Classic & Vintage - going to italy looking for vintage gear

Im going to italy in a week for 3 weeks with a friend to just tool around and ride. I dream of finding full NOS campy groups for $5 . I know this is just a dream but i really would appreciate any tips on finding vintage gear or any great shops or places in general .

I would think anything recommended here would be a dry source. I would also guess your best chance is to find old, small shops with no Internet presence, out of the way places the locals know, not the tourists. I have no experience with bike shops but this holds completely true for restaurants in Italy. Brush up on your Italian, knowing the language will only help.

And hope for a strong dollar in relation to the lira!

Neal

They are on the Euro and the exchange rate might hurt the deal hunting.

I've made a couple of trips to Europe (including Italy) since the Euro debuted. I agree with barba, there's no advantage to pricing any longer. In fact we Americans with our U.S. dollars are at a disadvantage. The Euro is very strong.

I'd look at flea markets and such. It will take more time but might have the biggest pay off. But my honest guess is that Italians know their bicycles and they know when something has value.

I took a wonderful one-day bike tour around Florence back in 2001. I really look forward to going back someday. It really was the highlight of our trip.

I found that just about everyone spoke enough English to deal with my very limited Italian vocabulary except in one case -- I was trying to buy a t-shirt at a motorcycle shop. No one there spoke enough English to be able to help me. I only bring this up because the small bike shop might be the one place where you have language problems.

I'm jealous. Take lots of pictures and post them here when you get back!

Stay outta Milano, Barry! That stuff is for ME to find next month!

hey mathew youll be lucky if theres anything left. yeah im not really bankin on walking into a golden campy vault or anything of that nature or even finding really cheap stuff with teh exchange rate or postage costs . The huntings going to be just as fun and the surprise when I do find some goodies . Its gotta be better than scoring in the states since this is the homeland . I will definately be hitting up markets and small towns for thier bicycles and thier wine . WHICH ONE WILL I BE LUCKIEST WITH?!

Wine.

Wine.

+1
anything sangiovese or nebbiolo (sp?)