Gary Fountain

I just love Bianchi's and enjoy all the Bianchi threads. Here are my 2 Campione del Mondo's - 1954 and 1982.

Hocam

Very nice! but what is that clamped behind the seat tube on the '54?

Gary Fountain

Hi Hocam,

It's a tyre inflator. Fausto Coppi had one on his '53 world champion Bianchi - good enough for him - good enough for me.

retrofit

Very nice, especially the '54. With the two side by side you can really see how celeste has changed over the years.


stan
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Steve530

Nice bikes. You need celeste handlebar tape.

Gary Fountain

Hi Steve530.

Thanks. I considered celeste bar tape but it was developed later on in the 80's

Otis

Totally agree. Celeste is my favorite bike color ever but it breeds overkill. Seems to excite the "Barbie dress-up" gene in some of us. Fight the urge to match bar-tape, cages, and cables! Celeste looks good with black, white, and dark blue, but clashes with Celeste

bmaxwell

Here is the bianchi that I just sold the frame of... it was too big for me so I sold it to a gentleman who was just tickled to get ahold of this frame.... he is going to love it as much as I did except he is going to be able to ride it.... I am sad to see it go, but am glad that it will still be loved... at least I kept the components... hehehehe

Hocam

So you have a frame pump and a tire inflator? Why? And is it similar to a mini-pump in function?

Gary Fountain

Hi Hocam,

Good question, I've often wondered that myself.

Some of the frame fittings on the bike, made by Campagnolo, provided for the storage of a frame pump. The gear lever clamp had a pump umbrella incorporated in its design. Unfortunately the umbrella broke off and I am trying to replace it with a correct item. They sometimes appear on ebay but go for extremely 'inflated' prices.

The tyre inflater uses a CO2 soda syphon cylinder as the meand by which a tyre (isn't my Aussie spelling different at times) is inflated.

I did get all 'high and mighty' when I was questioned about the colour of my bar tape yet I was willing to overlook the saddle and it's colour on the same bike - what am I thinking? I do fully agree with Otis though - celeste can be a little too much at times. The Bulger site is a good reference point for period correctness.

Bmaxwell's now sold Bianchi looked great. It is interesting how the celeste colour has evolved over the years. I would love to include a similar Bianchi to my stable of bikes.

ozneddy

As usual, 2 perfect examples from your impressive stable Gary ! Nice one mate !

Steve530

Hi Gary,

I noticed that the '82 has a celeste colored seat. I'm sure it's just my sense of aesthetics, but I like the the seat match the handlebar wrap, but I understand keeping the bike "period correct".

Putting a set of celeste colored tires would over the top "Barbie dress-up" style.

Steve

Gary Fountain

Hi Steve,

I sometimes like to match the saddle and the bar tape but, for example, I tend to find white bar tape and a white saddle too much. I usually go for white bar tape and a black saddle.

To be period correct the '82 Bianchi should have a black saddle and black bar wrap just as you suggest. The black outer cable is correct for that bike.

Gary.

bmaxwell

I have the celeste tires that I am changing out with my new bike... anyone want them?

Exit.

Wow. I didn't even know Bianchi had been around that long. Nice bikes.

javal

Real exhibits! The envy is crawling all over! Do you ride`em?

Con grats!

Gary Fountain

Hi Exit and javil,

I do ride them occasionally, they have not been restored, just cleaned.

Bianchi is the oldest bicycle manufacturer in the world. Bianchi's have been produced for over 120 years.

mtnwkr

Way to pay it forward!

Otis

To keep the Bianchi love going a bit longer, here's a Rekord 748 I rebuilt last year. This is sort of a budget version of the Specialissima I'm working on now.

bmaxwell

This is not celeste... but still thought I would post it here.

https://cgi.ebay.com/BIANCHI-EROS-SUP...d=p3286.c0.m14

retrofit

More Bianchi love...here is a 1981 (?) Super Corsa that I've just finished cleaning up. Considered doing a modern build, but decided to go the vintage Super Record route instead (for now).



More pics here.

BTW, anyone have a handle on Bianchi serial numbers? This one is 7 6.8.104 on the 70mm BB.

stan
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vjp

Nice bikes!!

I recently traded a bike for a 1980 Super Leggera. The first owner thought that the celeste was a little girly and stripped it!! He then rattle canned it metallic blue and never re-assembled it. My friend bought it at a garage sale from the guy for $50. I traded him a RARE 1948 Ernie Clements clubman which I had picked up at a garage sale for $80. He is happy and so am I, except for the paint...

I also have a 1983 Campione D'italia or Campione Del Mondo I am not sure as it does not say on the bike. It does say Specialissima on the non drive side chain stay and has chrome dropouts (campagnolo), drive side chainstay, fork crown (flat), seat stay caps ("B"). It has Modolo brakes, Nuovo Record Der's., Gransport cranks & hubs , Record 2 bolt post and Ambrosio gold tubular rims.

It is a Tre Tubi bike. I have seen a close build listed on Bulgiers site for a Campione D'italia but I believe that it is a year later.

Any ideas?

v.

cudak888 

That '54 is one of my all-time dream bikes. Period.
-Kurt

vjp

You reversed a number on your serial , it is 7 6.8.401

My Super Leggera which I am pretty sure is a 1980 is 7 16.107 stamped on the BB shell.

On my 83 the number is on the seat lug. On the drive side 3.83 (March 1983?) and on the non drive side 108

v.

retrofit

Thanks for the heads up. My dyslexic mind has a mind of its own sometimes. I checked the number again -- the correct serial is actually: 7 6.8 410 Looks like you flipped the numbers too.

I've wondered if it was an '80, but haven't been able to find a catalog from that year.

stan
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