Classic & Vintage - Anyone else own a 50's Bottecchia? (pics)

I've seen quite a few beautiful Bottecchias here from the bike boom..early 70's.
Are there any older ones out there, I cant find any pictures on the web???(and I thought I was pretty good with google)
I got this 50's Bottecchia frame from an old road bicyclist here in Sweden, professionally active in the last years of the 50's, this was first his training bike (been in the alps with wooden rims) and later on in the 80's, his commuter bike.
It was heavily redone in the 80's as you can see. The only original parts I got with it was the Gran Sport derailleurs, front is first generation! :-)
I want to restore and build up this frame to how it was in the 50's... My problem is of course that I do not even know how it looked like. And the first owner do not really remember either! Some beige transfer on the seat tube he recalled.

I think it is from the early 50's, because of the early Gran sport derailleurs. The model name is Milan - San Remo, according to previous owner. Does anyone have more info?? What kind of components would suit it right? Any help appreciated.

Well the braze ons will be removed, so the paint has to go I guess. Then, to chrome or not to chrome....

Nice frame!

Reminds me of a Frejus seat lug.

-Kurt

Period correct parts could either cost a lot or take years to collect. Just tweak it out and ride the damn frame. A frame doesn't deserve to be limited to crappy components.

Yeah, To get it into the state I really want anyway, I would have to make a perfect renovation and then ride it every day for ten years...

The paint job the did looks nice but the braze ons...

I've only found Bottecchias as old as late 60's on the web. This must be a rare frame? I mean there are lot of pictures of for instance Bianchis from the 50's out there, maybe because the Bianchis is considered finer and the Bottecchias is still abandoned in italian sheds? Just a theory.

This is how it looked when I got it. Modolo brakes and shifters, Wolber GTA2 rims with Miche hubs, Ideale 88, Motobecane cranks, ugly handlebars, eh and a swedish lock.

I've never seen a Bottechia of a similar vintage as yours but have to say that the lugwork detailing is stunningly sweet , classy and very unique. I tend to agree with the earlier response that recommended getting her on the road in a less than absolutely "correct" form for the sake of expediency, practicality and lessor expense.
I'd shoot for something like late 60's/early 70's Campy, a funky Stronglight crank and Universals,etc. to maintain a vintage feel yet remain user friendly to ride- ie-equipment that might reasonably have been installed as upgrades to the original equipment as they wore out or became outmoded/surpassed in performance by more "modern" components -a sort of a vintage "neo-retro" thing, if you catch my drift. You can always refit where practical with "period" pieces when and if they come along and resources allow.

I'm going to disagree with some replies. I think getting period correct parts would not take that long to get or be terribly expensive. Gran Sport derailleurs are pretty easy and most lie in the $30-$40 range, not $6,000. I don't know if that square taper spindle is original and period correct Campy cranks would be outrageous but you can get cottered cranks for cheap. GS or FB 3-piece hubs may take a bit longer put they do come up and can be had for a good price. Universal 51 brakeset (without hoods) will be under $100 and a used B17 will be under $50. Pricey will be the stem and bars, especially steel Cinelli, but keep your eye out for Ambrosio, an excellent, less expensive alternative.

And I forgot, great frame!!

I don't know why Bottecchias don't get more respect. I don't have any pics from the 50's but here are some around that period (pre-boom at least):

A 1961 frame from eBay:
http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z77/Kommisar89/1961frame9.jpg

A 1948 bike at Rydjor Bike Shop’s website http://collection.rydjor.com/bikecollection/1948bottech.htm:

http://collection.rydjor.com/images/bikecollection/1948bot.jpg


A 60's era bike on Wool Jersey at http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/broderir/Catalogs-Posters/Road-Tests-Reviews/Bicycling-1971-02/Page+01.jpg.html

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/d/195325-4/Page+01.jpg

As whether or not to chrome, here's a picture I found of Gianni Motta riding a "Bottecchia" (I'd bet this is one of those custom built frames by Colnago or somebody like that) in what appears to be an advertisement for his own line of the Gianni Motta Personal and it's not chromed. I don't know exactly what year this is but late 60's I presume.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z77/Kommisar89/Gianni_Motta_on_Bottecchia_1.jpg

Two things: first do not remove the braze ons! That's rediculous. Leave the frame as is. Secondly, I don't believe the bike is from the 50's. I would think late sixties, earlie seventies.

