Updated: June 11/2020

La Freccia (The Arrow, named after the "arrowhead" shaped seat stay caps) was the first commercially produced model made by Ernesto Colnago, starting, at the earliest, in the very late 1950s and replaced by the Super ca 1969. This Suzzi-badged Freccia came to me from Michael Dallàsnol (Italy) toward the end of 2019 (pictures attached) and it is signed by Ernesto Colnago (see picture). This is one of the earliest Freccia's, which I have conservatively dated to 1966. Distinguishing features are: (i) Campagnolo 1010 dropouts with spring hole; (ii) bottom bracket with no holes - later versions had up to 7 holes drilled in their bottom brackets; (iii) no rear derailleur cable stop braze-on; and (iv) small rear brake bridge reinforcement tangs - later versions had tangs similar to those used by the Supers. So who was A. Suzzi? Alfredo Suzzi ran a workshop in Imola and a retail shop in Bologna, at via Fossato 21. He was in the cycling business for a number of decades and supposedly passed away in 1998, at the age of 96. In my opinion, Suzzi was not a frame builder, and certainly none of the bikes that have seen, badged A. Suzzi, were built by him - in addition to this bike, I have 3 other A. Suzzis built by Pelà, Marnati and Peloso. It therefore seems that A. Suzzi sought out bikes from some of the most respected frame builders to sell at his shop. Moreover, the bikes he commissioned were a cut above those normally manufactured by a given builder - judging by the chrome lugs, chain stay and dropouts of the Freccia and the extensive chrome work on my Peloso. THE BIKE Frame: ca 1966 Suzzi-badged Colnago La Freccia signed by Ernesto Colnago and supposedly built by fratelli Volta (Milan). Original paint with no braze-ons. Campagnolo rear dropout with spring hole. Frame requires long-reach rear brake, unlike later Freccia's - rear bridge reinforcement tangs are also different. 52 cm and 53 cm (c-to-c) seat and top tubes, respectively. Brakeset: Universal 51 (Brev. 453949) brake levers and calipers. These were the only Universal sidepull brakeset until the advent of the Universal 68 brakeset (61s were centerpulls). Campagnolo chromed steel clamps. Handlebars: Ambrosio Champion (non-anodized) with G.B. (G. Blassieaux, Paris) plugs. Stem: Ambrosio Champion (non-anodized). Headset: Early 1960s Campagnolo Record. Shifters: Campagnolo Record with black band. Later versions are all chrome. Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Record with slotted cable stop (slot added in 1963). Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Record (chrome plated bronze) with steel pulleys running on ball bearings. Crankset: Campagnolo Record (no date, 151 mm BCD, 1962-66 ) Bottom Bracket: First version Campagnolo Nuovo Record with rifled cups. Pedals: Campagnolo Record with toe strap loop. Wheelset: 1961 Campagnolo hubs laced to yellow-labeled (lightest version) Fiamme Brevetto Longhi rims using Stella non-butted spokes. The Brevetto Longhi inscription is only found in the early 1960s Fiamme rims. The badge colors, from lightest to heaviest, were yellow, red (most common) and blue/green (least common). Chain : Regina SC Freewheel: 5 speed Regina Gran Sport Corse Seatpost: Early 1960s Campagnolo Record (26.8 mm) Saddle: Early 1960s plastic Unicanitor Brevettata with nose tension bolt. Has oval Cinelli/Milano and rectangular Unicanitor water slides on its underside. Water Bottle Cage/Bottle: Reg aluminum cage with plastic bottle.