Classic & Vintage - Could anyone help date my Basso?

No, not take her out on a date. What I mean is that I really need some help figuring out about what year my Basso is so that I have a little more information about it. I don't really know a whole lot about Italian bicycles.

Ofmega cranks and headset, Cinelli stem and bars, Campy derailleurs and shifters, Modolo brakes and levers.


http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/1338/bassonondrivesidehv8.jpg

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/5042/bassoheadtubejo1.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4643/bassochainstaysvw4.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/63/bassocolumbusks2.jpg

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/203/bassodrivetrainsi7.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/2778/bassoheadonhk7.jpg

The tubing decal and saddle/seatpost would suggest 80's.

The component brand mix is typical of many 1980s, mid-range, Italian models, however the frame is better than the expected Aelle, Cromor or SL tretubi, so I suspect this was built up from a bare frame. You can try checking ofr a patent date on the rear derailleur, next to the cable housing recess, but if it's not original, as I suspect, it won't mean much.

Going strictly on the basis of the frame, the braze-on for the front derailleur hanger eliminates the very early 1980s. The tubing decal does not indicate SL or SP, eliminating the very later 1980s (unless it was a leftover decal). Double bottle bosses also came into vogue in the late 1980s. My guess is mid-1980s.

Looks just like the one in this 1986 ad:

http://lh5.google.com/DiabloScottsBikeBlog/RmgPATX3XFI/AAAAAAAAAVk/S5Wc8G77g3Y/s800/Basso%201986.JPG

I believe this bike was built up by Yellow Jersey in Madison, WI. That explains the mid-grade components on the Basso frame.

What was the gradation of Columbus tubing in 1986? I did have a link with a bunch of useful information on the subject but I seem to have lost the bookmark.

I'm trying to decide whether to part this bike out and sell it, sell it all together, or whether I should just save it and sell it in the future. The seat tube is a couple centimeters too tall for me, I'm sad to say.

I want to bump (or Hijack) this thread to see what you were thinking af selling this Basso for? I found this posting on CL that could be the same exact type of bike. I think this person is asking a bit much for a mid range Basso. I'm not enough of an expert on Campy groupo's to know what this has got on it, but I would love to know (I've already got an email in asking)

Any ideas?
http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/bik/548677418.html

I want to bump (or Hijack) this thread to see what you were thinking af selling this Basso for? I found this posting on CL that could be the same exact type of bike. I think this person is asking a bit much for a mid range Basso. I'm not enough of an expert on Campy groupo's to know what this has got on it, but I would love to know (I've already got an email in asking)

Any ideas?
http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/bik/548677418.html

It seems like a fair deal for $250. The only Campagnolo that you can see for sure is the rear Nuovo Record derailleur and the shift levers. The cranks are Gipiemme (Campy Clone) and the brakes look like Modolo.

Still not a bad deal.

And how much do you think would be reasonable to ask for my bike?

Check the serial number on the BB shell. I was common to use the 1st digit as a year marker (i.e. if serial starts with 6, year is 86), and I've seen a few Bassos marked this way.

I'm just guessing here, but since you got the Campy crank, maybe you could ask $250 or a bit higher. If that bike I showed you is in good condition, and it Columbus tubing, I might start my offering at $150 and see what we bargain at. Hopefully my imput as a posible buyer helps you out with your task.

The tubing decal does not indicate SL or SP, eliminating the very later 1980s (unless it was a leftover decal).

My 1986 Marinoni Special is made of SP tubing, but the decal is the same as the one on the OP's bike - just plain "Columbus". Just thought I'd add this in to the equation.

1. $250 is a very good price for that bike on CL, I bet its gone by now.
2. It looks like a 25" frame to me.
3. Neither of these bikes have campy cranks, don't know what tradtimbo is talking about.
4. To the OP, you have a very nice bike with a campy drivetrain. In my opinion I think $350 is a reasonable price for your bike. $250-300 is okay and a good price to get off ebay. $150 is an insult.

