Bike Check: Romario’s Corima Contreau
What you’re seeing now is the first of a few bike checks I did while visiting Romario’s collection in Hong Kong. Private collectors like Romario don’t always grant access to photographers or media outlets, but I was lucky enough to get in through a mutual friend.
If you’re a regular reader here, you know my love for track bikes goes far beyond what you can build today.
At one point, I was obsessed with the history behind the distinct shapes of track bikes from the ’80s and ’90s, the why’s and how’s of their design. So today, we’re looking at one of my all-time favorite track bikes: Romario’s Corima Cointreau.
The Cointreau has several distinct versions, including the one built for Chris Boardman’s 1993 hour record, which featured fork-mounted TT extensions; a stunning example by @principedal with raised bars; and a more enigmatic third version that blends elements of both. Romario’s bike is unique in its own right, featuring a flat, fork-mounted bullhorn-style handlebar.
For the drivetrain, Romario opted for a selection of mostly era-correct parts, starting with the stunning Zipp CA380 crankset. This one has been slightly modified to function as a track crank, paired with a custom-made blue carbon chainring.
If you didn’t know, these Zipp cranks were the first-ever carbon cranks, with fewer than 200 pairs produced. And yes… they’re square-taper.
Matching the chainring is a blue carbon Flite Evo 3 saddle, secured to a rather specific 25mm diameter seatpost. Comparing this to other Contreaus I’ve seen online, the seatpost area is yet another detail that varies across different versions of this frame. However, this particular one closely resembles what you’d find on a more typical Corima Cougar.
Detailed Parts List
Frameset
Corima Contreau, “Flat Pursuit Version”
Chainring and Cog Cutom-made Blue carbon 53T , 17T Cog
Crank ZIpp CA380
Seatpost and Saddle
Flite Evo 3 saddle
Wheels Front: Stratline 500
Rear: Corima disc
Finally, a beautiful and elegantly simple wheelset to complete this build. The rear is a classic Corima disc, while on the front you’ll find the ultra-rare and highly sought-after Straline ST500. Not to be confused with the enigmatic Cortes, also known as the “cheese spoke” wheel.
High-end track bikes of that era were built with some of the most radical designs and features. While UCI regulations later pushed manufacturers back toward more traditional shapes, recent rule changes have sparked a renewal of innovation, leading to frames like the Lotus Hope. The real question is: where will these bikes stand 20 to 30 years from now?
That’s what the real angry bee looks like.
🎞: Kodak Color Plus 200
📷: Leica M6
📍: Hong Kong
