Strange Question About Decals
 

Anyone have any experience with bikes that have this decal on them.....

https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7692/2...2ef67465_o.jpg

This is a decal that indicates a repainted SL frame. Riverniciato means repainted.

I an in contact with a seller who is offering up a bike that has this decal and swears it is not a repaint. The bike has lots of wear (which doesn't mean it wasn't a repaint at some point). Has anyone known of these decals actually being afixed to original painted bikes for whatever reason? Just curious. Owner swears his bike is original paint. Thanks for any info.
And sorry for such a stupid question!

potentially as a replacement transfer… Potentially.

A note, some makers stamped a number on the bottom bracket shell like a chain stay socket and steerer to help track frame sets sent to the original painter for respray...

The way it's supposed to have worked is that a conscientious, honest painter puts that decal on a frame he has re-sprayed and knows to have had an SL (also applies to SP) decal on before he stripped the old paint. He insures that you know the paint's not original but you also know what the original tubing decal claimed. Unless the re-painter was also the builder he may not be able to guarantee that the SL decal was honest, only that he is. There's also a chance that a builder had no other decals in his shop when a frame made from SL/SP was finished and painted so used a "re-paint" decal even though it's not a re-paint. Possible but a long-shot.

The documented fact and the owner's statement do not match. With that in mind, I would walk away. That said...

Show us pictures of the bike in question. To offer advice without that information is not really a good idea, even though I just did offer an opinion.

or just price it accordingly. Nothing wrong with a good paint job on old steel.
Sounds like somebody did a good job of documenting it, so it was likely a quality paint job from an conscientious shop.

Here are the pictures. The 5th picture shows the rubbed out decal with the beginning of the word "Riverniciato" inside the red banner. Pretty clear to me. The bike doesn't look repainted to me but it could have been because it is 35 years old. This is a 1981 DeRosa.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/142860...57671321583062

I agree it doesn't look repainted - looks like a nice frame. It could also have had a bent tube replaced along the way, another beauty of lugged steel - possibly even replaced by DeRosa

I think it is a repaint. I don't think De Rosa would have painted the rear drop out, and the Super prestige decal is crooked.

I am often wrong, though.

I checked out the painting of the drop out and back in '81, they painted the drop outs. It's in the catalog that way.

Without the decal...if you told me it was original...I'd have no reason to doubt it. The paint looks right in terms of thickness and age. If it's a repaint, it's a very old one. The one decal is off, like jjang noted...but I'm almost more inclined to think that's more likely to occur at the factory than in restoration. Overall...looks like a fun bike, and if the price isn't crazy, I'd be tempted.

If you are interested I can hook you up. $750 plus shipping. I just bowed out. It is a 54 square. Send me a PM if you would like his name and number. Located in NY, NY.

After the other thread about the fork, and based on the responses this person was supposedly sending which seemed hostile, I'd be inclined to pass. I think [MENTION=84826]randyjawa[/MENTION] is on-point.

No thanks...too many bikes. Price isn't super attractive either. I meant if I were you ;)

Appreciate the offer.

At this point it would take something pretty crazy to make me pull a trigger...a pre-ic lug de rosa, a 50s marastoni...Weigle...etc.

Aaron, you need to open a store :)

If I thought there was any money in it ;)

I'd find a place for that 54' Cinelli in the other thread.

I don't have an1981 catalog, but I have a friend who has an original 1979, and the dropouts are not painted.

1981 catalog

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/catalogs/de_rosa2/2.jpg

What indicates that the above is a 1981 catalog?

Pretty sure it is that era. Interesting because earlier and later had chromed drop outs. Very early did not, but that bike is from 1981 +/- 6 mos.

I never even clicked on that Bulgier catalog because of labeling. There were issues with that bike...good pass.

+1...at +$700 on CL it had better be much nicer, without question marks.