The crank on mine is an Ofmega, I believe. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to part this bicycle out and sell the frame for a couple hundred. I'll post the Ebay link when I've got it ready.

$150 is where I said I would start to barter at. You ever barter for something before? I would expect to pay $200-$225 since his asking price is $250. I'm trying to get some better photos from the seller. Its about an hour away from my house, so i want to make sure it is in good condition before making the trek.

The worth of something is simply what the buyer and seller agree to exchange for it.

$150 is where I said I would start to barter at. You ever barter for something before? I would expect to pay $200-$225 since his asking price is $250. I'm trying to get some better photos from the seller. Its about an hour away from my house, so i want to make sure it is in good condition before making the trek.

The worth of something is simply what the buyer and seller agree to exchange for it.

How true that is.

In the LGuitarS there's a story going around of a guitar that escalated in value exponentially over the course of just a few days.

Specifics escape me, but allegedly there was this Gibson a guy owned, he died. His family knew the neighbor kid played guitar, family sold the guitar to the kid for a stupid cheap price, kid being somewhat savvy sold it to a guitar store for a handsome profit, guitar store marked it up again and very sharp dude buys it to resell to an avid Gibson collector. The guitar goes from a hundred dollars to a hundred thousand dollars in just four quick transactions and each party in the transaction string was content with the roll they played. :)

I nominate this thread's title as snarkiest innuendo in the forum.

I'd like to thank my mother, Modelo Especial cerveza in the 24 oz. can, and the Fixed Gear/Single Speed forums.

I nominate this thread's title as snarkiest innuendo in the forum.

hey, at least it doesn't have the decal that mine does:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a108/upperclasstwit42/103_1858.jpg

hey, at least it doesn't have the decal that mine does:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a108/upperclasstwit42/103_1858.jpg
You know you love it. Everyone did that I showed it to....

For back story I used to own that frame...

Wow! I own and ride the blue basso pictured in the middle (not litterally). I purchased it new in 1986 from Yellow Jersey In Madison for $500. Full Shimano 600 group that I still own, although I had the dropouts spread to accept a 9 speed dura-ace group in 2002. The bike is fully chromed with the seat, top, and downtubes painted blue. Chrome lugs. It's been my only road bike for the past 21 years and has at least 50K miles on the frame.

It will be replaced by a 2008 Canyon CF10 this year.

I don't recall the model name though. Any ideas?



Looks just like the one in this 1986 ad:

http://lh5.google.com/DiabloScottsBikeBlog/RmgPATX3XFI/AAAAAAAAAVk/S5Wc8G77g3Y/s800/Basso%201986.JPG

RALA my Basso was assembled by the guys at Yellow Jersey, apparently within a year or two of yours. Painted over chromed tubes and all chrome lugs? Blingin'. As for the model names, I have no idea. Next time I'm at Yellow Jersey I'll ask Andy.

Wow! I own and ride the blue basso pictured in the middle (not litterally)....
I don't recall the model name though. Any ideas?

It's a Basso Gap, assuming it does match the features of the one in the pic.

RALA my Basso was assembled by the guys at Yellow Jersey, apparently within a year or two of yours. Painted over chromed tubes and all chrome lugs? Blingin'. As for the model names, I have no idea. Next time I'm at Yellow Jersey I'll ask Andy.

Just the lugs on the headtube are exposed chrome. The top of the seat tube is painted blue over chrome and the bottom bracket is just painted.

It's a Basso Gap, assuming it does match the features of the one in the pic.

Thanks, and yes, it's identical to the picture.

That bike is the same year as mine,a 1986....The tubes were Columbus SL,with SL for the seat and down tube for 57 cm bikes and larger. I bought mine wholesale that year feom a Mike Neel company, Neel and Katz, I believe. I liked mine a lot,but I always thought the BB a little flexy......

C´mon! Lower the saddle and stem and keep it! You can make those money in many other ways...:)