Normano?
 

I found this great bicycle in the basement of the house i inherited. I don't know much about vintage bikes, I have never heard of the Normano, Milano, and I could not find anything on the internet after hours of searching that would indicate this bicycle even existed - except one unanswered post on this forum from 2009. Does anybody know anything about this bicycle? I would like to restore it, and am getting questions about it already before I even have it roadworthy. I'd like to have something to tell people besides "I don't know!" Thanks for your time.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=456755http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=456756http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=456757

Hello Jesster,

Welcome to the forum. ;)

Normano was a second badge ("b-line") employed by Bianchi for a time in the 1950's and 1960's.

Your example is the same as a Bianchi Strada model and appears to date from the mid-1960's.

Hope this helps you a bit.

No idea, but it looks cool and fun!

Those lugs will shine up nicely!

Look at all those bike boxes!!! What kind of house did you inherit?

Doesn't look like it needs any restoration at all, unless you mean new tires, lube, and a wipe down with a damp cloth. You might want to visit your local bike co-op for advice on tires and lube. Nice thing about bike co-ops is they have regular classes on basic bike maintenance; a great thing for a complete noob with no experience (if that's what you are); they walk you through it. The damp cloth part I bet you can figure out on your own. :)

If you want to get into some special basic tools and do all the work yourself do a google on lubing or repacking bottom brackets and hub bearings. Post some close up pics of the areas in question and we can tell you exactly what tools to buy and where.

This is not a super-special or high end bike, but it's certainly old, interesting and in good enough shape to be worth getting on the road again.

Are you around 5'5" or so? Then it's about your size.

It's a beauty! Clean it up, have a full service done, including new tires, cables, etc. and ride the Hell out of it.

Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone, and the data on the bike. I did some more searching, with no luck, but at least now I know what I am looking for - even a blind squirrel gets a nut now and then. :)

Amazingly, the tires held air and I took it out for a short spin today. It still needs some TLC, but I think it enjoyed the fresh air and being out of doors for the first time in a long while. YAY!

...those bike boxes in the background did not come with the house - my road bike and trail bike just arrived back from Germany, and are also needing some TLC. Guess what I'll be doing this weekend...

Howdy Jesster,

Happy to read you have put it on the road. ;)

Unable to give better information of this badge. Have never known a start or a stop date for it but it has been out of use for well over four decades. Yours is the latest example have seen. The forum has a number of Bianchi experts. They may be able to give a birth date for your machine from its serial.

Those five-piece steel hubs with the Bianchi stamping on the barrel are likely a good collectors item. They may have been produced by Fratelli Brivio of Brescia.

Enjoy your new arrival! :)