jeff44

Last week in Queens I picked up an early 70's to late 60's Chiorda "City Bike" with the Manubrio "condorino" style handlebars. The bike is a three speed with a single Simplex down tube Shifter and a Huret Svelto rear derailleur. My question is were these Italian made bikes (Bianchi, Legnano, Chiorda, etc.) imported to the US or were they brought over individually by returning citizens? It is rare to see one here, but certainly there were a ton of Italian made bikes imported during the Bike Boom.

I will clean it and come spring sell it to a Manhattan Hipster to double my investment as it is a "cool" and unusual ride.

thanks, Jeff

Seabass_First

i did the same thing, but since i found a gios i thought i could get more money for it unrestored. I regret selling but i need to make space. here are some pictures, i have better ones somewhere...



post pictures of yours!

cs1

That is a nice bike. I'll bet it would look pretty slick cleaned up. It is much better than the trash they are putting out today.

iab

Since they are common like dirt in Italy yet somewhat rare in the US, I suspect they were not mass imported but brought over by an individual.

In catalogs, the bike you described is called a Sport bike. And as you wrote, all the major manufacturers made them. Below is the Bianchi I had a while back. The Campagnolo Sport RD it had certainly was touchy. Without much chain wrap it liked to skip.

Bianchi Sport 099 by iabisdb, on Flickr

jeff44

Looks just like my bike - blue, but missing the chain guard. Mine is rust fee, including the chrome parts as it appears to have been in storage a number of years. The wheels are at my LBS to be repaired and trued. I want to replace the 3 speed with a 5 speed to make it more rideable. I don't live too far from Long Island Sound where the roads are flat and much more suited to this bike. I have a vintage back rack I will put on as there is a bracket for that purpose. Thanks for your comments. Jeff

JohnDThompson 

The first bike shop I worked for in Madison WI imported very similar bikes branded "Velital" (which may have been made by Olmo). I had one for a long time as my city bike, then I gave it to my son to use at college, where it eventually was stolen. He thinks he spotted it sometime later, incorporated into someone's "tall bike."

iab

Check your spacing. Both of mine were spaced 115 for 3 and 4 speeds. 5 speeds require 120.

gomango

Interesting thread.

Most of the Italian city bikes I see there look like these charmers in Cecina on the coast.

DSCN1572 by gomango1849, on Flickr

DSCN1571 by gomango1849, on Flickr

markk900

@gomango: that first one is the same colour as I have painted my Paff - don't want to post here yet as I am about a week away from lacing the wheels...

@iab: where can you get either the white rubbers or the entire pedal in white like on your bianchi? Mine are 64 years dirty...

iab

Most white pedals in the US are 1/2" stuff for cruisers. You need 9/16".

For the US, your best bet is Lyotard. They made a 9/16" white rubber pedal.

Italy has a lot. If you want vintage, Way Assauto made a white rubber pedal. If you want something generic, Google or search on Italian ebay "bianchi sport pedali"

markk900

Thanks @iab: the Way Assauto seems to be the closest to what I would want - ideally just the white rubbers. The pedals I have now are marked "AM" in a box and "Sport" but can't find much about them. Appropos to this thread - getting connected to the right network of vendors will make this a lot easier - also heading to Italy for a swap meet might be a good idea too!

JohnDThompson 

Go inland to e.g. Cremona and you might find some classy stuff:

velomateo

I scored a Chiorda years ago. It was very similar to the Gios the Seabass-First posted above, same bars too. It also had a three or four cog free wheel, single side braze-on shifter mount and a tab on the fork for a light. I re-laced the hubs to some 700c silver Mavics and ran cyclocross tires. Cool bike.
I have some pics at the house, I'll try to load them up later today.

gomango

Very nice!

To be honest, I mostly "train bikes" in the cities.

You know, the kind you ride to the train station and leave in the elements all day.

Nicest Italian city bikes I have seen were in the north in Bolzano!