Classic & Vintage - 1988 Bottecchia Question

I have been a rider of mountain bikes and I am currently in the market for a road bike. I like steel framed bikes, so I am looking in that direction. There is a seller in my area that has an ad up for a 88 Bottecchia for $600 and seems high. I will be checking it out today around lunch.

http://flickr.com/gp/63648683@N04/bMpDLi

Here are my questions: are classic italian steel bikes expensive to repair? Do they fit a lot of modern parts? The seller claims that it has full campy gruppo, brooks saddle, it is stored indoors, and never dropped or wrecked. Does 600 seem high for this bike?

Thanks in advance for your speedy replies.

I had a Bottecchia similar to that bike and loved it. One of the nicest riding steel bikes I have ever ridden (and I have ridden a lot of them). Bought it in the mid-90s for ~850 with two sets of wheels, all DuraAce 8spd with STI shifters. Sold it to a friend when hard up for cash and in between riding phases of life--a bike I regret selling to this day.

If it fits (it looks really large) I would say go for it! I think $600 is a fair price if it is in decent shape.

Shouldn't need much "repair" aside from the usual lube and tune. Since it is steel you can put whatever "modern parts" (whatever that means) you like on it--you may need to have the frame cold set if it is still 126mm and you want more gears, but that's no big deal really. Mine came 130mm when I bought it used, but not sure if it was built that way or spread the extra 4mm. At the time I owned the bike 8spd DuraAce was about as modern as you could get--9spd was just starting to happen but not super popular yet.

Thanks for your reply. I went ahead and made the purchase and even talked him down to 450! It is in fantastic shape. It was definitely babied. I counted one small chip in the paint on the underside below the crank.

That's a nice frame, it has lots of chrome on it.

Since you already bought your Bottecchia, this may be a bit late but here it goes: old Italian steel frames are NOT harder to maintain, repair or upgrade. They are good, solid bikes made to last a very long time.

Congratulations on your purchase.

Here are some pics of my 1989 Bottecchia SLX nd Bottecchia related items.

The head badge:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKES-BOTTECCHIA/BOTTECCHIA_FRONT_JULY2011.jpg

The jersey:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKES-BOTTECCHIA/fb96b4b4.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKE%20COLLECTION/BOTTECCHIA_HANDLEBARTAPE_072811.jpg

From that year's catalog:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKES-BOTTECCHIA/2fcab869.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKES-BOTTECCHIA/a8dedf72.jpg


The bike:

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKE%20COLLECTION/505061ca.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKE%20COLLECTION/175948f8.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKE%20COLLECTION/e161d933.jpg

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/BIKE%20COLLECTION/7938bf57.jpg

Congratulations on your new ride!

Ehhhh !!!
Found your bike, with the friction shifters and without. Hope I can sneek in my picture>

280590


How the hell you make the picture bigger?!??!!?

Bottecia has a reputaion for building quality bikes. I cannot tell which model or what features you have but if it came with the Campy group it is probably one of their higher end machines. It probably takes a 126 mm rear axel which will accomodate 6 and even 7 speed old school freewheels although I dont now what the largest rear cog that derailler will handle. Enjoy that bike, you got an excellent deal.

Ehhhh !!!
Found your bike, with the friction shifters and without. Hope I can sneek in my picture>

280590


How the hell you make the picture bigger?!??!!?

Boja, great Bottecchia. Do you live near Prague? I have heard from people who have visited there that Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and that the Czech people are very warm and friendly, especially to Americans.

You can make the pictures bigger, I think, by loading them first to a program like Photobucket and then downloading them here straight from Photobucket. At least that is how i do it.

What does it say, on the top tube, near the headtube and near the head tube?

The block letters for the name Bottecchia look good...

Thanks for sharing.

:D

Bottecia has a reputaion for building quality bikes. I cannot tell which model or what features you have but if it came with the Campy group it is probably one of their higher end machines. It probably takes a 126 mm rear axel which will accomodate 6 and even 7 speed old school freewheels although I dont now what the largest rear cog that derailler will handle. Enjoy that bike, you got an excellent deal.
Actually, if it's an 88, it might already have a 130mm spaced rear triangle. That about the time when 8 speed drivetrains with indexed shifting was coming out. So you may be lucky and Bottechia might have already adjusted to the newer standard spacing for 8+ speeds on this one. Cold setting is indeed an option if it is 126mm back there....as long as you do not have heat treated tubing like Reynolds 753, which cannot be cold set......which I think you don't

Chombi

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k160/imejasan/bott_boja.png

There, I made it bigger for you.

Actually, if it's an 88, it might already have a 130mm spaced rear triangle. That about the time when 8 speed drivetrains with indexed shifting was coming out. So you may be lucky and Bottechia might have already adjusted to the newer standard spacing for 8+ speeds on this one. Cold setting is indeed an option if it is 126mm back there....as long as you do not have heat treated tubing like Reynolds 753, which cannot be cold set......which I think you don't

Chombi

I htink his bike probably has a 130mm spacing.

There, I made it bigger for you.

Thanks !!!

That looks much better. The writing on the top tube is (by the seat post) hand made, and by the head tube, O.Bottecchia. Prague is very nice, it has its own character, and history, it also has this gothic flavour to it. I am from the other side of Czech rep., but work takes me there often, and our friends live there. I can confirm that Czech rep is friendly to Americans, unlike France.

The deal on the OP's bicycle was fair, unless he's in a high priced market. $600 was too much. Based on the decals it's older than 1988, more like 1985. The components are Victory, a mid-range group. Typically, you'd find this froup on an Aelle or tretubi SL frame.

Edit: My son agrees that Prague is a beautiful, old city. A couple of years ago, he spent a couple of days there, prior to competing in the world championships in Racice.

Thanks for your reply. I went ahead and made the purchase and even talked him down to 450! It is in fantastic shape. It was definitely babied. I counted one small chip in the paint on the underside below the crank.

And.....?? How is it?? any new photo??

hello Guys. I have a Bottecchia sprinter from 1989. Can tell me somebody more information about this frame? 318126
bexiumf@gmail.com

hello Guys. I have a Bottecchia sprinter from 1989. Can tell me somebody more information about this frame?

Offhand, I'm not familiar with a Bottecchia Spinter. Given the era and the fact that it only appears to have one set of bottle braze-ons and no front derailleur tab, it would appear appear to be entry level model, probably with a plain gauge tubeset. There appears to be an Oria decasl on the forks and possibly the frame. Post pictures or tell us what they say. If not, the seat post diameter and serial number may provide clues as to the type and/or level of tubing.

Bottechia was built by carnelli and bilato...i think....those are makers who make many bikes like concorde and the early Lemonds and put someone elses name on them...like the ones above...the Bottechia that gets the best money is the red and white professional like the ones above.....Lemond rode one of those in his ADR days...even though the color didnt match the jersey...he also,,, of course had some with that crazy neon yellow and purple color .... steel carnelli bottecchia's...as well as the TVT carbon one