Show off your Italian baroque

[kroozer]

(My apologies if there’s already a thread on this, but I couldn’t find one and have never seen one here in 4 years)

For a brief moment in the late 1970’s and early 80’s the top Italian makers produced a series of dazzling super-bikes, the likes of which we are unlikely to see again. The Italian frame builders and Campagnolo had already ruled cycling for 20 years, and this was their crowning moment of glory: frames and components became ever more ornate, artistic, and beautiful with milling, drilling, pantographing, and other custom touches. They seemed untouchable and invincible at the time, but they turned out to be a last gasp. Within a few short years the wave of real technological innovation swept them away and relegated them to antique status.

But these bikes are still quite stunning and impressive, and really in a category of their own. It would be cool to see a bunch of them together struttin’ their stuff. Question: do you actually ride it or just look at it?

[BlueDevil63]

Tell us some of the bikes you think fall into this category?

[repechage]

I am not so confident that these had broad appeal. I view bikes like the Colnago Arabesque to be silly, there were a few other bikes earlier where the Italians went gold plating for marketing appeal. Glitz before quality. I find the Colnago Arabesque lugs clunky in design.
It is kind of interesting that very few serious riders who bought a Campagnolo 50th ensemble used it, it was gauche. The group has had a recovery in interest, but that is 25 years later.

[kroozer]

It seemed like every top Italian builder had a fancy pantographed model-- almost every issue of Bicycling in the late 70's had an article on one model or another. I couldn't name any specific models, I've always had the generic working-man stuff. I agree it was definitely glitz before quality, or at least without any increase in quality. It certainly does seem overwrought and a bit silly now, but back then they were presented as the pinnacle of the craft. And they are very beautiful. Kind of reminiscent of the fancy British bikes of the previous generation, except that where the English did fancy frames, the Italians seemed to concentrate on seeing what they could do with Super Record components.

[repechage]

It seemed like every top Italian builder had a fancy pantographed model-- almost every issue of Bicycling in the late 70's had an article on one model or another. I couldn't name any specific models, I've always had the generic working-man stuff. I agree it was definitely glitz before quality, or at least without any increase in quality. It certainly does seem overwrought and a bit silly now, but back then they were presented as the pinnacle of the craft. And they are very beautiful. Kind of reminiscent of the fancy British bikes of the previous generation, except that where the English did fancy frames, the Italians seemed to concentrate on seeing what they could do with Super Record components.

You mean Buycycling Magazine. Marketing, all marketing.

[miamijim]

[QUOTE=kroozer;14184348] the likes of which we are unlikely to see again.QUOTE]

Say again?

Carbon fiber? Check.
Magnesium? Check.
Italian? Check.
Campagnolo. Check.
Titanium? Check.

[BlueDevil63]

Well if you are talking about drillium and pantographery(?) I have a few bikes that might fit your definition.

A '72 Masi, bought from the estate of the original owner, with drillium was either done by Masi or by the original owner (except for the large chainring, which was bought from member Otis). Some of the paint work was original, some I did myself.



This '82 Guerciotti has lots of what I believe to be original drillium, pantographing and paint work:



This '83 Ciocc has a lot of original pantographing and paint work:

[kroozer]

Now we're getting somewhere.

[Otis]

I always thought all the pantographed parts and pimped builds of the early 80's were to make up for how similar and less hand-crafted the frames had gotten. I find the 1960's and early 70's bikes from the top builders far more interesting, as the details are in the frames.

I also find drillium and milled pieces far more interesting than names and logos pantographed into parts.

But there is something appealing about a total OEM package like Bianchi Super Corsa with a full panto group and Alamarc leather wrap and the like. They look great in a catalog.

[Drillium Dude]

I'm with Otis - but I've figured out a way to combine drillium and pantographing of a sort









Crankarms were milled by Otis, BTW

Was this something along the lines of what you were looking for?

DD

[catonec]

Drillium that seat post is too cool! does it whistle as you ride???