Unknown Bianchi Road Bike

[pmullen1123]

Hello everyone!

I just purchased a Bianchi road bike off of Craigslist because I am an Italian minor at UGA who loves cycling. The thing is...I have absolutely no idea what it is. The fork has decal reading Foderi Forcella Bianchi Special Columbus, the frame tube reads Tubi Rinforzati Bianchi Special Cromo Molibdeno Produzione Columbus, the rims read Mavic Made in France Module E2, and of course the Made in Italy Sticker. As for the components, everything that I can find only reads Shimano 600. The brake levers read AC506G. The BB reads Shimano Japan 36 x 24T. Does anybody have any insight as to what this is? Model? Year? I included pictures of all of the decal I could find! Also, just for laughs and giggles for me knowing what I paid, what is this bike actually worth?

Grazie,
Patrick

 

[alienator]

What's under the electrical tape near the top of the seat tube?

 

[pmullen1123]

I took it off and there is nothing underneath. Patrick

 

[CAMPYBOB]

It looks like a mid-1980's "Limited" model with some of the parts replaced. Guessing, I would put it at 1985-1987.

Crankset a shimaNO 600? ITM bar and stem?

36 MM x 24 TPI is an Italian bottom bracket threading with right hand threads on both the left and right side bearing cups.

I'm guessing the OEM rims (probably Ambrosio) were trashed and replaced with the Mavic rims.

The seat and seatpost have been replaced with newer items. The OEM seatpost would have been a 3T or ITM brand. The OEM seat was probably a Selle Italia middle-line model.

Worth? $200 or so on a good day. It could be a $50 yard sale item or a $500 Craigslist ripoff, but the actual value is the fun you get out of re-fitting it and riding it. Priceless.

Congratulations on finding this nice old racing bike! Clean it up, re-pack all the bearings and have fun with it.

 

[pmullen1123]

Thanks so much CampyBob! I paid $180 for it and it needs a lot of work so I might have spent too much but I look forward to restoring it and of course riding it around campus!

 

[alfeng]

Quote: Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .
It looks like a mid-1980's "Limited" model with some of the parts replaced. Guessing, I would put it at 1985-1987.

Crankset a shimaNO 600? ITM bar and stem?

36 MM x 24 TPI is an Italian bottom bracket threading with right hand threads on both the left and right side bearing cups.

I'm guessing the OEM rims (probably Ambrosio) were trashed and replaced with the Mavic rims.

The seat and seatpost have been replaced with newer items. The OEM seatpost would have been a 3T or ITM brand. The OEM seat was probably a Selle Italia middle-line model.

Worth? $200 or so on a good day. It could be a $50 yard sale item or a $500 Craigslist ripoff, but the actual value is the fun you get out of re-fitting it and riding it. Priceless.

Congratulations on finding this nice old racing bike! Clean it up, re-pack all the bearings and have fun with it.


This is a minor point to avoid a possible source of frustration if the OP opts to change his crankset in the future ...

AFAIK, prior to whatever press-fit BB cups Bianchi may currently be using, Bianchi bicycles have used an English threaded BB for at least a decade ...

Because it is possible that the transition could have happened in the 80s, I think it should not be taken as a given that the frame will have an Italian threaded BB shell.

The fastest, but not always certain, way to make a quick check is to measure the BB shell's width ...

• if the BB shell is 70mm then it will indeed be an Italian threaded BB 99.9% of the time (I know ONE exception which means there may be more than one) ...
• if the BB shell is 68mm, then it will probably have an English threaded BB whose driveside cup will have a LEFT HAND thread

---​

Yes. The OP's Bianchi looks like a nice bike which does not appear to need a great deal of immediate work (maybe I am missing something) & which will certainly be worthy of updated components if-and-when.

 

[pmullen1123]

Thanks for the insight alfeng. It is much appreciated!

 

[Got2Bme]

Can anyone help me out with determining if I got ripped off on this bike. I paid 400$ on it. It seems to have all original parts. I have to say it is a sweet fast stealthy bike and it fits me perfectly. I'm still getting use to the drop handle bars/ breaking. Cheers.

 

[Uawadall]

View attachment 1499 View attachment 1500 Can anyone help me out with determining if I got ripped off on this bike. I paid 400$ on it. It seems to have all original parts. I have to say it is a sweet fast stealthy bike and it fits me perfectly. I'm still getting use to the drop handle bars/ breaking. Cheers.

If its "sweet, fast and stealth", you have your answer. If you enjoy the bike, you didn't get ripped off.

 

[Got2Bme]

That's true