Baytree

Found this add on CL, they're asking $85:

Assuming all the parts are in working condition and it's my size, would it be worth the price? I have enough mechanical experience to be comfortable assembling it...

howsteepisit

Way more than 85, something not right I fear. The description of the finishing on the frame makes little sense to me, pic are needed. "Lugs added"? a 64 has lugs already. I read scam, but you never know.

Baytree

You're probably right. I might go for it anyways if the frame is sound and the components are all there.

digger531

Yep, jump quick.

Baytree

One step ahead... I emailed the guy as soon as I saw the add

Thanks for all the good advice. It looks like I'm 2nd in line, so here's hoping the first person passes on it!

Bianchigirll 

The alleged age of the frame is beyond my area of knowledge but I am always wary of someone making claims on repainted/powdercoated frame. How does the seller know and can he prove the DB Columbus claim? There are no doubt indicators of the age of the frame but the quality is always in question once an amateur does a repaint.


It sounds to me like the components are much newer than the frame so I am with Work assume your buying parts and if the frame pans out even better.

I am very curious about the ""Araya 27" x 1 1/4" 36 spoke wheels with Bianchi "Campagnolo" F & Phil R hub"" How many hubs or rims come with this? or the seller just confused or using keywords?

Actually if they are indeed Phil hubs in good shape and you can use them (am more a cassette person now) They alone should be worth the $85

howsteepisit

Reads like a Campy front and Phil rear hub combo to me.

jyl

The early 60s Competizone was completely chromed then painted, the chrome was left exposed at the lugs and seat tube bands. The headset was a proprietary integrated headset, replacement parts are not available, a standard headset will not fit, a special tool (VAR pin wrench or similar) is needed to remove/adjust/install the upper race. I seem to recall there may have been something proprietary/non-standard about the bottom bracket as well. The components were Campagnolo (not Nuovo) Record and Gran Sport, Universal brakes, steel cottered Biachi crank. Here is an example of what the bike originally looked like.

https://www.yellowjersey.org/gg63.html

So the first question is if the frame is in fact a Competizone. One look at the headset will tell you; also, I think the serial number should be stamped around the seattube right at the collar for the seatpost. Look very carefully for damage or a clue as to why someone stripped the paint and chrome (and what the heck "adding lugs" means). The second question is if the headset and bottom bracket are present, complete and in good condition; if not, run away. The third question is if you want the end result to look like a Competizone which means chrome lugs. Doing so will cost a lot - strip frame and fork, prep, polish, rechrome, then mask and paint. Done by a bike restorer, that will cost well over $1K. Maybe you can get resourceful with using auto chromers and painters, but they are not used to doing bikes so the result may be uncertain. Also it appears to have almost none of the original components, save the Gran Sport RD.

I'd consider it a pile of components plus a seriously devalued frame that could be worth zero (if headset is not usable) or a small amount ($50?). If I was looking for a Gran Sport RD, I might buy the whole pile just for that. If I was willing to sell the parts one-by-one on eBay for a modest profit, then I'd buy it. If I was really looking for a hard, long project and was a self-reliant type planning to do a lot of the work myself, maybe. If I was looking for an easy project or a profitable project, I'd pass. It's only $85 asking, so go take a look and bring some cash, but don't get sucked into a bidding war or anything like that.

A restored Competizone might be worth $1500. You won't be able to restore this bike for less than that.

I have a '61 Specialissima in the queue for restoring. It is 100% complete with all original components but needs rechroming and repaint to look good. I bought it for $175 and even though a restored example can go for $2K, I still expect to be at best breakeven on a quality restoration.

Baytree

Still waiting to hear back.

Jyl, those pics you linked look pretty snazzy! If it's even a 10th as good as that it'll still be nicer than the beater I'm riding now. Thanks for the tip about the headset/bottom bracket - that's exactly the kind of thing I'm watching out for.

Bianchigirll - thanks for the input. I'll definitely go into this expecting a low-value frame... although why someone would go to the trouble of powdercoating something worthless? Ah well.

I'm not looking to restore something to original condition or make a lot of money, I just want a commuter/fun bike that's a step up from my schwinn varsity

Bianchigirll 

Just look at CL under the keywords "Sweet Fixie" you'll see tons of HiTen and mangalloy pained (home) and powdercoated selling for 100x what it is really worth.

zukahn1 

Well if all the parts are in working condition it should be basically worth the asking price or more. The wheels do seem to read a bit odd off as said it is pretty rare to see a mismatched set of wheels with one Phil woods and one Campy hub and Araya 27 rims. On a bike like this you have to pretty much figure your buying a bunch of parts that likely won't readily build up into bike.

bikingshearer 

The Competizione was an entry-level racing bike and was the lowest end of the Reparto Corse Bianchis. It was meant to be someone's first serious racing bike, but was not built or equiped like a Specialissima. As of 1961, when mine was made, Competiziones were made from seamed tubing, not Columbus SL, butted or otherwise. That doesn't make it a bad frame - far from it - but it is not double butted.

As pointed out, upper-end Bianchis of that era had proprietary integratred headsets. Make sure the one in this one is in good shape. Loose bearings are easy to get - the rest of the headset, not so much. And as pointed out above, it takes special tools to disassemble and reassemble one properly. However, in a pinch. a pair of channel lock pliers will work, but will also leave teeth marks.

As to the bottom bracket, in 1961, Competiziones had a 74mm wide BB that used the ever-so-rare Campy 74-120 bottom bracket with 3/16" bearings. There is such a headset up on eBay currently - for $450.00. Good luck trying to cobble one together from pieces -- if you can find thin-walled Italian-threaded Campy BB cups that take 3/16" bearings, your investigative skills are better than mine. Fortunately, there are Phil Wood BB's that will work (It's what I ended up having to do) if what is in there now won't work. That 74mm thing didn';t last long. Measure the BB shell on this one. If it is 70mm. no worries - any Italian threaded BB with the right spindle length will do. But if it's 74mm, make sure the existing BB spins well.

Oh, and it needs a loooong reach brake on the back.

For your stated purposes, though, it should work great.