Is this really a Bianchi?
 

I got as part of a trade, but the previous owner sanded it down for some reason. He told me it's a Bianchi, but he couldn't remember what kind or what tubing it was made of or anything. The tires say Bianchi on them, but that probably doesn't mean much. These are the parts that came with it:

SR bars and stem
turkey wing brakes levers
Dia-compe center pulls
Silstar crankset
Suntour 7-GT derailers

SN is AS10995

I doubt it...it looks too low-end (sorry), but possibly an old entry-level Asian Bianchi.

That's what I figured. I just want to know if I can in good conscience sell it as a Bianchi. I was planning on shaving off all the cable guides converting it to fixed gear and painting it Celeste.

The frame looks to come from the 60's or 70's era. The lugs and the fork crown don't say Bianchi to me. The rear dopouts are like nothing I have seen.

Perhaps it was a low-end bike of Bianchi origin but I am very unfamiliar with those Bianchi's made for a local market such as Italy or Japan.

I, personally, couldn't pass the frame off as a Bianchi.

I had one of those bianchis given to me. Think it was made in japan. it was a girls version so I tossed the frame and used the parts on a beater frame. Had the same race on the fork, silstar cranks, All steel derailuer, steel rims. Probably late 80s early 90s and around 120 $ bucks new.

OK, I guess unless someone can tell me otherwise I'll sell it as "maybe a Bianchi." The trade I did for it was a bargain no matter what, so it's no big deal. Thanks, and if anyone else can give me a guess as to what it is, I'd appreciate it!

Guess? I told you what it is. Sheesh why do i bother?

Oh yeah, sorry I missed that one. I'm not 100% sure yours was the same bike, mine has aluminum wheels. I suppose mine could be upgrades though. Thanks!

I'm sorry, but I would really love for you to tell me how you can tell that's a Bianchi. I mean seriously, that frame looks like about a half a dozen different low end Japanese branded bikes I've seen (and one I own). Could be a Centurion Sport DLX like the frame that I built my Barracuda Mk.I from, sure looks pretty close to me. Could be a Panasonic, or a Fuji, or any number of other low end frames. Just because the tires say Bianchi on them doesn't really mean anything. The wheels could be off a different frame that may have been a Bianchi.

You're really determined to get that word "Bianchi" in there somehow, aren't you? You've been pretty much told that it's a 99.9% chance it's not what you're hoping for, so you're still going to advertise on that 0.1% chance.

Let you in on a little secret: When I'm looking at buying a bike, and the seller hits me with "I think that maybe it's a <fill in the blank>", the little voice in the back of my head goes, "well, now you know what it isn't". And the price I'm considering has just dropped 10%.

I have the answer: No. I have never seen a japanese Bianchi that cheep. As far as I know Japanese bianchis began being produced in the 70s and all the ones I have ever seen had forged fropouts. I could be wrong, but unless someone can show me a Japanese Bianchi with forged dropouts that looks that cheep I am willing to say with 98% confidence that that is not a Bianchi.

I only know what I was told by a guy who seemed to be pretty honest to me. I definitely won't paint it Celeste or put Bianchi decals on it since I can't positively identify it, but I don't feel the least bit guilty about telling prospective buyers that the guy who sold it to me said it was a Bianchi.

Also, I'm not sure where you're getting "99.9% chance it's not what you're hoping for" from "possibly an old entry-level Asian Bianchi" and "Perhaps it was a low-end bike of Bianchi origin" but whatever.

Heres one for ya. The routeing of the rear brake cable is different than on his frame though.

http://www.connectex.com/rex/d24/Bia...0speed%20a.JPG


If I were him I would just weight the frame and mention that and that it might be a bianchi.

thanks... first I have seen that is that cheeply speced.. however, unless you have a better photo I am not certain those are stamped dropours in the above link.. hard to say.

Yeah, I own one of these, too. Same thing: suicide levers and stem shifters. Even a steel chainring set. Z-series shifting. Similar gold decals, too. Turned out the frame was made in Taiwan (the LBS sticker on the seat tube was covering that little tidbit). Bought it at a thrift store for $40.

Here is the link to the thread with pics of my black one consistent with meatwad's post.

The frame looks cheap. Its likely high tensile steel.

I can't imagine that frame fetching much regardless of what its called. If I'm taking the pains to build up a frame I want it at least halfway decent to start with. Besides, there are plenty of good frames of known provenance.

where is the link?