CooterBrown

Hi. I just picked up a 1982 Bianchi that sat in the weather for 10yrs.
Plan is to resto mod it a bit. The brakes and levers are good. The stem and fork are good (although they are bonded right now - rust???). I planned to strip it, have it powder coated and slap a new set of decals on it and go with some modern upper/mid lever gearing and wheels.

Is this frame worth the investment?

Also, I can't get the crank disassembled. is there a special tool?

Bianchigirll 

Hello welcome to the forum. we will try and help you as best we can

first of all if you are new to cycling and bicycle repair, unless you can do alot of this work yourself, you may be better off picking up a bike in better condition.

that being said do you have any idea what model the bike is? if you can post some pics of the bike, with closeups of the drive train, cranks, derailleurs, brakes and headtube area, we may be able to help identify the bike.

if the bike has been in the weather for 10+ years it is a good possibility that not only is the handlebar stem frozen in the steerer tube but the seat tube is likely frozen too.

yes you need a tool to remove the crankarms from the bottombracket spindle then tools to remove the bottom bracket (aka BB)

CooterBrown

Hey BianchGirl.
Thanks for the reply. I'm new to cycling but not new to the garage. I will do the work myself as that is part of the appeal. I am about 75% complete with building a recumbent from two scrap roadies. Through this build, I've learned a little about bikes and wondered if this old Bianchi is worthing keeping me side tracked.

I understand what you're saying about picking up a bike in better condition but if this old frame has any vintage value, I don't mind putting a little work in to the frame. I can't remember if the original owner said she paid $150ish or $300ish in 1982 for it. If it's a retail store throw away model, then I wont bother and may consider using it for my next recumbent project or cut it up for something else.

The seat tube did have it's way with me but in the end, I won! If this bike is workth it, I will get a crank puller to finished the disassembly. I guess I'll have to vice the forks down and hammer the steering stem free. The brakes were compe something or other and the derailleurs were shimano if that helps identify the model. Most of the components will probably be scrapped. Just want to know if the frame is worth a rebuild.

Tried to get a pic of the serial number but I see the quality of the pic is poor.

I tossed the derailleurs but I'm posting the pix of the items that I do have on the bike.

Bianchigirll 

judging from the dropouts, the type of cranksset, the cable stops and the brazed on kickstand plate this is a lowend model. judging from the decals it is a '83/'84 Strada the base model. if the frame fits cleaning it and rebuilding to ride will be a fun project but there is little value in this bike if it was in clean ridable condition it would likey sell for less than 100.

the frame looks good overall I would look for the post on here about oxicilliac acid baths and just clean it touch it up where needed and wax it real good. a tool to pull the cranks may cost about 20 to 25. the BB tools maybe a another 30

CooterBrown

That settled it for me. If the tools cost over 50% of the fully restored finished project would bring, it's a scrap bike.

T-Mar

Though I can't read the serial number, it does appear to be early 1980s. Based on the components and features, it is an entry level model, almost certainly with a hi-tensile frame. Personally, I would not invest in a repaint, however you may want to use it for honing your mechanical skills. Spending money on tools for this bicycle is OK, as they will be useful for future products, but I wouldn't be spending much money on the bicycle itself, as you're unlikely to recoup those investments.

CooterBrown

thanks t-mar.

wrk101

+10 Quality repaints should be reserved for mid grade or higher (if you are doing it with finances in mind). I keep waiting for powder coat to get cheap enough that some of the lower grade cromoly frame sets I have will be worth it. In the meantime, I continue to find midgrade framesets with good paint for less than the cost of a good powder coat job.

Now if it is a sentimental bike, then by all means the criteria changes.