DMC707

Anybody know anything about Vianelli bicycles?

I may be on the hook for this one --- I impulse bid on it when I saw the Red, White, Blue color scheme and the internal cable routing (although the front cable entrance looks a little rough )

So far I am in the lead with a scant 4 hours to go on a max bid of $75 -- add in shipping and that's over 100 bucks --- and with no idea of what tubing its made of -- geez I need to stay off ebay


No Reserve Vintage Italian Frameset Vianelli Sz 53 Cm | eBay

T-Mar

Private label brand for an Italian bicycle shop located in Brescia, Italy. They've been around since the mid-1970s. I don't known if they manufactured in-house or contracted the manufacture.

DMC707

Thanks T-MAr

--- I found some limited info doing a search right here on the forum --- there is a tie-in somehow to Marinoni reportedly, although it doesn't make sense to me as Marinoni is Canadian

Oh well, ---- I likely have about 2 weeks to think about it, then I can post my personal review , as I guess its on the way for the princely sum of $58 (plus $60 shipping )

I finally figured how to pull the pics off the ebay listing - like I mentioned, the ugly part is the front cable insert on the top tube , but it has a FDR braze on, - I generally don't see those on the "gas pipe" stuff -- so maybe its all good ----- the scale of truth should tell the tale when it gets here - 5 pounds or under for the frame and we're good

My other Italian projects have generated a lot of otherwise decent Campagnolo bits n pieces floating around with no home, - so this may be a perfect showcase for a mutt Campy group --- the patriotic paint scheme should be a conversation starter anyway

Chombi

Congratulations! Looks like you won the bidding at a fantastic price! Hopefully, shipping won't be too bad....
It would be cool if you get to communicate with the former owner, "Teresita"(?) sometime in the future to show how the bike built up to be on the road again!

T-Mar

I searched out those posts. If CdM says that Vianelli made their own frames, that would be good enough for me. The fact that Marinoni considered their workmanship good enough to have Vianelli contract build some frames for him also bodes for your new acquisition. I can appreciate a possible working relationship between the two, given that they were both reportedly contemporaries on the Italian amateur bicycle racing circuit and may even have been on the Italian amateur team together.

All this has me wondering if Vianelli is Pierfranco Vianelli. He won the road race at the 1968 Olympics held in Mexico City and was a professional from 1969-1973. According to the website, the shop was set up in 1976, so the timing is correct but I can't find any mention of Pierfranco on the shop's website.

I just wish I had seen your latest post yesterday. I was contemplating going to to a showing of The Fire in the Frame that Marinoni was attending. I could have gotten an answer straight from the master's mouth, provided there was an interpreter.

Citoyen du Monde

Vianelli is now run by the son of the founder. He is an acquaintance of mine and I have had some dealings with him. He sent me some photos of Marinoni forks that they had built back in the day. I had initially got in touch with them to help out a friend who had a Vianelli that he absolutely adored (the best bike that he had ever had and he has owned numerous high end Italian and British bikes and knows his stuff) and that he wanted to repaint. I therefore contacted them to get him decals for his bike. My last contact with him dates back to a few years ago. The son is well-respected and participates in a number of Italian bicycle forums.

DMC707

Thank you both for your educated replies ---- they certainly add a little "provenance" to the name ---

As my affinity for DeBernardi's attests, I am a fan of smaller Italian brands when they actually put out a good product --- I have seen some with things like crooked shifter braze ons and pump pegs in oddly spaced locations too though on obscure brands , but then again, that's something I have also seen on mass produced Bianchi's as well

--- I'm looking forward to getting this thing shipped to me now so I can check it out

I don't need much prompting to look for new projects to piddle with --- this time it was merely because I had a Italian thread Campy bottom bracket and a set of 8 speed wheels with no home

John E

A number of small European manufacturers have a similar history. (For example CapO founder Otto Cap and son Harald.) Of course, Schwinn was run into the ground by a dynasty, so it is not always good news.

David Newton

I think this is maybe the third mention of Vianelli bikes in C&V history, so I shall show my mid 80's Vianelli Pro, as it was sold to me by the guy who bought it in from Italy and did the repaint. Only the fork decals have survived.
It is made of Columbus SL or SLX, it has a rifled and dove stamped steerer, and has Vianelli Olympic rings on the fork crown & brake bridge, Vianelli stamped seat stay caps and BB casting, and a "V" cut in to the bottom head lug. All the lugs are filed very thin. The entire frame is chromed. I have enjoyed riding it as it is super light and flexible.

DMC707

I posted a companion thread when I got it arrived at my garage

It does not appear to be as nice as yours - with the personalized brake bridge and bb shell --- but judging from the weight (4 lbs 6 oz ) -- it was (is) a quite nice frameset -- looking forward to getting it going again


https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...ved-today.html

T-Mar

Well, I was able to get an answer. The founder was the 1968 Olympic road race champion and pro cyclist. I was also able to verify the friendship and "collaboration" between Vianelli and Marinoni.

mrjav

Here's my 56 SL. Sorry for the crap photo, but it's FAR away from me in Switzerland. I guess I need to pick it up soon and build it!

DMC707

Looks like my old photobucket pics were dropped --

but almost 4 years later --- its still hanging on the hook waiting for its day in the sun again --- had the headset and bottom bracket shells faced and aligned, installed and am midway through installing a Campagnolo Racing T parts kit -- but, -- life gets in the way sometimes

Would still be nice to get this one together in time for the 4th of July though !

The Bottecchia in the foreground is long gone too -- fellow forum member @Gcqmsame has it . The Litespeed also sits there to this day unfinished -- choice of either a DA 7800 build kit or a 10 speed carbon Record build kit for it

The worst thing to happen to my C&V addiction was when I bought a new Specialized in 2018

T-Mar

Don't feel bad. There are probably many forum members in the same boat. I've got a queue of about a half dozen frames that have been awaiting attention for (ahem) a few years. It's hard to turn down a really good deal when it presents itself, though these days I'm getting better at realizing the improbability of project completion and instead notify friends of the bargains

mrjav

This thread popped back up, so I guess I should post a link to my article for the next guy who needs his Vianelli fix. I had taken my frame to its "home" and documented with a few photos.

https://rorymasini.blogspot.com/2017...-vianelli.html