Classic & Vintage - Need help ID this bike

I just bought an old racing bike and can't identify it. It says G. BIANCHI on the decals, but I have other Bianchi bikes and this is not a Bianchi logo.
The bike is 10 speed, with tubular wheels, Weinmann type 500 calipers and Dia-Compe levers. The shifters and derailers are Ofmega, seat San Marco, cranks are called Aero Coronado (German made).
The frame is reasonably well made and quite lights, though it has no stickers about tubing.

I have some pictures at:

http://www.fedka.com/Auctions/Bike/g_bianchi/

I would like to learn more about this bike - what vintage is it, quality, value.

Thank you,
Yuri

Looks like early '80s. Mid range bike. Value?? Anywhere from $10-$30 at the thrift store to $50-$100 on eBay. Hard to say without knowing what the frame tubing is. Cranks & derailleurs are interesting, but no one is searching for 'em.

Edoardo Bianchi bicycles are based in Milano and have been for some time, so that looks like a different Bianchi from the commonly seen brand. Pretty average bike, but interesting.

Looks like early '80s. Mid range bike. Value?? Anywhere from $10-$30 at the thrift store to $50-$100 on eBay. Hard to say without knowing what the frame tubing is. Cranks & derailleurs are interesting, but no one is searching for 'em.

I wonder if there is any way to tell the frame material without stickers. Is it safe to assume that becasue the bike is relatively light and was built as a racing bike initially, that the tubing is of good quality? The seatstays and chainstays are very thin. Or it was common to make any bike types, racing included, from cheap steel?

Makes me wonder if maybe it's like some kind of knock off. You know like a Rolix (not a Rolex) watch made in Hong Kong.

The interesting part of that bike would be finding out who G. Bianchi is. Probably a business organization in Firenze could help.

I wonder if there is any way to tell the frame material without stickers. Is it safe to assume that becasue the bike is relatively light and was built as a racing bike initially, that the tubing is of good quality? The seatstays and chainstays are very thin. Or it was common to make any bike types, racing included, from cheap steel?

Cheap steel was used to make all kinds of bikes. Your bike does have what appear to be forged drop-outs, and mid range componentry. Forged drop-outs often (but not always) indicate a mid range or higher quality frame. A good indicator of tubing quality is to check the seatpost size. High end Italian bikes usually used Columbus or Reynolds tubing, and had seatpost sizes of 26.8, 27.0, or 27.2 millimeters. (I'm guessing that your bike is Italian with the Bianchi name.) Sometimes if a metric size of Reynolds tubing is used (as in many French bikes), the seatpost size could have been 26.4 or 26.6 mm. Smaller sized seatposts than 26.4 usually indicate thicker walled steel, often refered to as "gaspipe" (or possibly a sleeve in the seat tube). If the seatpost is smaller than 26.4, it's usually seamed, high carbon steel that the frame is made from. While not bad stuff, it's not as light or lively a ride as the good quality butted steels. Something else you'd want to check, is the steerer tube. Look up the steerer tube from underneath with the front wheel removed. If you should see spiral ribbing when looking up the steerer tube from below, it's Columbus tubing, and good stuff.

This is a good opprotunity to ask a question I was curious about. Columbus, Reinolds - are these generic names for a tubing technology, or real companies? If they are companies - where are they located?

This is a good opprotunity to ask a question I was curious about. Columbus, Reinolds - are these generic names for a tubing technology, or real companies? If they are companies - where are they located?

Real companies! Columbus is in Italy, Reynolds in England. Reynolds especially has a really long history of making the finest in tubing for bicycles. Here are their websites:

http://www.columbustubi.com/

http://www.reynoldsusa.com/

Often I'm wrong, probably am again here; isn't the newer Bianchis made in Italy (high end) somewhere else (middle and low end). But back in the day all were made in Italy?
I think there is only one Bianchi and that there is one of 'em.