jnymdnyt

I started collecting bikes starting from this first complete and clea n bike that got from a guy who was just visiting for the century ride Hawaii 2007. I know I paid more (from what I've researched) than what I should have but I didn't mind because I like the bike. It fits me well and it rides and looks great.

I've been doing some research and found out that Bianchi had some bike produced in Japan with Ishiwata tubes. Does anyone know what year? My bike is the 022 (I might be wrong???) equivalent to reynolds 531 piaggio model with Shimano Components with the arrow pantograph. What does the arrows stand for???

Below are the pictures of the bike. Any info would highly be appreciated.

Mahalo and Aloha from Oahu, Hawaii.

John E

The snobs and collectors may not always agree, but there is nothing wrong with the Japanese Bianchis! I think yours may be a "Limited," which came in black and was sold during the early 1980s.

unworthy1

The "golden arrow" motif doesn't stand for anything AFAIK, it's just meant to look cool. This is a good Shimano gruppo, it became 600 when it grew up . I thought that Ishiwata Magny was not the same tubeset as 022, but in any case it's a nice Japanese Bianchi, and looks to be in primo condition, bra.

BlankCrows

The Golden Arrow gruppo was the very first version of 105, and below the 600 group in the Shimano hierarchy. Golden Arrow was made from 1983-85. I'm not sure if this was when the 600 arabesque design was around. The bike likely has only the GA deraillers and shifters, as those brakes and crank look different.

BikeManDan

That dork disc is immaculate! (Overall the whole bike seems to be in great condition)

T-Mar

The Golden Arrow components were actually manufactured from 1983-1986. Assuming they are original, the best bet for dating is check their date codes against https://www.vintage-trek.com/component_dates.htm .

I have never seen Bianchi decals like those before. The top tube has a decal for the model name. What tdoes it say? What is the frame serial number? Why the doubt about 022? What exactly does the tubing decal on the main frame say? What's the round decal on the seat tube, just above the Bianchi logo and below the tubing decal?

unworthy1

time for some "mea culpas": I assumed Golden Arrow was equivalent to 600, not 105, but I guessed wrong. In any case I have liked the components for the brief time I've spent with them. I also have assumed that the frame is made from the same material as the fork (Magny) but now I realize this may not be the case. It could be an 022 frame with a Magny fork...and that would be just fine.There's a pic from the '84 catalog that shows a "Randonneur" with a Magny fork decal and states it's an all-mangalloy frame, but also has cantilever bosses so obviously a different animal; https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/Bianchi-84/9.jpg

jnymdnyt

Appreciate all the posts. The bike's serial number is A5431175. Top tube say sport ss I wasn't able to match it with the catalog "Randonneur", Limited, Professional and Specialissma. Notice non of them were made in black although that was really good information, thanks. I doubt that it's a 022 because I haven't seen any real evidence to prove that's it's an 022 aside from the guy who sold it to me. Is there any way to find out. The decal say Magny Ishiwata doule butted forks and stays and the other decal on the seat tube says Piaggio.

Much mahalo to everyone.

T-Mar

Bianchi made a Sport, so the the SS is probably a slightly upscale variation on it. I've seen Sport and Sport SX.

If the decal says Magny, thats what it is. Magny was a manganese alloy tubing while 022 was chromium-molybdenum. The latter is stronger, but only marginally after brazing. Ishiwata made a couple of grades of Magny. No telling which one it is, unless the decal says so.

I thougth that might be a Piaggio decal., but I wasn't sure. I believe the last year for the Piaggio decals was 1984, so that in conjunction with the 105 should make it a 1983 or 1984 model. It would be interesting to know if the component date codes match up.

The Sport was typically an entry level model, But the Magny frame and 105 would place it at least upper entry level and is probably the justification for the SS suffix. I'd even say, lower mid-range, if it was a full 105 group, which it does not appear to be.

FreeRider27

Cool bike man!

jnymdnyt

Much mahalo again for all the posts and comments, I really appreciate it. T-mar, you know your bikes. unworthy, you are worthy and thanks for the catalog (good info). Aloha.

gmrv4

I have a bike very similiar to yours. Black Bianchi Sport SS with Shimano 105 stuff, Piaggio and Magny decals, serial number LS328290. I bought it from a friend here in Kansas City some 20+/- years ago. This is the most information I have found anywhere on this bike. Cheers.

jnymdnyt

Do you have pictures...? I wouldn't sell it if I were you, this bike has been tried and tested by myself in Hawaii and I have to say I have fun everytime.

robtown

Very nice bike! I just picked one up in my size and am researching its heritage. How much did you pay?

jnymdnyt

Thanks! I paid $300.00 for it. There's not a lot of old Bianchi's in Hawaii especially in this condition. After some research I found out that the original components were shimano arabesque.

riddei

I've owned the same bike since new. Yours is in better condition than mine. I bought it in 1983 as an 82 leftover. I didn't ride it for many, many years. I'm now riding it again. Your bike is beautiful. Here's mine:

jnymdnyt

That's an awesome bike. It's rare here in Hawaii especially in that size and color. I have a 1987 Masi Italian made Nuova Strada which is suppose to be a collectible due to it's fine details but the Japanese made Bianchi rides better and feels lighter.

twois

Hey, hope you don't mind me piggybacking on this older thread, but it's been a lot of good info on the Japanese Bianchis and I'm trying to ID mine... I'm getting closer, but don't know anything definitive yet, anyone want to jump in and help?

