Originally Posted by
Bici Veloce
I picked up the bike over the weekend and worked on disassembly.
The serial number stamped on the bottom bracket is A4400 A5
The aero-brake levers are labeled "SLR".
Curious if the stem and handlebars are original. The stem is stamped with "SR." The handlebars appear to be "OLD LOGO Cinelli Campione Del Mondo Mod 66-42."
The seat is labeled "Linea" and the seat post is stamped "3ttt," Google says "Mod Record?"
Each decal has a black "X" through the B in Bianchi. Any significance? I haven't seen this in my interweb searches.
All other components are Shimano 600 stamped XX-6207.
The frame is pretty dinged up. Contemplating a home repaint. If I decide to go this route, what's the best way to source a new decal set?
The rear DR and cranks are pretty trashed as well. Thinking about using oven cleaner, 2000 grit, and polish. Any tips?
Looks like you have a ‘85 Limited. The bar and stem are replacements and may be a mismatch, as Cinelli normally made 26.4 and 26.0 clamp are bars but I can’t remember if SR made 26.0 stems.
Originally Posted by
Miele Man
SLR stands for Shimano Linear Response and is a later brake lever than the N600EX ones.
Cheers
SLR was one of Shipmano’s efforts to prevent bike manufacturers from not using a complete component group. The SLR brakes used a lighter spring in the calipers to open them and a spring in the lever to pull the cable back. If you paired a lower cost springless lever with the SLR calipers you got a mushy feel. STI, Shipmano Total Integration was a further step first, on flat bar bikes, mounting the shifter directly to brake lever made it difficult to use shipmano index shift systems but cheaper brakes. I believe there was a lawsuit over this. Unfortunately market pressure weighed in and customers (thanks various “buyers guides” from bike rags, consumer reports etc) soon began demanding complete groups and Suntour just couldn’t complete.
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