C. Collodi

Hey there folks... I figured I'd stop by and see if any of you guys or gals might be able to help me out with this Bianchi road bike I received from an old friend. I know I'm probably the millionth person to post a thread asking for help with ID-ing an old Bianchi, so apologies.

I read a couple of archived threads via google and saw that several forum members here have set out to decipher the serial number codes on 1980's Bianchi bicycles, so I now understand the significance of the placement of the serial numbers...but I'm not sure how to decipher what those numbers actually mean. Hopefully someone can give it a try.

I got the bike about 2 years ago from a friend of mine who had it hanging in his garage for at least 7 years. Someone else had it before him, but he didn't seem to know much about the guy or the bike. I gladly accepted it, but I never got around to fixing it up since I already had another road bike and not a lot of spare time. A bike shop owner told my friend that it was "...from the early 80's..", but who knows?

Ok, on to the specs...

(Note: the bike is not currently rideable, as the cables were in bad shape. I'm also taking my time with this and trying to teach myself better bike maintenance skills, so I've been removing parts and what-not when I have time.)

Frame: Bianchi, lugged, Columbus steel, BLACK with gold decals...I've never seen this color combo in person, but I have seen a few pictures online of what appears to be the track version of this frame, and it had the exact same detailing, same color combos, etc. There's also a blue and white PIAGGIO decal on the seat tube, about 4 inches from the top. There's a Columbus Tubing decal on the down tube, near the head tube, but it's in bad shape. It's gold, and here's what I can make out in terms of the text:

"TUBI R"..."FORZA"... "GA"..

"ACCIAU"...

And that's all I can see.

The usual "MADE IN ITALY" decal isn't on there, but I think I can make out a "removed decal"-kinda stain on the seat tube that might have been where it was. (If it was at all)


The serial numbers are on the lug of the seat cluster and read as follows:

81 . 11

...on the crank side, and yep, there's an actual decimal or dot between the 81 and the 11, right in the center...


...and then on the other side it's:

1082

I read in the archive that if the numbers are split, and on either side of the lug or the BB, then the frame was most likely made in Italy. If the numbers are all on one side of the BB, then it was most likely made in Japan. I'm assuming that, based on that info, this one was made in Italy.

The bottom bracket shell reads as follows:

56 on one side and "A" on the other.

I'm assuming that the 56 is the size, The "A", I'm not sure of.

The frame is in decent shape...there are some small scratches here and there and it's dusty, of course. There are water bottle mounts on the down tube. I'd say that due to the total lack of fender mounts on both the frame and fork, it's not a touring frame. Plus, the rear triangle looks and feels pretty tight to me...but I haven't actually measured it.

The crank-side chain stay is chromed....in fact after inspecting a few of the small scratches on the seat stays, I think the entire rear triangle might be chromed-under-the-paint, but I'm not sure.

Campy dropouts, as well.

The seat stay tubes have "BIANCHI" stamped into the ends where they meet the cluster. There's a gold "B" stamped into the down tube / head tube lug.

The head tube decal is the usual "EDOARDO BIANCHI", with the crest, but the banner is Celeste green, and the line drawing of the crest is a barely visible "gold", I guess. The fork crown has the same gold "B" stamped into the top face, on either side. The top face of the crown is black, and the rest is chrome.

The components are a mixed bag and I remember my friend saying these weren't all original. Right now, the brakes, chain rings, shift levers and derailleur are all in a box in my garage and I can't get to them, but the rings are Shimano, and the derailleur is Dura Ace....same with the shift levers. The brakes I'm not sure of, but...Modolo? The bike had no seat post or saddle.

So aside from that...

Stem: "Custom", it reads...the font looks "Dura Ace"-y..not sure though.

Bars: Cinelli

Brake Levers: Modolo Flash

Brake Lever Hoods: Ame

Headset: Campy

BB: Shimano

Cranks: Dura Ace

Gear Cluster: Shimano, (6 cogs)

Rims: Mavic G-40

Pedals: Shimano

Hubs: Dura Ace, 36 hole

That's all I have at this point. Hopefully someone can clue me into the year, model, etc.

Thanks for taking the time to read all of that!

cheers,

C.

C. Collodi

Oh one more thing...on the other chain stay there's a shop sticker:

"BIKE WORLD"

Kommisar89

The tubing decal -

"TUBI R"..."FORZA"... "GA"..

