Recently acquired a nice vintage road bike. By all indications, it's a nicer model with lovely lug work and finishing details. I'm planning on doing a restore and repaint over the winter. To that end, I could use some assistance zeroing in on: era, country of origin and if possible model numbers.

I have a set of photos up on imgur (imgur)

What I know:

• Lugged steel frame. Look to be investment cast lugs. Simple lugs, no windows or details. Lug work is very good.
• Circle B Bianchi logo seat cluster, fork crown, and lower headtube
• Brev Campagnolo rear dropouts
• Bianchi branded fluted seatpost (26.8mm OD)
• BB is not stamped or serialized. BB shell width is 26.8mm. I has a shimano cartridge bearing leading me to think standard (non-italian) threads)
• The seat cluster does have some markings: "2 A" on drive side and "2 12" on the non-drive side.
• Seat and chain stays may be chromed. There are some paint chips. Paint doesn't appear to have adhered well. Underneath the metal is way shinier than bare chromoly steel.

Any other details that might help in zeroing in on identity of the bike? Sadly previous owner upgraded almost all components (only the seatpost looks original at this point) and the frame was repainted white with little effort made in masking. All original frame decals were either removed or are covered in paints

I think this is one for Bianchi Girl or Otis. I've had a few high-end Bianchis from 77 to 86 but I'm not sure about this. The Campy dropout has a hole for a Portacatena which was introduced in 1977 and the BB cable guides look later than 1980. The B panto on the fork bridge is impressed and under that horrible white paint might just be chromed. Reparto Corse models after 1978 had "Bianchi" panto stamped top of the seat stays apart from a 1982 Specialissima Campione del Mondo a friend had. Wild guess says 82 Campione. Check this link Bianchi Specialissima Campione del Mondo 1983?- speedbicycles.com. Also looking closely at the seatpost, it looks as though it is older than the frame and it is stamped 27.? Are you sure about the tube diameter?

Probably a higher end late 1970's model. Bianchi used the same frames with different model names depending on the components and market destinations.

There are a number of Bianchi experts in my area, in fact we have a CR Coppi memorial ride at the end of January every year.

It's their educated opinion that Bianchi frames from that era with Campagnolo dropouts (as opposed to other brands) plus seat stay tops, and fork crowns with the name, logo or letter "B" were built by the Reparto Corse shop in Italy.

How are you measuring the dimensions that you posted? The bottom bracket shell should be 70mm wide with 36mm Italian cups (both sides have right hand threads).

The Bianchi panto'd Campy seatpost is semi clearly stamped 27.2mm. That would usually indicate that at least the seat tube is Columbus SL tubing.

The paint appears to be powder coat??? Frequently frames that are fully painted but show traces of chrome plating underneath had rust damage to the chrome.

The components on the bike suggest that the PO didn't have any knowledge of the frames pedigree and just threw some mid range components on the bike.


verktyg

Chas.

I'm only guessing but here is my assessment:

With that serial number layout I think it looks like a Piaggio era mid range racing model. I would say it was made in 1982 and probably at the start of the year. The RH rear dropout was from the very late 1970's and could be found on bikes manufactured in the early 80's too. The two small holes are to attach Campagnolo's Portacatena derailing system which would only be found on a road racing bike. I think the top Bianchi models, from that era, and made in Bianchi's race department had a different serial number system so I'm suggesting your frame could be a Campione del Mondo model or a Nuovo Racing model or something similar.

Yes, it's definitely 1982. The presence of chromed dropout flats and non-chromed stay caps is consistent with the Campione d'Italia, Campione del Mondo and Tipo Corsa frames using Columbus SL tubing which would use a 27.2 mm post. The 26.8mm post is consistent with an Columbus Aelle frame but Bianchi didn't market one in 1982, at least not in North America. The post is correct for the era, so I"d assume it is OEM, however, in the pictures, it appears to be notably pinched at the top, so the post may be too small for the frame and it may actually take a 27.2mm post. I'd also be checking inside the bottom of the fork's steerer tube for the five helical ridges indicative of Colubus SL, Finally, the headset may still be OEM, and is so, will narrow down the model.

I plan on stripping the frame of parts this weekend. We'll see if I can confirm OD of seatpost (I'll admit i'm rusty on caliper reading) and if the fork steerer has some identifying marks. I plan on taking frame to be media blasted some time later this month as well. A boy can hope for some chrome

I definitely agree that whoever owned it previously didn't know what they had. I don't think the white is powder coating as when I started inspecting, I was able to peel a large flake off the dropouts.

I have taken the BB and seatpost measurements with a caliper. I'll admit, I'm rusty and was never great to start with. I plan on stripping frame this weekend and we'll see if that uncovers some additional details: chrome bits, if seatpost is stamped, any markings on the fork steerer etc.

So, I was able to strip the frame this weekend and confirm a few more things. I apparently need a refresher or on reading calipers. So the seatpost diameter is 27.2. The bottom bracket is 70mm. The BB is italian threaded.

It does look like the face of the fork crown lug is shiny. I was not able to identify any "helical ridges" on the steer tube. What are these helical ridges (hone marks, butting ridges)? Are they identifiable by touch or should they be pretty obvious visually?

I will hopefully get the frame off for stripping this week. Any tips or requests I should be making of the sand-blasting operation?

Thanks for all the help so far!

They can be hard to discern visually if the inside of the steerer tube is dirty or corroded, as they are only 3.5mm wide by 0.35mm thick. Here's a picture of a Columbus steerer tube, with the helical ridges in pristine condition.

Thanks! that helps immensely. That does not look like the inside of my fork. Granted this is a Minnesota bike so the steerer tube is full of crud. I'll try to clean her up a bit more and get eyes on the inner face tonight.

Thanks again!