Harlan

No no, don't speak: pictures first! (New photos added).






Old pics:







Sorry for the cell phone pics. I picked up this Bottecchia today for a song (considering what I can sell the fixed gear parts for). Knew it was something nice when I saw the internal brake cable routing, braze on FD mount, Columbus dropouts, and panto'd and lug outlined fork. Fits me so perfectly. I do need ideas on the model and also the Columbus tubing type (sticked is chipped off). Any help appreciated. Not sure what it's fate will be but I hope to turn it into a training/bad weather racing rig. The paint sucks (lots of dirt, too) but looks to be original.

Ed in Toronto

Beautiful frame.

lostarchitect 

Something seems strange about that frame but I can't quite put my finger on it...

peazweag

Yeah it's not yours!lol

Harlan

New, better pics added. The fork chrome is in such good shape. I checked inside the headtube and this is the original color. The paint is however a bit chippy, but it doesn't bother me much. The rear end might get stripped to full chrome if it gets any worse. I'd like even some confirmation that is a higher end frame (it sure has all the right details, in my mind).

Any more bright ideas? I'm starting to think about building it up. What colors and component types (alloy vs black or carbon) would look good? Need to get that BB out of there. Don't have the right tool.

T-Mar

Ok, it appears to have the Carnielli 80th anniversary decal, which makes it a 1989 model. SLX and TSX was out at that time but those frames typically had chromed stays and the fork decal would have a red border. However, this also may be a replacement fork, as for 1989 the decal style is incorrect. Still, based on the paint, the best candidate is a full SL or possibly Cromor frame. Regardless, it should be easy to verify the tubeset. By this time, the shells were being stamped with the tubeset, frame size and serial number (which I'd appreciate for my database). During this period the models were named by the tubeset and component group (i.e. Bottecchia SL Chorus)

Harlan

Most excellent! Thanks!

The shell reads: SL2 0786 53

Full SL then? Not up on the Columbus hierarchy. Where does it stand? Their sizing must've been the seat tube, center of BB to center of top tube.

Edit 2/1/12: Frame/fork is full SL, fork has helical ridges (Columbus norm).

Six jours

It has most of the earmarks of a better-quality Bottechia from the early nineties, but then there's that cheapo seat lug with a weird (for Bottechia) semi-round semi-wrap seatstay arrangement.

lostarchitect 

Yeah, that's probably what it is.

T-Mar

I've never seen the SL2 designation before. I wonder if it's supposed to be SL3? That could mean a tretubi SL frame (i.e. SL in the three main tubes) which was a fairly popular option. In which case, the fork may have been upgraded to SL and would explain the incorrect era of the fork decal. Also we should not rule out the possibility that the frame SL2 should be SLX. To be sure, you need to remove the bottm bracket and look and/or feel inside the bottom of the seat tube, down tube and chainstays for five, helical ridges. While you're at it, also check for these ridges inside the bottom of the fork's steerer tube.

FYI, the Columbus road tubeset hierarchy at this time was MAX, MS, TSX, SLX/SPX, SL/SP, Cromor and Aelle.

Ed in Toronto

How about the Bottecchia frame/bike hierarchy, 1970s - 1980s period? Does anyone know the top bikes off hand?

T-Mar

Early 1970s (boom era) lightweight range was Professional, Giro d'Italia, Gran Turismo, Special and Deluxe. Not sure about the late 1970s.

ratfink76

T-Mar, are you still around and helping identify frames? I have two that I am working on.. an early 90's Quattro Assi and an early 90's (maybe '89) Team ADR Bottecchia... thanks!!

SJX426 

Nice to know of a Bottecchia SME on this forum! I purchased an early (73) 70's complete bike recently. The info I have says the Professional and Giro d'Italia are the same frame with the difference being the build parts and decal. The Professional was all Campagnolo equipped.

vqstaphbeard

I had an SLX Croce d'Aune Bottecchia that had a similar attachment. T-mar beat me to the rest.



Album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/649667...7645837013345/

ratfink76

T-MAR, you are right about responding with less than 50 posts... not quite there yet. Sorry... anyway, my Bottecchia also clearly has an SL2 stamped next to the serial number (1555) and size (57). It is marked as Columbus SL tubing and does have the internal routed rear brake cable.



Then I also have what I think is a Tommasini built frame out of Oria steel for Quattro Assi - I believe it is a 90-91 but have no way of knowing - do you have any experience with QA?

Thank you!!

Bianchigirll 

Beautiful Bike.

Frogbutter 

Member "senisbs" has a Bottecchia serial number data base. Make sure to PM him.

vqstaphbeard

Thank you! I hated to see it go, but needed to make room.