Décathlon Cobra

For a number of European cheapskates searching for readily available frames that are not terrible but still reasonably priced, the Cobra line of bikes from the 1990s made by/for Decathlon are a very good bet. Most of them use the most common standards and can come in great tubing. The downside is the sizing : a lot of low-end Cobras are very poorly sized, usually S (51), M (54), L (57), XL (60) and XXL (64).

Regardless, this page stands to give as much information about these frames as possible.

History

Decathlon made bikes a long time before making the Cobra series of bikes, they first started making bikes in the early 1980s, with few different models of bikes that all had different names, one of which was called "Cobra" but this page isn't about this specific frame. The true genesis of the Cobra line of bikes is the "Vitace" line of bikes. They were largely identical to the "first generation" of Cobras, with the latter keeping the naming convention of the Vitace. Some of the Vitace bikes had an additional brazing, namely "Decathlon" written in the steel. I could find the Vitace 315, 320, 530, 535, 540 and 750.

It's hard to tell when the first Cobra bikes were released, an educated guess would point towards the early 1990s, confirmed by the first brochure I was able to find that was from the 1992 Décathlon catalogue. The Cobra line of bikes would end in the with the last model year being 1998.

The 1999 model year saw the launch of the R-series of bikes. And in 2000, Décathlon struck a deal with the AG2R La Mondiale team and provided them with bikes. The only similarity with the consumer bikes was the branding on the down tube as the race bikes and only a very few premium offerings were made out of the same material and by the same people. I mention this because Decathlon probably didn't have their own bike factories so to speak, their bikes had to be assembled somewhere and Cyfac, for example, or others are prime target when you're aiming to pinpoint who made certain of their high-end frames.

Visuals

Visuals are a key point of the identification process of the Cobra line of bikes. They help tell a rough idea of when the bike was made. The very first examples of Cobras from 1992 have the same visual aesthetic as the Vitace line : they have Cobra written on the top tube near the head tube in a single colour, with the model being carved out of a rectangular sticker of the same colour. In 1993, the visuals changes, the rectangle wasn't present anymore, just the model of the bike. In 1995, the visual changed again, the Cobra branding was moved further down the top tube. And the last kind of visual aesthetics of Cobras from 1997 onwards have the most refined decals, they are visually class : being sober but keeping an insight into how high the grade of the bike is. For example, they clearly say what kind of steel was used : Hi-Ten, CrMo and the likes. The most telling sign is a two-tone decal where the number designing the grade is written.

Geometry

I think it's necessary to touch on the geometry of these bikes as it is quite the conundrum. I'm not sure how many sets of geometry there are, especially considering some bikes were simply not made by Decathlon and others were made at different times, but I've looked a lot into specifically the above-mentionned 51/54/57/60/64 set of sizes. The first thing to explain about these size is that they are not measured the same way as you would bikes of this era, the numbers are effectively the stack of the bike. You measure the size of these bikes perpendicular to the ground, from the Bottom Bracket axle to the center of the top tube. I want to note that from the 2 Cobra frames I have, I couldn't find those exact measurements. So the simplest way to identify them is by looking at the head tube, specifically the gap between the top tube and the down tube, the different sizes yield fairly sizeable differences, with the exception of the 51 and 54 where I can only put it as 51 having space between the top tube and the down tube the width of a thumb when the 54 is more like two fingers.

Bikes

The nomenclature is simple : the bigger the number, the better.

Cobra 500

1st generation

Tubeset:

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Blue with White branding

2nd generation

Tubeset: Unnamed Hi-Ten steel

Fork: Unnamed Hi-Ten steel

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Short horizontal with eyelets

Sizes available:

Colourway: Navy Blue (Yellow accent), Dark Purple (Orange accent)

3rd generation

Tubeset: Unnamed CrMo steel

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Short horizontal with eyelets

Sizes available:

Colourway: Grey (Yellow accent)

Cobra 520

1st generation

Tubeset:

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: White with Blue branding

2nd generation

Tubeset: Unnamed Hi-Ten steel

Fork: Unnamed Hi-Ten steel

BB Thread: BSA

Seatpost diameter: 25,4mm

Dropouts: Short horizontal with eyelets

Sizes available:

Colourway: Silver (Yellow accent), Silver (Blue accent), Black (Orange accent)

Cobra 525

This appeared for the 1993 model year.

Tubeset: Vitus GTI

Fork: Vitus GTI

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical with single eyelet

Sizes available:

Colourway: Violet with Yellow branding

Cobra 530

The telling feature of this rare frame is the wishbone seatstay. This is one of the very first examples of the Cobra line up, having that characteristic visual aesthetic.

Tubeset:

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Black with Orangish Yellow branding

Cobra 540

1st generation (1992-)

This Cobra 540 appeared in 1992. This is a rebranded Sakae Ringyo Litage despite what the former post says. It's also one of those "very first examples" of the Cobra line up, having that characteristic visual aesthetic.

Tubeset: Sakae Ringyo Litage

Fork: Sakae Ringyo Litage Fork

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical

Sizes available: 54, 56, 58 and 60

Colourway: Raw Carbon with White branding

2nd generation

Tubeset:

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Silver with Blue branding

3rd generation (1997-)

Tubeset: Columbus Gara tre tubi

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available: 51, 54, 57, 60 and 64

Colourway: Yellow (Orange accent), Yellow (Blue accent)

Cobra 545

It appeared for the 1993 model year. And according to a forum post , this is a rebranded KG 56. I can't help but feel suspicious about this, even if the /info comes from Look themselves, because there are clues that don't match up : according to Look "our frames also featured windows" (that would let you see the carbon underneath the paint). But the KG 56 didn't have these windows, while the next generation of frames KG 176/166 had them. I realise minute differences are at stake, but I thought it would be interesting to share.

