rusty bolt

Hi, I have been lurking on this forum for last two years. Collected great amount information, thank you. I need your opinion on this bike:

Rennrad, Stahl, Paletti RH 56 cm, Retro, Klassiker, Vintage, Campagnolo | eBay

it is exact this bike:

https://shop.cicli-berlinetta.de/pro...tti-road-bike/

And on Bulgier site this Super Prestige is very similar:

https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/catalogs/paletti2/2.jpg

I have mailed seller and he send me some detailed pictures... On down side of BB says SUPER PRESTIGE and number 46



My questions:

1. Super Prestige should be top of the range of Paletti production, and which year is this bike?

2. For some reason crank and rear shifter are Shimano 105 and brakes are Modolo, pantographed. How much this affects ride and lowers the price and worth of complete bike?

3. I am 179 cm tall and my inseam is 82 cm, this bike frame is 56 cm. and the bike has 82 cm from floor to the top of top tube, pictures:





I have visited couple bike shops and tried 56 cm and it fit me well, seller told me that 54 cm is for me, I tried but it feels cramped. I need to mention that I tried brand new alu and carbon bikes. I am not racer, I am on the bike every day, riding on the work, for pleasure and for fitness... French fit is to consider... Will this bike fit me?

4. Tell me about Paletti brand quality, they are not widely known. Some people had these bikes and they have the best words for them (except common crack on chainstay, as I can read one comment). Are those bikes top frames as Colnago, Tommasini, De Rosa? How do they compare with Merckx and Moser.

5. Bike is in Germany, Europe, What would be fair price for this bike?

Thank you on any help.

rusty bolt

miamijim

Your 5'10" with a 32" inseam. A 56cm frame is good for you.

I'd be comfortable around $400 all in to my door....maybe less.

Kevindale

Beautiful frame! I notice that the seller ended the auction early, citing errors in the listing.

I suspect the components have been changed because the original components are valuable enough to sell on their own. Those original Campagnolo components would be worth more than the bike is being sold for. My guess is that it might be extremely difficult to pin down an exact year for this bike, especially since many components have been changed. I'd guess mid- to late-eighties, but that's based on what I know about a few other small Italian bike makers.

For the size, it might work fine for you, especially based on what you say about feeling cramped on a 54 cm. What I've heard again and again is that slightly larger vintage steel frames feel comfortable for many riders compared to modern frames/geometry. But every rider is different, and there's no doubt you're taking a chance buying a bike without being able to ride it. That said, if you play with seat height and stem length, you'll probably get it to work. You could also change the crank length if they're, say, 175 mm.

Edit: I miscalculated your height. You're a touch over 5'10" and so I'd think a 54 cm would definitely be a little small, and a 56-57 cm should be in the sweet spot for you, as Miamijim noted.

zukahn1 

That's a very nice bike worth $400-500. But as said it is a 54cm with a fairly short wheelbase so it will be to small for the OP. If your going to spend the time and money to buy a vintage bike of this level you really want to get one that fits.

miamijim

It probably never had any Campy components. My guess is it had Shimano from the get go. Many Italian and Belgian bikes were OE Shimano in that time period because, to put it bluntly, Campy sucked beyond belief.

rusty bolt

Thank you on your help, seller reserved bike for me and reduced price. Frame size still bothers me, I think that it will fit but it will be close...

Smaller frame better for racing, right? I am not racer bigger will fit fine ( I hope so).

Can you tell me something about comparison to other brands. Patelli is handmade small frame builder, where to put his frames, are they top quality like Tommasini, Colnago...

Catalog says that it should have Campagnolo group.


rusty bolt

miamijim

Don't worry about what the catalog says....Paletti is top notch but unfortunately not as well known as the big boys.

I'm 5'9" and ride 54's almost exclusively. A 56 is NOT too big for you....

Kevindale

Maybe T-Mar or some of the other Italian bike frame experts will weigh in, but from the looks of that lugwork and paint and the SLX sticker I think this is likely a high-end frame. If the seller is willing to reduce the price for you, it appears to be a good deal. I think that bike will clean up beautifully, and you can ride the current components while you slowly gather replacement Campy components if you want something period correct.

These bikes must be quite rare, despite the builder still being in business, since there are few posts about them on this forum and other forums. But the old posts I find that talk about the frame's build quality make them sound like great riders.

T-Mar

My main concern on this frame, given the OP intends to use it for commuting and recreational riding, is that it appears to be fitted with a tubular wheelset, which is not normally what an owner would want for this type of use.

Regarding size, given the OP's height, a 56cm would be my starting point. Things could vary from there, depending on his exact physiology. Personally, I don't put to much store in inseam measurements, as manny people measure like tailors and not cyclists, which can lead to several centimetres discrepancy for frame fitting purposes..

The frame itself is circa 1984-1987. It many have be purchased as frameset, which could account for the frankenbike nature. It's hard to place a value given that I have no knowledge of European market conditions and the details of the majority of components is unknown.

rusty bolt

Thanks on honest help people. I am waiting delivery. After close inspection I will share thaughts an opinions with you. Some upgrade will go, changing colour possible. Help will be apreciated.

rusty bolt