randyjawa 

I am selling my early eighties Basso. The bike has seen very little use, most of which was in a stationary trainer. It is in great shape mechanically and only slightly challenged cosmetically. Cosmetically challenged means a few scratches and/or rub marks (quite a few of the white marks are just wax that I failed to remove when cleaning the bike for pics). The chrome plating is is great shape as is most of the art (Columbus tubing decal was poorly applied at time of manufacture I think but still there). All in all a really nice example of a high end early eighties Italian racing bicycle.

The seat stay brace, seat stay top and beautiful chrome plated fork crown all bear the Basso emblem and/or name pantograph. The original Campy brake pads show very little wear and the original translucent handlebar tape is still in great shape. The tires do hold air but they are old. I would recommend replacing them.

The bike's measurements are:

Seat Tube (c-c) = 54cm
Top Tube (c-c) = 54cm
Stand Over Height = 79cm or 31 inches

The frame and fork are Columbus Special tubing with Campagnolo chrome plated drop-outs. The bike is full Campagnolo with the exception of the head set, a lovely Cambio Rino unit. The seat post is free but the stem might be stuck. If the stem is stuck, I will carefully remove it and replace it with a Cinelli stem.

List of components...

Patent 82 Campagnolo NR rear derailleur
Campagnolo SR front derailleur
Campagnolo braze on shifters
Campagnolo NR brake calipers
Campagnolo NR brake levers (hoods are old but still serviceable)
Campagnolo NR seat post
Campagnolo NR low flange hubs
Record Alluinox 700c rims (very little wear to braking surfaces)
Campagnolo SR Pedals (clips and straps are in very good condition)
Campagnolo NR Bottom Bracket
TTT Handlebars (will be replaced if I can't include the original stem)
Cyclo steering stem (will be replaced with Cinelli stem if original is stuck)
New Saddle (I added this myself as the "as found" saddle was totally inappropriate for the bike)

I am listing the bike here first and for less than I intend to ask on Ebay. Important: For most forum members the price is $900.00 US. For forum members that I have done business with before, the price will be $800.00 US (remind me of our previous business details please if you are interested and qualify). Shipping will be extra and probably in the $200 range. I pack bikes with great care as many forum members already know.

Anyway, have a look at the pictures and, if anyone needs it, email me for my phone number so that you and I can discuss the bike's virtues and your needs more easily. The pics tell a better story than I do...

cocoabeachcrab 

i think we should all be required to do a religious vintage bicycle Haj to thunder bay and visit randy's amazing mecca of vintage bikes before we kick the bucket. another great offering!

Spaghetti Legs 

My ‘84 Gap is a fantastic riding bike. Basso is one of those slightly under the radar Italian high flyer marques.

jdawginsc 

And one of the most under-rated. It is one of the few bikes I have ridden that I did not have to get accustomed to...it needed to get accustomed to me. Comfortable yet firm with each pedal stroke, quick but not twitchy...follows your nose into turns.

Drillium Dude

Will the FD shift the chain to the big ring with that current set-up? The derailleur looks to have been tweaked out of shape somehow.

Anybody else seeing this or is it just me?

DD

jdawginsc 

Looks like it is a bit twisted clockwise a few degrees? But it could be trick photography as well.

drewellison 

My Basso Gap was one of the best, most comfortable riding steel frames I ever had. If I ever see another one in the correct size (this not being one), I'm going to get it. Alas, I sold it and now wish I hadn't.

jrg1244

I have an exact match to this, the color is even the same, though it's a little bigger at 65cm. It's my favorite bike in the stable and I can be heard talking to myself in Italian while riding... And I don't know Italian. Spaghetti, rigatoni, mozzarella, arrivederci! You get the point... Good luck with sale! A real beauty.

randyjawa 

Thanks for the heads up on the front derailleur. To be honest, it was not shifting all that well but after some tinkering it works just fine now. If I cannot find a new home for the bike, I will install a different freewheel and chain, with hopes that my old legs can push the bike with relative ease. It is such a nice bike and, even though I do not (do not, do not, do not) need another bike, this one really does blow my kilt up.

Anyway, I will list it on Ebay tomorrow and hope to find a buyer. If no luck, the components will be harvested, and I will offer the frame and fork set. Usually, a frame/fork set is much easier to sell and costs a heck of a lot less to ship.

jdawginsc 

Hey Randy. Was the arm twisted, or just the band moved out of line?

Also, why not make it into a triple with easier gearing in the back? It’s a pretty awesome shape Basso. Maybe plop on a wider range derailleur, a front that can handle a triple and see if you like it. They came as frames so you would not be breaking with originality!

FWIW i have seen Bassos languish on the Bay for a long time, but yours is pretty well preserved.

Stay in the Basso club!

horatio 

Thank God it’s not a 56!

Beautiful bike, BTW.

randyjawa 

The front derailleur braze on mount showed no damage, however; it did appear to have been installed slightly off line. I had no trouble getting the front derailleur to shift, after a bit of tuning, but it was not perfect "as found". I am thinking of keeping the bike since it is in such good shape and so original. But, I just do not need another bike. That said, I will probably take it apart and offer the frame, fork and head set on Ebay. That would leave me with a pretty nice Campy NR/SR component group for my recently acquired Marinoni "Special". Of course, I don't need the Marinoni either as I already have a really nice Marinoni Piuma, my go to ride when I want to cruise the cottage lake roads (one loop is 9.6 kilometers of true Canadian wilderness beauty that I never tire of...

cudak888 

FYI, Randy (and for anyone considering this frame), I think it warrants clarification the FD braze-on itself appears to be fine. In that photo of the crank, it is clear that the pivot arm for the FD has clearly been bent backwards causing the issue everyone is seeing, but in none of the photos does the braze-on itself seem to be off alignment from the seattube.

Thought I'd mention this as a point of clarification, as this is a lot simpler and less concerning a fix than anything involving a potential framebuilder mistake with a braze-on FD mount. The frame is just fine

-Kurt

randyjawa 

Thanks Kurt and I do hope that you are right. I intend to investigate more when I take the bike down for a frame/fork set sale. I hope to use the NR stuff on my recently acquired Marinoni Special, something special because it is of Canadian origin. Funny thing is, I find it very hard to ride anything anymore. Arthritis - pooey stinko!

jdawginsc 

Knees? Back? Ankles? Hips? Wrists and elbows?

randyjawa 

Hands are the worst. Recent carpal tunnel surgery, both hands and coupled with the arthritis, make using them painful. No strength at all. Also, my hips make it touch to get my leg over the bike, be it getting of or, more so, when getting off. But I keep on trying and doing what I can, when I can and more so when Mrs. Me says that I shouldn't. Golden years - my butt!

jdawginsc 

Maybe you might consider finding a Vent Noir mixte until you regain strength. Or that cool Faggin Donna up for grabs...

Figure out which bars put your hands in the best position to ride reasonably comfortably, then double wrap them.

Just suggestions for you!

jamesdak 

I'm surprised no one's bitten on this one. I had an 81 Gap and found it to be one of my smoothest riding bikes. I'd still have it if a friend hadn't totally jacked up the rear of the frames supposedly riding it off a curb.

GLWS!

stedge 

That is a beautiful bike, and also have to say, what an environment in which to ride!

randyjawa 

I do live in a beautiful area - NW Ontario in the summer and Jamaica in the winter. The pictures are taken in NW Ontario and clearly show everything except the swarms of black flies and mosquitoes (both of which all but disappear by the beginning of August). I love it here, living in my run down and in need of paint summer cottage on the shore of Loon Lake (yes we have real loons and their eerie cry is somewhat disturbing at night time)...