Hi BF Members!!

So here we go!! I'm back on full build mode, and I cannot wait to finish my late 1960s - early 1970s Vicini road bike! I was initially thinking full restoration, but I have decided on more of a rodstoration. I will be using most of the original components that came with the Vicini, but I will be adding some parts that I have on hand and also upgrading a few parts for safety. I plan to race this bike, so I want it to be safe.

BF members helped me identify the bike as a Vicini in a prior thread, and I truly appreciate all these members' assistance in that adventure. Now that I know what I have, I have a plan on how to proceed.

Below is the frame in the condition that I got it. You can see that the frame was straight but also that it had plenty of rust.

aceves

Here it is after I stripped the original paint. The frame cleaned up beautifully! No more rust!!

aceves

It is now in primer, and I will be putting on its first layer of paint this weekend. I am going with an orange and white paint scheme, and I have purchased the proper decals. More on that later...

aceves

A few more pics of the workmanship on the lugs and Campagnolo bits. Awesome!! As you can see in the pics, the headset lugs and dropouts were originally chromed. I will make sure to keep those elements in the final product. Let me know what you all think!

aceves

Going to do any frame adjustments like cable bosses while it is in Dry Dock? Smiles, MH

You stripped off the original paint?




Just Kidding; it was pretty ratty, after all.

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Thanks very much for beginning this update thread on the bike!

Hath companion of knife & spoon advised you as to whether it shall be making an appearance anon?

For readers who may have missed the prior textile on this machine it abideth here -

Need help identifying a 1960s Italian road bike! Solve this mystery!


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Hi Mad Honk, I will not be making any frame adjustments. It will remain in its original form, frame-wise.


Hi Lascauxcaveman, I see what you did there... But his name was actually Vizzini... My family and I love that film!


Hi juvela, yes, I am excited to complete this project. You can now clearly see the oval MB mark next to the 60 on the seat tube, just how we deduced in my prior thread. Again, I am not going for period correct originality, so please take it easy on me. I will do it justice though - it will look original, and it will be ridden.

Some pics of the frame with primer. I’ll post pics of the first layer of paint in a few days.
aceves

The difference between Italian and Sicilian.

Primer and white sections done. On to orange...

aceves

So before BF members point this out, I will come clean on one small error: I taped the white downtube section too low on the tube. I did lay down a thin layer of orange paint already and just today noticed this error on my part. This is a learning experience for me. No worries, I can correct it still. I’m loving the process of spotting and fixing issues as they come up. Pics of fixed & painted frame coming soon.

aceves

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Thank you for the update; good to see she is moving forward.

One minor surgery you might have performed whilst she were yet in bare metal was to reform the seat binder ears.

Their outer faces could be returned to flat by working with a blunt punch from the backside.

Some brass could be floated into the interior by way of reinforcement.

...or perhaps you have done this and it is not visible in the latest images...





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Hi juvela,

Thank you for the suggestions. Actually, it is more in the way the photo is reflecting the light & shadow on the seat binder ears. They are pretty flat and take a binder bolt just fine. I did do some dremel tool work on other parts of the frame (leftover braze material) and sanded it all smooth.

And an update: I fixed my white downtube section over the weekend, so now it sits higher up as it should. I had to sand down some orange paint, respray in white, and readjust the section. I am now on my 3rd coat of orange, with one more coat coming for good measure (with sanding in between every coat). Once the paint cures, decals will go on, and then a clear coat.

Moving slowly but surely. Pics coming soon.

aceves

Aceves, What kind of racing are you considering? Gearing is my point: With the 120 mm OLD, you can only get 6 cogs on the rear, and ... what gearing can you get on a 6-speed these days? And can you be competitive on a friction shift, even if you're a friction-feathering expert?

Or are you just out for some leg-pounding fun?

