Carrera Podium 1992/3

Came across this very nice Carrera Podium frame/forks recently. Columbus Genius, 1992/3ish.

Top quality, Italian steel this one is.
Long back story here, but I built it up as below to see how it performs.

Columbus Genius tubing, (from 1991 on) & unicrown, almost shoulder-less forks, which are not original

I believe this to be pre 1994 because Red Rose Imports, North American distributors of Carrera since 1994, have no knowledge of this frame. Very little information online & the company website seems to have changed. This is Redrose Imports current range in North America.  (https://carrerabicycle.com/the-brand/)


I love the frame. It is simply "Quality" in super-good order: )

These are rare machines in UK, since Halfords own the rights to the name here & so this one is likely a personal import.

Later (June 18 2019)
Still getting nowhere with history, except for Podiums on Youtube running in the TDF in grainy footage. What a shame the current company seems not interested in their own history...
But, perhaps, I have not done enough research yet; )

August 25 2019.

Decided to rebuild this machine with basic Campag components & its own wheel-set.

Found a reasonable pair of Mavic Open Pros with black anodising that suit it well, I reckon.
Then:
Campag 10 speed cassette.
Veloce 10 speed RD.
Veloce 10 speed Ergopower Brifters.
Veloce brake calipers.
Campag 10 speed chain.
Pair of 700x28 Schwalbe Delta Cruisers. (For the corrugated roads around here.)

All new, except the Ergopowers.

August 30 2019.

Now assembled & running. But not ridden yet...
Reason why?

Out in the evening sun for a photo.

Seat-post is being difficult & will not insert further than here, so I've removed 3" & all is fine. (Except that I now wonder what is happening to the inside of the seat tube... Genius tubing is quite delicate...)

The saddle will be changed shortly also. Needs a slightly shorter stem for me.

These 28 tyres just clear & provide a comfortable ride on our rough city roads.

 

I do like the effect of the chrome & black, but I think a black/dark grey chain-set at some point would improve it. Black needs to dominate more in my opinion.

The reflective stripes on the tyres looked slightly odd to me at first, but now I realise that the stripes disguise the 'heavy-ish' 28 profile: )

After some slight adjustments, here it is this morning (2 Sep 2019) performing very well: )
I love its lightness & agility. It soaks up minor path & road bumps in a most comfortable way & still rolls nicely at 80psi.

These tyres are really much too heavy for this machine, but it is interesting to try grippy 28 Delta Cruisers in this super quality road frame. A super quality 'Gravel Bike'?

Weighs 24.2lbs here with the Delta Cruisers, but with skinny 25s it's a good bit less. (I'm looking for the tyre weights next.)

The 28 tyres do suit our local rough roads, gravel, canal paths, etc.

For the smooth stuff 25 tyres transform the bicycle: )