Ofmega Alpine LP
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Category:  Cranksets
Name:  Ofmega Alpine LP
Brand:  Ofmega
Primary Group:  Alpine
Model:  Alpine LP
Years:  1997 - ?
Country:  Italy
Weight:  784 grams (Actual),
Including dust caps, chain rings and bolts but no crank bolts.
Added By: Alaric Smith on 06/18/11
Updated By: Walkman-man on 06/15/15
Additional Photos - click for full size
Ofmega Alpine LPOfmega Alpine LPOfmega Alpine LP
 Verify Component Photos
Chainring CountDouble; TripleBCD 110mm / 74mm
BB StyleSquare Taper (ISO)Pedal Threads9/16" x 20 (English)
BB Length Flutes None
Lengths 170Arm/Spider MaterialAluminum Alloy
Front MarkingsOfmega Alpine LP and two stripesBack Markings1 (BB end on left) 2 (BB end on right) Ofmega ITALY 170 (and date stamp)
Extractor Threading 22x1mm (Standard)  
General Information

This is probably a touring triple chainset, made in the late 1990s. There was a double crankset in the "LP" range as well. It has a five arm spider, with a fairly standard triple setup. It is nicely made but with little to really distinguish it from the norm. The logo and groupset name may be laser-etched, as they are slightly recessed (you can feel them when you run your finger over them). The back markings are mostly stamped (the left (1) and right (2) markings are probably forged as they stand out). The rings on my set are unmarked, as are the chain-ring bolts; they are original to the set.

The double crankset often had a chain guard "built in"; often a triple with a bash guard outer ring. The doubles sold by recumbentparts.com look like the later, rather than a true double.

The set is probably powder coated with a metalic silver paint; the finish is not raw aluminium.

All in all, a competent, modern, well made crankset but fairly bland. 

Quality:Rarity:
 
 
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Additional Resources
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Component Groups
Primary Group NameBrandQuick InfoBrowse Group Components
AlpineOfmega1997 - , Sport & RecreationView 2 Components
Details:  

 As it stands, this group appears to have come in two forms: "LP" and "Pro". The "LP" form appears to relate to mountain bicycle components and the "Pro" form to more road orientated components, such as parts for touring bicycles. Both forms appear to have had double and triple chainsets. For a short while, the "LP" form was popular with recumbent riders, with recumbentparts.com (http://www.recumbentparts.com/detail/117/172/0/0/340/-Crankset.html) still supplying LP double chainsets in 2011. What LP stood for is anyone's guess (possibly "Low Profile") as Ofmega's naming regime could be interesting sometimes.

The "Alpine" name was probably to bring Ofmega components into line with a Suntour groupset (derivitaives of the earlier AG (Alpine Gear) groupset) and the MKM-made "Alpine" branded frames sold in the USA. This is only an assertion, with little or no evidence but the "Alpine" nomenclature seems to have been very common in the late 1990s.

The earliest models of the Alpine LP cranks that I have seen were from 1997 and the most recent were from 2002, suggesting that they were amongst the last ranges that Ofmega produced, if indeed they are no more. 

Brand Information(click to expand)

Ofmega SpA was an Italian motorbike and bicycle components company producing high quality components in a variety of ranges: including Master, Mistral (for both road and track), Mundial (a cheaper, slightly later version of Mistral), Competizione, Super Competizione, Linea, Premier, Gran Premio and CX for the road and Sierra for mountain bikes. There were probably more, including at least one other pista/track range. They also produced children's cranksets, individual chainrings and other small components.

The company had a reputation of making slightly (or really) innovative products that were made to a very high quality. Their Mistral dérailleur range, made from a high density, strong plastic, were considered to be amongst the lightest on the market and, certainly, the most colourful. The Mistral range included five (possibly more) colour-coordinated groupsets (both front and rear dérailleurs and "Sintesi" pedals); Pink ("Maglia Rosa" - "Pink Jersey"), Yellow ("Maillot Jaune" - "Yellow Jersey") and Blue ("Squadra Azzura" - "Blue Team" after the Italian national team), Black and Whitest/grey (it  would be nice to think that this was the "Milk Race" but probably not). There may have been a green variety but this may just be someone seeing a blue item that had been bleached out in strong sunlight - apparently the blue form was prone to bleaching. A cheaper version of the Mistral rear dérailleurs were produced as the "Mundial" range (with an aluminium jockey-wheel cage and no adjustable barrel spring) but only in black.

The Mistral range was not their only colourfull offering. From the mid-1990s Ofmega started to produce the Sierra range, which was mostly appalling. However, there was a spin-off groupo called Sirio. Sirio cranks came in at least two colours, bright pink and acidic green, whereas, the Sierra range came mostly in black, grey and white. It was these groups that had their production moved in Slovakia in 2000. In addition, the Competizione groupset came anodised in red, blue or gold, as well as plain aluminium: The anodised components included hubs, chainrings and pedals.

Ofmega made or rebranded components for other bicycle brands, such as Bianchi, Colnago, Legnano, Regina and Avocet. At one point, most of the Avocet component range was made by Ofmega. Often, the rebranding is just an added pantographed logo (in the Colnago case, it is the singature of Ernasto Colnago). However, in the case of Legnano branded components, the logo is engraved into the item. It may be that some items were made by other companies, such as the Simplex, in the late 1980s and 1990s. It is thought that the gear shifters for the "Mistral" range were made by Modolo; the cronos shifters look very similar. However, on close inspection, the two aren't that similar and Ofmega claim to have made them themselves.

They made most of the sets, including hubs, cranks, headsets, freewheels, front and rear dérailleurs, as well as odd small parts. Ofmega appeared to have outsourced their dérailleur production to Simplex in 1987 (Michael Sweatman, Disraeli Gears), and some Simplex derailleurs were labelled Ofmega. This lead to an apparent lowering in quality. However, some of their latest items were of a very good standard.

Ofmega missing groups (a list of groupsets not yet represented on Velobase): Strada (may be the same as Competizione or Master), Nuovo Competizione, Vega, Acero, Motion, Rover, Sierra, Lusso, BMX, Nuovo Mistral, Vantage 2 (some of these may be after the period). The "BMX" kit that Ofmega made in the period are smaller "Mundial" pieces. The carbon mountain bike cranks and the glorious "Nuovo Mistral" carbon cranks were the last things that Ofmega took to bike trade shows.

 
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