The Simplex units gave pushrod fronts a bad reputation. The Campag. units are better-crafted and also better-designed -- note that the cage moves slightly upward while it moves outward, to follow the profile of a typical 3- or 4-tooth chainring differential.

I have owned two Gran Sports. I had to scrap the one on the Modell Campagnolo because a previous owner had not lubricated it adequately, causing the shaft to wear into the aluminum housing. Fortunately, the one on the Sieger, a bike I am trying to keep pretty original/authentic, is still in great working order. I am using it with either a 49-46 or a 49-45, depending on what sort of freewheel the GS rear can accommodate.

Thanks Slash5 and SJX426 for the input on possible brake hood solutions. This is really helpful, and I appreciate the advice.

Thanks JohnE for voting up the Campy a few notches vs the Simplex push rod designs. Now I'm getting curious to disassemble it, see how it works!

Sorry, T-Mar, some sloppy reading on my part. Just noticed you said the dating of the Valentino Extra increases the timeline "just a bit". Since you first estimated early 70s, I assume we're just getting a little closer to 1970 itself. So, 70, 71, maybe 72 but less likely 73, 74.

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Frame fabrication accomplished with a mix of Agrati fittings.

Head lugs are from "BRIANZA" ensemble; upper is nr. 000.8034 and lower is nr. 000.8033.

Seat lug from "CORSA" ensemble and is nr. 202.8529.

Crown is nr. 001.8513.

Shell comes from the "AM" ensemble and is nr. 000.8507.

Dropouts are item nr. 000.8002.

Fork ends are nr. 000.8010.

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Chainset appears it may be Agrati as well. Bottom bracket spindle may display a letter C in its centre with no other markings.

Pedals are Sheffield nr. 663.

Tecno Tubo Torino Touriste model stem/bar set.

Hubs look to be Agrati Sport item nr. 000.9011; unlikely they will be marked.

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btw - your Torresini is eminently qualified to be posted to these two well established forum threads:

http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...r-torpado.html

http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...red-bikes.html

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Often, lightweight bicycles that technically could fall slightly outside the parameters of "early 1970s" or "boom era" are placed within that group, simply because the statistical probability of them being a couple years outside the actual limits are very small. The only exceptions are when there is objective evidence to indicate otherwise.

In your case, there are very few specific timeline indicators beyond the derailleurs. As already noted, the Valentino Extra derailleur first appeared for the 1969 model year. However, the derailleur was in production for over a decade. The only visible modern end limit is the pre-CPSC cage on the Valentino front derailleur, which indicates pre-1978. The rest of the components could easily fit anywhere within this time frame, though it's convenient to say "early 1970s" simply because the lightweight sales exploded during 1971-1974 and there is no evidence to indicate that it lies outside this span.

Components and bicycle models very rarely undergo changes of anything more than a minor nature, on a year to year basis. What was representative in 1969 was pretty much the same five years later. Once the boom hit, manufacturers were so busy trying to supply the demand that they didn't have the time to introduce changes. Changes are usually a tool to drive more sales but when you're already taxed to your production limit, you don't need to increase sales.

During the early 1970s there was pretty much an established formula for bicycles at a given level, for a given nationality. This was caused by intense competition and a relatively low selection of component options for a given price point. In the case of Italian entry level bicycles, there was usually a lower and upper entry level model and sometimes a club racer based on the latter. All three typically used a hi-tensile steel frame, with stamped dropouts, though the lower of the two typically had a little chrome, while the upper had significant chrome. The crankset on all were typically cottered steel and the brakes were generally aluminum centre pull. The lower model typically used Simplex Prestige derailleurs, while the upper used Campagnolo Valentino (Extra). The upper and lower both used wheels wit 27" steel rims, while a club racer used tubulars with aluminum rims.

Your bicycle follows the established format for upper entry level (ie. 2nd from bottom of line), in that it sports lots of chrome and Campagnolo Valentino (Extra) derailleurs. However, the presence of 28" wheels suggests the possibility of a club racer as these were a common replacement for owners who grew frustrated with tubulars. Still, 28" was common in Italy, so there is also a possibility that these were standard in the earlier days before switching to 27" for the North American market.

While your bicycle could be from 1971-1973, there is no specific evidence to suggest it is any more likely than 1973-1974. I realize this doesn't provide any specific answers but I trust it supplies some more explanation about Italian entry bicycles of the era.

Thanks, T-Mar for taking time to elaborate on some of the interesting historical connections between my Torpado and the bike boom era. A lot of your knowledge is quite granular and esoteric, like the bit about 28" wheels as a "common replacement for owners who grew frustrated with tubulars."

Were you an active bike enthusiast during the bike years? Suggests attentive eye-witness experience. Or, do you rely mainly on secondary sources? I quite amazed by your knowledge because it's one thing to google this or that, but it's quite another to build credible narratives which pull together widely dispersed facts, figures, specs, stories and other records.

Appreciate the insights.

Thxs for the kind words. I was in or on the fringe of the industry for about four decades as an LBS mechanic, manager or owner, competitive cyclist and certified cycling coach. Everything from the early 1970s onward is pretty much first hand knowledge and backed up by a rather large collection of period catalogs, magazines and books that I never threw out. Of course, in my early days I worked on a lot of 1950s and 1960s bicycles and got 2nd hand knowledge from the older cyclists. My pre-1950 knowledge is primarily from research but then I am a bit of a bicycle history junkie.

Edit: Oh yeah, I'm also a self-proclaimed bicycle serial number nerd. :D

Wow! Whats not to like? Clean it and ride it. I have a Frejus thats similar in componentry and build quality, love it.

Your Torpado is the perfect bike for a retro-build with older parts. Find some really nice cottered cranks, old Campy Record or Gran Sport derailleur, an old pair of sew-ups.

But even as is it has a lot of class.

Nice score.

You cold also contact torpado directly and ask them when it was built.

Hey thanks Juvela for dropping in all those technical data into this Torn by Torpado thread. Just curious is your sources are online, offline, personal, professional. It always amazes me where and how you folks in-the-know....know so much.

Appreciate the additions!

Never had any formal connection to cycling or the bicycle industry. Just another hobbyist with a home workshop, albeit better fitted than many stores of my day. Probably began right near the same time as T-Mar.

As far as the information regarding your bicycle I have a leg up in the form of an undated catalogue from Agrati. Certainly do not have all of those part numbers in me head! :D

The frame is a bit unusual in that it has bits from four different patterns of lugs.

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Torn by Torpado
 

Thanks for the supplemental info on the Torpado. What year did you start taking such a serious interest? Out of curiosity, what tool in your collection would you say is the most unusual?

Began me cycle tinkering in MCMLXX.

Second query impossible - too many.

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Torn by Torpado
 

Whoa, you pre-date Arabic numerals! I'll bet you've got a chariot wheel truing machine!

Thanks to everyone for educating me on the Torpado. In the end, I decided to strip all the parts and keep them for a future build. I gave the frame/fork to a friend of mine who cobbles together recumbents from old skeletons. A few suggested I fix/keep/ride it, but unfortunately I never mentioned that the frame is way too big for me to do that...59cm...and at best I'd be a 56cm.

For all that, a great learning experience thanks to you C&V folks.

On to the next thing...a Made in France Peugeot Mixte. I think it's a UE-8? I'll start another thread.