one before.


 Yeah, that's what it's for.


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## Phab (Nov 9, 2011)

Hi mattytruth,

I guess this is what you're looking for:

Mtb

plus, if you wish to see new models, they recently updated the new catalogue which is free to download (thankfully, even in english)

Media download

I must say i think Olmo MTB look great, though they're a little underrated. Take a look at the new model "Tuareg", with the latest rock shox ario 3.2... right here: 
Tuareg










Hope i've been helpful to you


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

Wait. Pegoretti made MTBs? I want pics!


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## even (Dec 13, 2010)

Ok, sorry if I lost touch with this thread. Yes I am snobbish because I am Italian and I know which Macaroni frames were good and which not. Early Italian bikes were generally overbuilt, had road geometries and handled like a nightmare. This particular one doesn't even seem made in Italy since it uses Tange MTB tubing (and this would even account for the nice riding quality you are reporting). Olmo has always welded Oria or Columbus metals. Plus, wishbone rear stays are really atypical for Italian bike builders.

The Olmo dual boinger on the photo is a Taiwan ready made frame with good graphics. I could buy some and stamp my EVEN logo on them.

I've ridden and raced a number of Italian bikes, and so have my friends. Italian ATB reached a decent maturity around 1994-95. Before that period the best you could get was by the brands I've listed. Then you are perfectly entitled not to believe me. But think twice before raving after a Pinarello made out of Columbus tubing.

Pegoretti MTB? Yes, and they are DREAM BIKES. This is a modern incarnation, but back in the days Pegoretti and Castagnino of FRO components built incredible creations (using excell steel)

[ pegoretti cicli - modeli 2003 - models 2003 - pogostick ]


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

I think some people didn't realize you were 1) Italian and/or 2) lived in Italy. :thumbsup:


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## even (Dec 13, 2010)

Didn't mean to be offensive, just sincere...


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

even said:


> Pegoretti MTB? Yes, and they are DREAM BIKES. This is a modern incarnation, but back in the days Pegoretti and Castagnino of FRO components built incredible creations (using excell steel)
> 
> [ pegoretti cicli - modeli 2003 - models 2003 - pogostick ]


Sweet, I had no idea.

Had a Big Leg Emma for a number of years, sold it to finance yet another 19th century bike I just had to have....

Got any more pics, links etc?


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

MendonCycleSmith said:


> Wait. Pegoretti made MTBs? I want pics!


no ****! that was my first thought when I read that. My mind blanked and I could only see pegoretti floating in flashing neon in my brain and then I blue screened for awhile. I had to reboot to post this.


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## rockcrusher (Aug 28, 2003)

even said:


> Ok, sorry if I lost touch with this thread. Yes I am snobbish because I am Italian and I know which Macaroni frames were good and which not. Early Italian bikes were generally overbuilt, had road geometries and handled like a nightmare. This particular one doesn't even seem made in Italy since it uses Tange MTB tubing (and this would even account for the nice riding quality you are reporting). Olmo has always welded Oria or Columbus metals. Plus, wishbone rear stays are really atypical for Italian bike builders.
> 
> The Olmo dual boinger on the photo is a Taiwan ready made frame with good graphics. I could buy some and stamp my EVEN logo on them.
> 
> ...


I recall the Eurobike trade show coverage MBA would have back in the day and they always covered some Eurobrand road bikes. They were almost always american knockoff frames with a real misunderstanding of how mountain bikes were supposed to work. Odd crank configurations, minimal tire clearances and then all those weird suspension designs.

And pegoretti. Want, oh do I want.


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## even (Dec 13, 2010)

I ride an FTW and still want a Pegoretti, too...


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## KDXdog (Mar 15, 2007)

mattytruth said:


> Yeah, that's what it's for.


Used to do the same with a section of old inner tube. Old trick that worked pretty well with sloping crown rigid forks.


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## mattytruth (Aug 2, 2006)

*another perfectly fine morning wasted on an unworthy italian bike!*

























I cant believe I rode this today! Look at the geometry, It looks like it was designed for a cave man. Plus it's so heavy It must weigh 25lbs. It's hideous! I swear a crow fell dead from the sky at the sight of it. It was misery riding this bike. It is truly unworthy.


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## jtmartino (Jul 31, 2008)

mattytruth said:


> I cant believe I rode this today! Look at the geometry, It looks like it was designed for a cave man. Plus it's so heavy It must weigh 25lbs. It's hideous! I swear a crow fell dead from the sky at the sight of it. It was misery riding this bike. It is truly unworthy.


:thumbsup:


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## girlonbike (Apr 24, 2008)

haha! good ride report! I'm glad you took pictures of it. Your trails look nice and fun.


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## Machianera (Feb 5, 2011)

that is a fiat 600 in your pictures. where is it?


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## mattytruth (Aug 2, 2006)

Thanks GOB. These are the closest trails to my house. Not super technical but fast & fun. Machianera, That Fiat's been there at least 20 years. The engine bay has a tree growing through it. The engine is long gone. There are a bunch of farms surrounding the trail & I imagine some farmer abandoned it there. The trail is in Franklin township in N.J.


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## even (Dec 13, 2010)

the car used to be worthy tho...


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## indianadave (Apr 27, 2010)

*Bringing back from the dead...*

Another Olmo mountainbike found... and on American soil!
See my separate post...


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