Two things: first do not remove the braze ons! That's rediculous. Leave the frame as is. Secondly, I don't believe the bike is from the 50's. I would think late sixties, earlie seventies.

I think you are right in that it would be somewhat ridiculous to remove the braze ons. Though I really think clip ons are more stylish!
The frame is most definitely from the 50's, look at the fork rake! Long wheel base making for more comfortable riding on the rough roads...
I got it from a former professional rider active in the 50's, this was his training bike, he raced on Crescent. With it came its 1st gen Gran Sport derailleur.

Thanks all for your comments and research - Kommisar. I'm really enjoying the pictures. I think now that I will not try to make it into a museum piece. I will leave the paint and, oh well, the braze ons...

iab - I agree, I will try to put on as many period correct parts I can afford and that will not make it less user friendly to ride. FB hubs would be nice, definitely low flange hubs on this rough road bike.
Crank set is tricky I think, I do not to very like the looks of the GS "Strada" crank sets that seems attainable on Ebay. Any suggestions on other crank sets?

Secondly, I don't believe the bike is from the 50's. I would think late sixties, earlie seventies.

I'm curious, why do you say that? I'm leaning towards what Ricardo says about it being a 50's frame - I have a fairly extensive collection of pictures and those lugs don't resemble any Bottecchia I've seen in the late 60-early 70's. While not the same they do bear some resemblence to those on the '48 and '61 frames pictured above and are nothing like those of my or other boom period Bottechia frames.

How did it go with the restoration? I am acquiring a bike exactly like yours. I do know the latest owner and he tells me he bought it used in LA in 1964. The bike has not been riden for at least 30 years. It was also re-chromed, so decals are lost. I think it has most of the original components. So, if you are still collecting period correct components maybe I can help with what they were.
I plan on restoring this one and was also looking for examples of the era.
Let me know what you found.
Thanks.

Holy 4-year leap, Batman......

How did it go with the restoration? I am acquiring a bike exactly like yours. I do know the latest owner and he tells me he bought it used in LA in 1964. The bike has not been riden for at least 30 years. It was also re-chromed, so decals are lost. I think it has most of the original components. So, if you are still collecting period correct components maybe I can help with what they were.
I plan on restoring this one and was also looking for examples of the era.
Let me know what you found.
Thanks.

Post some pictures. JRestore has the main decals for it.

Looks 60s to me, but could be 50s. Those lugs showed up on many "lesser than the top" Italian frames. Probably were originally chrome.

I agree with iab, the Gran Sport period stuff is not that hard to find. Probably had a steel cottered crank originally, Ambrosio bar and stem.

Here's a similar Olmo that was on ebay recently:

Yes 4 years ago...good thing I'm still suscribing on this thread. I sold the Bottecchia 2 years ago. It was my first build up from scratch. The ride was excellent but the frame was too tall for me. I regret selling it... as I regret selling all good bikes I had.

I'm absolutely sure it's a 50's model. I got it from a professional who trained on it in the late 50's. It was not new when he got it ( he recalled ). He was contracted by Crescent and had to compete on a Crescent. He had to stop racing in 1962 from an injury. The Bottecchia also had Gran Sport derailleurs from -53, the only original set up parts that came with it. It's possible that the derailleurs is a bit older than the frame of course. The model name was "Milan-San Remo". It got braze-ons and a respray in the early 80's.

Here's my set up;

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/598/bottecchiaadj1.jpg

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/9254/bottecchiaadj3.jpg

Oh I could never find the original bronze head badge, but I did find a set of original decals. I sold the transfers to one of the big decal reproduction makers on ebay, wich was good I think.

The first owner was describing its original looks close to this Bottecchia;

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/3619/dscn0888w.jpg

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/1692/eroica1.jpg