I'm pretty inexperienced with road bikes, this is my first, but I finally got rid of my old Trek hybrid (good freaking riddance) and the new one came home with me today.

It's got the Magny and Piaggio decals, so I'm guessing '84? The serial number is AS433313, so maybe the '4' is part of the date code. I don't know, I've only seen that mentioned online once or twice, doesn't seem definitive. The decals are pretty much shot, but I can at least identify them.

I've never seen this color on a Bianchi anywhere in all the research I've done online.

Um, what else... I'm not sure what's original on it if anything, I suspect the 105 shifters may be? The seat post is an SR Laprade, the stem/bars are Winpista... we put older Campy derailleurs on and a new cheap Shimano Sora crankset (I'm rapidly approaching broke so the full restoration process may be a while on this!). The brakes are Shimano but I don't know anything else about them.

Any insight? I know it's not anything more than an entry level bike but I'm still curious. The color has me a bit thrown off, I can't find another one with it anywhere.




https://flickr.com/photos/knichols/sets/72157609462347693/ - a few more detail images, maybe not anything too useful for IDing it though...

Thanks!!

Ishiwata

I like this bike. I just picked one up off of a local CL ad and although its not the fanciest bike, ( being Japanese made and all ) it is 24 years old (same age as me ) and still puts out a smooth ride. The thing I like most about it is that is was manufactured by one of the most trusted names in cycling and it was made for an mid - entry level rider and that is exactly what I am. Plus, if I ever outgrow it I know there is plenty of room to move up with Bianchi.
Next one's gonna be Celeste tho

Maybe somebody can tell me though, my Bianchi is missing her tubing decals but is the same model as this one---->
Does anybody recognize these stickers? Do they look like Magny stickers to you too albeit different from the ones in the pictures above, I think the colors might be inverted but don't they have the same shape and layout as the Magny stickers above? I don't know it's hard to tell from that picture. Here are more also you can enlarge the above picture @ https://www.brian-payne.com/gallery/m...?g2_itemId=306

PlanetaryDrive

Hi, I was given a bike which I have been trying to identify. I thought it was a Univega but after much investigation have decided it is most likely a Japanese built Bianchi. I saw a picture of your 1982 bike and thought you may be able to help me. Its been repainted several times with no identifying marks. No B on the seat stays or on top of the forks. The frame I have has the sn JS17726. If you check out my very few threads you will find pictures of the frame.
Cheers!

clubman 

Several years late on this zombie thread. Could be a Bianchi and the lack of fender braze-ons possibly elevates the models hierarchy.There's not a lot of hard info on serial numbers on the Pacific Bianchis that I've ever seen. They can be great but it's not going to be uber-collectable, just a superior ride. Feel free to re-paint it, build it with some nice Suntour parts and ride it. Don't sweat the period details, just get it going and log some mileage. Could be your favourite bike, ever!

T-Mar

Having been involved in the OP's other thread, all I can say about this frame is that it is a 1982 model manufactured in October 1981 by Bianchi's Japanese contractor and it is made from Ishiwata tubing. The frame does not have the lug cutouts typical of the Ishiwata framed Bianchi from this manufacturer and era, and all the catalogued Japanese Bianchi models from this year had eyelets. However, the frame has been repainted and possibly drewed and/or fitted with additions, as it has two bottle boss sets which would be atypical for this era unless it was a touring model which would have eyelets. The few remaining components corroborate the date and indicate a mid-range model at best. The OP has yet to provide requested information on the seat post diameter which would aid in determining the level of the frame. The bottom line is that we can date it and tie it to the Bianchi's Japanese contractor but we don't have the evidence to definitively state that it it is a Bianchi, let alone identify a model.

PlanetaryDrive

Clubman thanks for chiming in. T-Mar good to also have you here. Here are a few more picture. A closeup of the dropouts, if they weren't forged this way someone did a exceptional job removing them! ( as a note I found a post from another Bianchi classic owner in the forum that said he had no mounting lugs on his front forks ), the forks and inside the BB showing the bikes original color of dark metallic red, a copy of the 1982 Bianchi catalog specification page, the components on my frame match item per item the components on the "SPECIAL" which came in dark metallic red. Well not the tires and the mismatched front wheel. Also a picture of a 1984 Bianci Ishiwata frame that looks the same as mine with some of the differences noted in the other post. I'm feeling reasonably certain the bike is a Bianchi Special and is a good candidate for a rebuilding to the level Clubman recommended.

T-Mar

Agreed, the dropouts are forged and don't appear to have had the eyelets removed. However, I am skeptical about it being a 1982 Bianchi Special. There's no doubt about the year and manufacturer, but the Special had chromed stay and fork ends which yours does not have. It also had dropout eyelets and a single bottle boss set versus two. This is just a little too much variation from the catalogue and known samples and there is no embossing to identify it as a Bianchi. I still think it may be another, unknown brand from Bianchi's Japanese contract builder. While Bianchi is their best known customer, they almost certainly would have manufactured numerous brands.

PlanetaryDrive

Yes there is no way to be certain it is a Bianchi frame or of any other manufacturer. With the suntour dropouts and the Ishiwata steel it is at least a decent frame. I see it in metallic orange. Zoooom...Cheers and thank you for all your help. I'll post pictures as it progresses.