DirtyHarry714

Hey BF, I purchased my first italian frame about 3 weeks ago for about 35 bucks, it is a Bottecchia but i'm not too familiar with all their models. i hoping maybe some of you guys could put in some input about it. It's a 54cm the serial # is 326663 it is chromed out at the moment that's how i got it, no paint, no decals, all i know is that it was white from the old paint inside the fork, has the OG Bottecchia badge. I was going to make it into my Italian dream machine with my campagnolo rims but it was too small ( i ride a 60 cm bicycle) so at the moment i'm making it my townie cruiser so i don't have to be on my road bike all day, found most of the parts in my garage besides the Facem SAS 27 in. rear wheel and regina freewheel, i got those the same day. All it needs is to be wired up and i'll be able to ride it. My main question though is would this be something that i could paint up nice and get some decals for because i know they are somewhat sought after, not a full restore but i might make it a fixie and sell it so i could make the same amount of cash but not have to sacrifice any of my components. Pics are below thanks for checking it out!

gmouchawar

I wouldn't paint it. The chrome looks in good shape. The fork in the 1st picture looks to far back. Doublecheck it. It could be an artifact of the picture.

randyjawa 

Bottecchia bicycles are pretty nice, in my opinion. I have owned a few and still have two or three tucked away in The Old Shed.

The one the OP presents is probably a Bottecchia Model Special, which was a middle of the line road bicycle in its day...


That said and though I hate to say it, the forks do look bent on that bicycle. Often times this is just an optical illusion produced by the camera's distortion of the image but this time I think not...

For more evaluation pertaining to the integrity of the structure, include a head on shot of the bike, allowing a clear view of how the front wheel splits the space between the tops of the fork blades. An better side shot from the drive side might also help with the evaluation.

SteveSGP

Yeah the fork looks bent but I rode a bike with a bent fork for hundreds of miles over a span or a few years and recently had it fixed at the LBS for all of $60.00.

My wife has a Bottecchia and loves it, gorgeous bike.

DirtyHarry714

lets say the fork is bent, i don't know yet because i have not rode it. could i throw any fork on there or you think my dad could bend it back?

Mercian Rider

The higher end Bottecchias back in the day had Campy dropouts. I can't tell for sure, but it looks like the dropouts on yours are not Campy. Since it's not higher end, if it was mine, I would't put much money in it. A cheap powder coat at a car paint shop and fixed gear--maybe. On the other hand, if you're going to flip it, I'm not sure a hipster looking for a fixed gear bike wouldn't prefer the chrome. Don't get me wrong--it's a cool bike. Gotta love the Bottecchia head badge--looks like something from the 1930s-40s.

DirtyHarry714

The first thing i checked when i got home was the dropout, and your right it is not a campagnolo dropout. i might not sell it right away i want to enjoy it for a little while

randyjawa 

You might not enjoy it all that much if the steering stem snaps off. It is mounted much too high in the steering tube. Most stems have a minimum insertion line. A wise person would pay attention to that line, if present. If not, ensure at least 2 1/2" is inserted into the steering stem before snugging the stem clamp up.

As for bending the fork straight, again - perhaps. However, it looks to me like the bend is in the steering tube. This is a problem. I have straightened many forks and frames, but I don't touch one that is bent at the steering tube. The fit into the fork crown might have been compromised. And that can result in catastrophic failure.

Put another way, the whole front end of the bicycle could snap right off and my guess is that coming to a stop that way will hurt a lot.

Hope this is a help.

gmouchawar

+1 ^^^^ you will have a hard time straightening that fork. Check the frame near the head tube lugs for signs of damage also.
If the frame is bent it is done. If not all is not lost.
Chrome replacement forks are available. One that will match the look of your bike is:
https://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ducts_id=10828
Hard to beat that price.
Take the fork out of the head tube and measure the lenght of the steerer tube.
What you need is a 1" inch threaded fork with the about the same steerer tube and thread lenght.
If you get a fork with longer tube such the the one suggested, you need to cut it down and make new threads at the LBS.
Labor will be more than the fork but you will get the bike back to track straight hands free.
I doubt it will do that as is.
Good luck.

DirtyHarry714

@randyjawa i highly doubt i could put that much stress on a "cruiser" remember this is not my main roadbike but thanks for the input, nothing is even tightened down on the bike yet, i'll lower it when i get riding, it is not even wired up or let alone have a chain on it yet. so i can't find out my main problems with the bicycle yet until i test ride.

@gmouchawar my dad can bend the fork back i'm 90% sure, he's a master with metals. but 13 bucks for that fork is a great deal, i might just do that! I appreciate the input!