phillyrider

I recently bought a $100 vintage road bike that has these balilla brake parts.

https://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Italian-...QQcmdZViewItem

The original owner said he originally paid around $1500 for the bike in the 1970's. Feedback from asking around was that although the bike was rare, parts were low end/nothing special.

Since I don't often see parts, I was going to just stock an extra set (just to have them around/worst case use the break shoes as replacements) - as long as I can get them on the cheap.

Question that I have -> Is it worth keeping to the original parts, or is this low end stuff/not worth replacing?

I'm thinking that it's probably not worth stocking, but I'm a little hung up on the fact that the original owner originally paid so much for the bike.

I appreciate any feedback. Also, what does not NOS mean? It's listed in the description.
Thanks!

mattface 

Personally I'd put new brakes on it, and keep the old ones in a box if you care about maintaining originality. If you don't really care, then just replace the originals with Weinmans if and when the originals fail.

yellowjeep

NOS means new old stock. its vintage but still brand new

phillyrider

Thanks. This is helpful....

iab

I am interested in this auction, in a recent auction, the exact same levers went for $128. Those had the hoods but I was still shocked at the price. I don't think the brakes you posted will go for much more than the listing price (I could be very wrong though). Here is that first auction:
https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EWA:pIC&ih=018

As to "should you get get these because they were original to the bike". It depends. For me, I am terribly obsessive compulsive. My bike also originally had Ballila brakes and when I was building it up I bought a pair of Universal brakes because they were available. Later, when some Balillas were available, I bought them and they are still in my parts bin. The Universals are better brakes and are period correct for the bike so reallly, only I know (until now) that the brakes are "technically" incorrect.

I probably will never sell my Balillas but I am contemplating a new build where they could be put to use.

dbakl

Ballia were Italian parts, came in center and sidepulls. In the 50s they were comparable to Universals, by the 60s, 70s they were kinda downgraded to cheaper bikes.

$1,500. for a production bike in the 70s? I kinda doubt it. $500.-750 would have bought you top of the line anything, all Campagnolo. My Cinelli was only $1,350. brand new in 1984, built to spec as I requested.

phillyrider

It's an odd bike... In case your interested, here's a few pictures.
I picked up the bike in person. The seller seemed like a nice guy and didn't have a reason to really snow me about what he paid - I assumed he knew. It's odd, which is why I bought it.

I put in about $100 for a tune-up, new bar tape, new seat, replacement pedals, etc... I assumed that suicide bars were just popular at the time (I ditched the suicide bars, rear butterfly bolts, & kick stand). My guess is that it's mid-late 1970s - but don't really know. There were not many hits/views on e-bay for it. In the end, it cleaned up pretty well. I thought some spare parts maybe a good thing to have down the road.

Thanks again for the feedback, and hopefully pictures help.

I think that the assessment that it's got cheaper components is probably spot on. Pictures probably help.

dbakl

That looks like a 100. dollar 70s bike....

evwxxx

If that bike cost $1500 in the 70's I will eat those tires!

phillyrider

Thanks - It now rides like a 200. dollar 70s bike...but that's good to know.

lotek 

Romani ?
bike boom era probably sold for $100.00 I think he misplaced a decimal point.
but still not bad for what you paid for it.
marty

jemoryl

The Balilla brakes that were common on low-end '70s bike boom bikes were not so hot and had a lousy finish. Maybe there were some more refined versions, but I've never seen any. And I agree: $1500 was an ungodly amount to pay for a bike in the '70s - I'm not even sure it was possible.

markk900

The Chiorda I had in 1972 had Balilla brakes...the bike was under $100 CAD from Eatons (local department store). The brakes were pretty sad even then, but hey, I was riding an gen-u-ine Eye-talian racing bike!

Mark

phillyrider

Thanks all...What was strange was that I never asked the seller what he paid. He came out with this. I was basically picking up a $100 bike..I guess it was his medication doing the talking...What's weird was that there was no real reason for him to make this up - it's a $100 bike...

Anyway, the bike is a Romana. There's another sticker on the frame with E.B.M. made in italy. As the thread started, the bike has ballila brakes, and gian robert derailleurs. Bike boom make complete sense.

Thanks again for the comments...

redneckwes

You have a $100 bike, but at least it's a really neat $100 Bike. Can't go wrong with orange either, orange bikes are faster!

bikerosity57

That bike sold new in the early seventies for $75 I had one more or less just like it, and it was bought in a department store.

top506

I sold the same brakeset a couple of years ago; the levers WITH hoods went for $14.99 and the calipers sold for under ten bucks, both to Japan.
Top

markk900

Are you sure about the derailleurs? The picture shows what appear to be Huret....

Mark

phillyrider

Yes, you're correct -derailleurs are Huret, not what I had quoted earlier.
Thanks for the comments...