Aceves, What kind of racing are you considering? Gearing is my point: With the 120 mm OLD, you can only get 6 cogs on the rear, and ... what gearing can you get on a 6-speed these days, i.e. you can't customize anywhere nearly as well as you could BITD? And can you be competitive on a friction shift, even if you're a friction-feathering expert?

Or are you just out for some leg-pounding fun?

Hi Road Fan,

You are correct, I am limited in the gearing i can put on this build. And I guess was a little too enthusiastic when I said I was going to race the bike. It’s more of the leg-pounding fun, entering local races without setting any world records kind of riding.

aceves

Some pics of the frame drying in the rafters. One or two more coats of orange and it will be ready for reassembly.

aceves

Still trying to ID, this frame. Saw yours to be similar, vice fork crown, stay caps. Ready to strip after "playing" on it. Hope to find some clues, since it's had a least one repaint. What is your seat tube diameter? Mine is 27.2 mm.

Hi HPL,

Why do you believe your frameset is not a Vicini? Although it has been repainted green, it would be rare for someone to add Vicini decals on a non-Vicini frame. Much easier to obtain other decals for a project, just saying. As for my bike, the fork crown caps are different than yours. And my seat tube is 26.2. But your frameset could very well be a Vicini. Is the head badge also Vicini?

Other members here will be able to assist you in ID'ing your bike and model. Thanks for posting.

aceves

Unfortunately, the frame is an Italy sourced item where it was quite common for riders (not sure if entire teams did it also) in the '70s and '80s (probably well before and continuing after) to "rebadge" their chosen bike whether to accommodate sponsor contractual arrangements, or for other reasons; also many dealers/distributors/bike shops gave their own branding to frames made by other builders who may or may not have built them for an entirely different marque. I don't believe the decals put on my frame were related to a rebuild and/or restoration. I have 5 frame examples that are not the actual marque that they are made out to be as well as a couple others that I'm dubious about. One frame is a "Colnago", but actually is a Moser "Leader"; another is a "Gizetta" (marque name derived from Gianni Zuffi's initials "GZ"), but is actually a Marchesini built by Patelli Bros. In the U.S., Ten Speed Drive Imports were putting their own brand name, "Tommaso" (marque name derived from Thomas Eason's name), on ALAN frames; while at the same time selling the identical ALAN frame as a "Guerciotti". Some of this info was gleaned from this site; some members thought that it might not have been a Vicini, but I'm unsure as to what their point of reference was from given the age of my frame and the fact that Vicini has been making bikes since the '50s, and is still at it. I'm sure when I strip down the frame I'll come across some marking that may provide a hint as to its make. With at least 2 paint jobs on it anything might be hidden. The headbadge decal is a Vicini, but as with the other decals, it may not reflect the actual make. It is a heavy frame if it has Columbus "SL" tubing, possibly just the main triangle; I'm merely going on seat tube diameter. My BB shell is different from yours, but that could be related to model/year, etc. I’ve yet to be able to find an early Vicini example with my style fork crown lug, although I have another example of that crown lug on either a Ronchini (original marque verified) or a Chiementin (possibly/probably another marque) in my frameset inventory.

Hi HPL,

Thank you for that great info. It is interesting to learn how older bikes had that interplay with builders and marques. Good luck on your quest, and I hope to see pics of your build! We like pics of bikes!

aceves

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hello aceves,

the orange you selected is an unusual one

it expresses a hint of milkiness and brown

in some angles/lights it almost looks to be vectoring toward coral

expect it would look nice with trim bits in the marrone family

will look forward to seeing how it turns out for you

wish to salute all of the care you are taking

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Thanks juvela. I used DupliColor Engine Enamel with Ceramic, in Hemi Orange. And the white is DupliColor Chevrolet White. Here are some recent pics. The chrome lugs & dropouts turned out great.

aceves

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Ah, thank you for the update.

The combination of the additional coats of colour and the bright sun make it appear "orangier" (word?) than in the last update.

"Reassembly to commence anon."


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