Holy Grail

This has always been my "holy grail" bike.  The famous bike presented by Ernesto Colnago to Pope John Paul II in 1979; a gold-plated Colnago Mexico:



Of course, there is only one true "Pope Bike".  It resides in the Colnago museum in Milano, Italy.  Colnago made a number of these commemorative gold-plated bikes.  Here is my newly refinished "holy grail" gold-plated Colnago Mexico Oro bicycle, complete with fresh lacquered 24kt gold plating and NOS components:

Pat. 78 rear derailleur with alloy bolts, Regina Record Oro drilled chain:

Four hole 1979 only front derailleur.  Campagnolo Mexico Ernesto Colnago pantographed crankset with milled spiders. Black anodized alloy chain ring bolts hold the Ernesto Colnago pantographed chain ring:

Black anodized Colnago alloy headset, probably manufactured by Omas:

3ttt Colnago Pantographed stem holds Colnago engraved 3ttt handlebars:

Milled Campagnolo Super Record brake calipers:

Colnago club with tri-color motif pantographed brake levers:

Superleggera light-weight saddle with alloy rails, covered in buffalo hide, and embossed with the Colnago name, supported by a milled tricolor seat post with Colnago club pantograph:

Fluted seat stay caps, finely finished lugs:

Colnago embossed toe straps, Colnago pantographed toe clips, Campagnolo Super Record titanium axle pedals:

Super Record hubs, double butted spokes:

Non-drive side of bike:

Everest alloy six speed freewheel:

First generation Campagnolo Super Record bottom bracket, with titanium spindle that uses bolts rather than the later nutted version:

Milled Campagnolo shifters, Campagnolo shifter cables:

Bike weight is 18.8 lbs without pedals, 19.6 lbs with pedals.  Can't be too much gold there!

Rims are Colnago labeled Nisi Solidals:

Crankset is Pat. 79:

Colnago labeled Clement tubular tires: