Classic & Vintage - New to cycling + new bike!

Just got my new road bike today. Not sure if I got ripped or anything but the guy that I have bought it from said it was a good bike. Here's the info!

" 80's Bianchi Campione D'Italia road bike. 14 speed. 60cm. Made in Italy.

I got this bike with the intentions of giving it to my brother, but it was just a little too big.

The bike has new cables, new cable housings, new bar tape and new tires and tubes.

Classic Columbus Lugged steel frame, quattro shifters, crankset and derailleurs, selle italia saddle, ITM handle bar, Ofmega headset, bianchi SPD style clipless pedals. (will include regular pedals)

Has some rust and scratches but all in all a good vintage bike "


Thanks!

http://i35.tinypic.com/2mdlcno.jpg
http://i37.tinypic.com/zko58y.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/sv2c10.jpg

http://i38.tinypic.com/10i9oia.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/2emojgy.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/1o2fb5.jpg

Sorry for the crappy pics!

Welcome to the forum.

But, your bike doesn't exist without you posting some pictures! :)

And at f64 the pics had better be sharp! ;)

Welcome to the forum.

But, your bike doesn't exist without you posting some pictures! :)


And at f64 the pics had better be sharp! ;)

Well, there you go!
I know nothing about roadbikes so eh.
More info would help! Thanks.

Welcome to the forums. I don't know much about your bike.... Bianchigirl should be around in a few moments. I believe Cromor was a less expensive tubeset, of course anything with a Columbus sticker is certainly not cheap.

Nice bike, good value with the maintenance all done. A little patient and tedious touchup, and it will be great. Fine bike either way, and $300 is not out of liine, especially ready to ride.

Sounds like a good deal. I had a similar one.
If that brake system is what I think it is, (plastic levers, Ofmega calipers) I've got a suggestion for your first parts upgrade.
Until then, give yourself good stopping distance.:thumb:

Sounds like a good deal. I had a similar one.
If that brake system is what I think it is, (plastic levers, Ofmega calipers) I've got a suggestion for your first parts upgrade.
Until then, give yourself good stopping distance.:thumb:

What was your suggestion?
A bit weird shifting while riding quick, seen the shifters on the brake levers ( Illiterate on bikes + parts ) how much would those cost to buy + install?

What was your suggestion?
A bit weird shifting while riding quick, seen the shifters on the brake levers ( Illiterate on bikes + parts ) how much would those cost to buy + install?

Those are incompatible with the 7 gear index shifting your bike has.

Best case scenario is to get bar end shifters that plug into the ends of your handlebar. Even then, there might be some problems with the index shifting. Shimano used to make a bar-end housing for tube shifters that works really well, but I am not sure about the compatibility with all shifters (and not sure what components your bike has).

A bit weird shifting while riding quick, seen the shifters on the brake levers ( Illiterate on bikes + parts ) how much would those cost to buy + install?

Brifters. Brake+Shifter.

You'd need to get the Brifters, a new Rear Derailleur (and a Front Derailleur if you want them to match), and a new Rear Cluster, and Down-tube mount cable adjusters. All shimano or SRAM so they will all play nice together. Probably about 150 bux...maybe a bit less.


27mph is very fast for a sustained speed on level ground, how long did you hold that speed? Were you going down a hill (seems more likely)?
Call me a big wimp but I'd be worn out if I did a mile on flat ground at 27mph.

Brifters. Brake+Shifter.

You'd need to get the Brifters, a new Rear Derailleur (and a Front Derailleur if you want them to match), and a new Rear Cluster, and Down-tube mount cable adjusters. All shimano or SRAM so they will all play nice together. Probably about 150 bux...maybe a bit less.


27mph is very fast for a sustained speed on level ground, how long did you hold that speed? Were you going down a hill (seems more likely)?
Call me a big wimp but I'd be worn out if I did a mile on flat ground at 27mph.


Hmm, I was talking to somebody that bikes too and they said i'd need a new back wheel + etc and it'd cost a fortune. I guess 27mph just for a bit, well that's what my friend said. Feeling very fatigue from biking at my limit speed all day!

Yes, it would be an expensive upgrade. You will get used to the down tube shifters eventually.

What was your suggestion?

Sorry, I forgot to check back in.
At the very least, you should invest in new calipers and levers if the parts are as I'd guessed. Almost any alternative would be better than those. Especially at 27mph.
Consider it a safety measure.

Hello I am not sure how I missed this mkeller. the Quattro on the '89/'90 CdI was not Suntour and Ofmega's best effort. OH yes Quattro makes this a '89 or '90 model. most I worked on could be made to shift OK.

are you new to cycling? shifting from any position can seem weird until you get used to it. ask some of the members here who have more than one bike. as for me I have friction downtube shifter, index downtube, and barends, ergo (brifters) thumb, rapidfire, and a single speed. I am always reaching for the wrong lever LOL.

the best/ easiest way to improve shifting (IMHO) is to find a Sachs 7spd freewheel (now S-Ram), a Shimano 105 or RX100 rearderailluer and a set of DT shifters.

Yes... I had it out to be an '88, no big deal, which along with 89,90.. has the red triangle in the graphics. I don't have much to say about the components other than anything will "fit".. including the character of the bike. Bianchi even on their race teams used Shimano in those and later years.
The Chromor frame, unlike some other seamed tubings doesn't render the bike less worthy.
Years before and some time after, Chromor was purposefully chosen for bikes required to endure the rigors of certain types of racing and/ or for larger frames. The latter of which doesn't pertain to your bike, even though it's big. You'd better be tall for that bike !

Cromor was used for decades in track racing. Just like a big rider, in track, a few extra ounces meens little compared to the abuse such frames need to endure. It's a cold-rolled tube, very tuff, a bit more dent resistant and NOT "heavy". It's often misunderstood by snobs like me.
In Bianchi's and other cases it's not simply a cost cutting choice, not totally anyway.

If it fits, it's TOPS. The price you paid is well worth it ! Folks spend more on lesser Bianchis, the mystery tubing ones.

Hmm, I was talking to somebody that bikes too and they said i'd need a new back wheel + etc and it'd cost a fortune. I guess 27mph just for a bit, well that's what my friend said. Feeling very fatigue from biking at my limit speed all day!

Depends on how you do it. There's a lot of ways to approach it, none of them super cheap, but you asked "how" not "How much"

You can do it without replacing the back wheel.

You can replace the rear cassette with a Shimano made one (I can't tell from the pics if its a Freehub or Freewheel) and get some Shimano Brifters for around 50ish bux on ebay, plus an index compatible Rear derailleur and a front to match for another 40-50 bux, 15 bux for DT cable stops plus some bux for SIS shifter housing and new cables...I think 150 is feasible if perhaps a little on the low side to do such a conversion.

Yes... I had it out to be an '88, no big deal, which along with 89,90.. has the red triangle in the graphics. I don't have much to say about the components other than anything will "fit".. including the character of the bike. Bianchi even on their race teams used Shimano in those and later years.
The Chromor frame, unlike some other seamed tubings doesn't render the bike less worthy.
Years before and some time after, Chromor was purposefully chosen for bikes required to endure the rigors of certain types of racing and/ or for larger frames. The latter of which doesn't pertain to your bike, even though it's big. You'd better be tall for that bike !

Cromor was used for decades in track racing. Just like a big rider, in track, a few extra ounces meens little compared to the abuse such frames need to endure. It's a cold-rolled tube, very tuff, a bit more dent resistant and NOT "heavy". It's often misunderstood by snobs like me.
In Bianchi's and other cases it's not simply a cost cutting choice, not totally anyway.

If it fits, it's TOPS. The price you paid is well worth it ! Folks spend more on lesser Bianchis, the mystery tubing ones.


Hello I am not sure how I missed this mkeller. the Quattro on the '89/'90 CdI was not Suntour and Ofmega's best effort. OH yes Quattro makes this a '89 or '90 model. most I worked on could be made to shift OK.

are you new to cycling? shifting from any position can seem weird until you get used to it. ask some of the members here who have more than one bike. as for me I have friction downtube shifter, index downtube, and barends, ergo (brifters) thumb, rapidfire, and a single speed. I am always reaching for the wrong lever LOL.

the best/ easiest way to improve shifting (IMHO) is to find a Sachs 7spd freewheel (now S-Ram), a Shimano 105 or RX100 rearderailluer and a set of DT shifters.


Depends on how you do it. There's a lot of ways to approach it, none of them super cheap, but you asked "how" not "How much"

You can do it without replacing the back wheel.

You can replace the rear cassette with a Shimano made one (I can't tell from the pics if its a Freehub or Freewheel) and get some Shimano Brifters for around 50ish bux on ebay, plus an index compatible Rear derailleur and a front to match for another 40-50 bux, 15 bux for DT cable stops plus some bux for SIS shifter housing and new cables...I think 150 is feasible if perhaps a little on the low side to do such a conversion.


Yeah, guess I can look into that. Thanks for the help guys! Yeap, New to cycling.
Biked 30 miles yesterday, what an experience!
Day by day, i'm getting used to the downtube shifters.
Bike does seem a bit big for me but not that big. Not sure about the measurements but i'm 6'0 feet tall and the frame is 60cm, sounds about right or too big?

Also on the sidenote, I can't find the serial number for this bike. I just found 4 numbers and random numbers all over the place on the bottom of the frame + so it'd be an 89-90 model?

It is a beautiful bike for sure. You picked up a kick ass first bike really. 300 is all dependant on if you think it is worth it. You certainly did not get a steal, but if the bike is in great shape you did not get ripped off by any means either. Good job, welcome to the world of cycling.

nice to see someone new to cycling starting off with a great bike... im always afraid when i see new people unintentionally buying a bike with brakes that will never work correctly etc...

You have a great bike, as you have questions about fit and maintenance don't be afraid to ask here... for now though the best thing you can do is ride it! (which it seems you have been) Good luck to you!

60 cm sounds about right for somebody six feet tall. Of course, everybody's different and it can depend on things like if you have long legs and a short torso or vise versa. If you rode 30 miles and didn't feel like you just got out of a torture rack it probably fits. When I started riding I thought my bike was was too big (I felt really top heavy and it was tricky to mount), but after getting used to it I've discovered it's a great fit and I've actually raised the seat a bit since getting comfortable on with riding.