"ACCIAU"...

is for

Tubi Rinforzati Garantiti
Accacio Special

Or something very similar which is Italian for Guarantied Butted Tubing - Special Steel

That's the standard wording for any good Columbus DB CrMo tubing. Early 80's might only have that if it predates the use of SL or other marketing term but its good tubing.


This thread explains the Piaggio decal:

https://www.bikeforums.net/newreply.p...eply&p=1353218

Not sure exactly what model it is but it sounds like a really nice one. I'm sure someone else will be able to provide more details.

T-Mar

That is a unique serial number format for a Bianchi of this period. Typically it would consist of a single letter and a single number on one side of the lug. However, it would appear to be a 1981 manfactured frame on the basis of the number 81 and Piaggio decal, though it is unclear whether the 11 is a week or month indicator. If it is the latter, then it would be a 1982 model. Still, the era, tubing, dropouts and location of the serial number suggest a high end, Italian manufactured frame.

As for the model, the chrome chain stay suggests a Super Corsa or Super Leggera, which were the top two models during this period. However, if memory serves me correctly, they also used chrome head lugs and stay caps during this period, which you don't mention. The 3rd in line Camapione del Mondo did not use any chrome, to the best of my memory. The components are such a mish-mash of obviously retro-fitted parts, that they are of no use in aiding the model identification.

I'm going on memory for the models, as I'm currently on vacation. So I may not be 100% correct on this. Hopefully some other forum members can ratify this and narrow things down.

C. Collodi

Thanks for the replies guys...I really appreciate it.

Kommisar-

Thanks for deciphering my decaying Columbus badge. So basically the bike was made with a higher end tube set then.

Thanks for that Piaggio thread link as well...great info! I figured when I initially got the bike that the Piaggio decal would end up indicating some kind of corporate merger...but I didn't really know too much about Bianchi's corporate history. Good to know.


T-Mar-

I saw your older threads on ID-ing these bikes...good job! Thanks for all the info, it's much appreciated.

"Still, the era, tubing, dropouts and location of the serial number suggest a high end, Italian manufactured frame."

Great to hear!

"As for the model, the chrome chain stay suggests a Super Corsa or Super Leggera, which were the top two models during this period. However, if memory serves me correctly, they also used chrome head lugs and stay caps during this period, which you don't mention. The 3rd in line Camapione del Mondo did not use any chrome, to the best of my memory."

Yes...I've seen pictures of what must have been a Super Corsa or a Super Leggera online...because they were similar to mine, yet they had the chrome head lugs. Mine does NOT have chrome head lugs...but after reading your reply, I think that my seat stay caps ARE chromed, they're just very dusty/dirty. So that's kinda strange: chrome chain stay, chrome seat stay caps, yet no chrome head tube lug, indicating that it's not one of the two top of the line bikes offered at the time....yet it was made with an above-average tube set....AND a slightly bizarre serial number format....hmmmm....

I feel like a jackass because I should just photograph the bike, but my digital camera isn't available at the moment. Hopefully this guy won't mind me posting this here...this is the pista version of my frame:

https://pedalmafiablog.livedoor.biz/archives/50116558.html

I found it after a few google searches for "Bianchi, Piaggio, Black", etc. My bike is almost identical to this one, aside from the following:

- track / road, obviously.

- His fork crown is solid black, whereas mine has a black top face and the rest of the crown is chromed. The actual fork ends are black, though.

- His has the "Made In Italy" decal, mine doesn't.

This one is also similar, save for the color and the fact that the seat stay caps are stamped with a "B", rather than "BIANCHI", like mine:

https://velospace.org/node/999

"The components are such a mish-mash of obviously retro-fitted parts, that they are of no use in aiding the model identification."

Yeah, I figured they wouldn't be much help. To tell you the truth, the only thing that looks original to me is the campy headset. The rest of the stuff doesn't really line up in terms of appearance and the fact that it's a mixed bag, but I'm not very good at identifying the years and model names of componentry. (unless it just blatantly states the name on the piece, of course) I have to say, the Shimano pedals on this bike are some of the most awkward looking/feeling pedals I've ever seen. I almost think they might be damaged.

I had no idea that these bicycles had such a varied history. The amount of variations I've seen for this make/era is crazy....or is this the norm?

Cheers,
C.