Tubeset:

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Short Horizontal

Sizes available:

Colourway: Blue with White branding

Cobra 560

1st generation

Tubeset:

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Short Horizontal with eyelets

Sizes available:

Colourway: Blue with White branding

2nd generation

Tubeset: Columbus Thron tre tubi

Fork:

BB Thread: BSA

Seatpost diameter: 26,8mm

Dropouts: Vertical

Sizes available:

Colourway: Blue (Yellow accent)

Cobra 580

This bike is suspiciously similar to the 640. But unlike the following 640, this 580 doesn't seem to appear in any catalogue of the era. This has remained a mystery for a few years.

Tubeset: Dedacciai Zero Tre

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical with double eyelet

Sizes available:

Colourway: Red (Yellow Accent)

Cobra 600

This is one of the very last Cobra models made, in the 1998 model year, according to a forum post

Tubeset: Columbus Gara tre tubi

Fork: Hi-Ten

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical

Sizes available: 51, 54, 57, 60, 64

Colourway: Silver (Orange Accent)

Cobra 620

This is one of the very last Cobra models made, in the 1998 model year, according to a forum post. You will also be able to see more pictures here;

Tubeset: Dedacciai Zero Tre

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical

Sizes available:

Colourway: Navy Blue (Yellow Accent)

Cobra 630

This is one of the very last Cobra models made, in 1998 model year, according to a forum post.

Tubeset: Dedacciai Zero Tre

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical

Sizes available:

Colourway: Gunmetal Grey (Yellow Accent)

Cobra 640

This bike is suspiciously similar to the 580. This is one of the very last Cobra models made, in 1998 model year, according to a forum post.

Tubeset: Dedacciai Zero Tre

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical with double eyelet

Sizes available:

Colourway: Red (Yellow Accent)

Cobra 680

This is a weird bike as it apparently was only offered to Décathlon employees. There is obviously no confirmation of this information but there are a very limited amount of bikes to tell the tale. It was also better equipped than it's model led on to maybe a generous gift from the Mulliez family to its employees. According to the forum post documenting this bike, the bike pictured is "factory-fresh". If this is the case, this would be a 1998 model year as the Shimano Ultegra group equipping the bike also debuted for the 1998 model year.

Tubeset: Columbus Genius custom

Fork: Unnamed Aluminium

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Greenish Yellow (Black/Silver acccent)

Cobra 700

1st generation (1995)

The old style Cobra 700 was a 1995 model year

Tubeset: Columbus Thron tre tubi

Fork: Hi-Ten Unicrown

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available: 52, 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62

Colourway: Petrol Blue with White branding

2nd generation (1996)

The Turquoise coloured Cobra 700 was a 1996 model year.

Tubeset: Columbus Thron tre tubi

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Turquoise (Yellow accent)

3rd generation (1997-)

It's hard to gather information about this model as it was most likely made at the very end of the Cobra era of Decathlon bikes.

Tubeset: Unnamed 7005 Aluminium

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Silver/Raw Aluminium (Yellow accent)

Cobra 720

1st generation

Tubeset: Columbus SLX New

Fork: Columbus Slanted Fork Crown

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Navy Blue with White branding

2nd generation

Tubeset: Columbus Thron custom

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Navy Blue with White branding

3rd generation

Tubeset: Columbus Thron custom

Fork: Columbus Thron

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Navy Blue (Silver accent)

4th generation

This appears to be a 1997 model year.

Tubeset: Columbus Thron custom

Fork: Columbus Thron

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available: 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64

Colourway: Blue (Yellow accent)

Cobra 740

1st generation

The first generation of Cobra 740 is a rebrand of the Vitus Carbone 9 frame. You can tell from the kink in the seatstays from the brake bridge. You will find people claiming it's a Vitus 792, this never existed (the "more" "real" claim about an 792 existing is in reality a 797).

Tubeset: Vitus Carbone 9

Fork: Vitus 979 Fork

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter: Proprietary Vitus seatpost

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Raw Carbon with White branding

2nd generation

Tubeset: Columbus Genius

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: White with Blue branding

3rd generation (-1997)

This appear as a 1997 model year .

Tubeset: Columbus Genius

Fork: Columbus Genius

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical

Sizes available: 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64

Colourway: Yellow (Purple accent)

4th generation (1998)

Tubeset: Columbus Mega Genius custom

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: White (Yellow accent)

Cobra 751

This is a rebranded Aegis Aro Svelte, it appeared for the 1993 model year. It later on became the Cobra 760.

Tubeset:

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Blue with White branding

Cobra 760

1st generation (-1993)

This is a successor to the Cobra 751, it's essentially the same bike : an Aegis Aro Svelte.

Tubeset:

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Blue with White branding

2nd generation (1994-1995)

This appeared for the 1993 mdeol year. This is also a Carbone 9 reband.

Tubeset: Vitus Carbone 9

Fork: Vitus 979 Fork

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available: 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62

Colourway: Raw Carbon with White branding

3rd generation (1997)

This appear as a 1997 model year .

Tubeset: Columbus Altec

Fork: Columbus Genius

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts: Vertical

Sizes available: 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62

Colourway: Red (Yellow accent)

4th generation (1998)

Tubeset: Dedacciai

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Orange (White accent)

Cobra 780

Tubeset: Titanium

Fork:

BB Thread:

Seatpost diameter:

Dropouts:

Sizes available:

Colourway: Raw Titanium

Sources

It would be criminal to not mention the forum user who's put almost all of the information out there, Chahumasy. Not many scans remain but his active knowledge is still present and appreciated.