Comment from Martin in Arnhem (edited for clarity):
This is an entirely new chapter to me. Gazelle using Columbus?! Very
peculiar. Since it looks like an early 70's, Gazelle could have used
Columbus for a while, tried it so to say, but stuck with Reynolds.
The lugs are different than other early 70's Reynolds frames. The
way the chroming is done especially the front fork is the way it was
generally done at that time, chromed bottom part with the upper part
painted. But when it was Reynolds tubing the top of the fork would
also be chrome.
I know of a frame used by a clubteam rider from
Batavus that had -Batavus- decals and also -Professional-on it.
But the previous owner proved that it was a Gios Torino painted
in Batavus coloring and decals. Probably the rider for the Batavus
team didn't like their frames and got a Gios, painted in Batavus
colors and decals.
So maybe a guy riding for a Gazelle team somewhere didn't like Reynolds
frames and asked for a Columbus frame.
Have you noticed that there isn't Champion Mondial at the toptube?
Or the decal on the toptube was faded and removed completely. The
front fork hasn't got a columbus sticker. Now AB frames also never
had Reynolds forks either. It can't be a Tour 'l Avenir (predecessor
to the AB frame) because the rear has complete chroming. Early Tour
'l Avenir's had the exact same front fork chroming as 70's Champion
Mondial's, but never at the rear.
Maybe a deluxe version of an AB frame (due to complete rear chrome
also) but not mentioned as such (= without any extra name like Tour
'l Avenir for example).
Is it possible it is an even older frame (late 60's) and Columbus
was used/ tried?
But then again: one could order a frame from Gazelle with exact
measurements as wished. The pro's and semi-pro's did this and those
who had the bucks also. So maybe a dude went to Gazelle with a Columbus
tubeset and had it built over there?!
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