Dare I Use The "R" Word? Ben Lawee Goodness
 

I totally blame Rocketsauce for this! He posted it on the ebay/craigslist thread, offered to check it and facilitate if need be and then actually handed the seller the money and shipped to me. He is such an enabler!!!!

Anyway the second I saw this I was smitten. A Bertoni. I've been looking for MAX Bertoni and this wasn't but but still.....SLX, chrome and wonder Univega type tri color splatter paint what's not to love right? The price. Even for such and unusual bike in such great shape $700 was way too much. Then I hear on just over a week the price dropped to $500 maybe just maybe.

After not being able to get this beautiful bike out of my mind for a few weeks I emailed the seller and made an offer. Maybe a bit too low but I laid my cards out that 1 it was great brand but not hugely sought out like other Italians and 2 if it didn't fit me well I could never resell it at $500 let alone recoup anything put into it to refurbish it. To my surprise he took the offer!

Now I have to hurry and get the bike I've slowly been working on done, although I changed the color scheme so I have to undo a lot and start again. Then this needs a few things and overhaul. I may end up taking the 105 SC off. While I actually like the color of this group I may want to swap out some 172 cranks and they didn't make them 105 (that I recall). So if I change those I will likely change the rest out as well. The bars are wicked narrow so they definitely have to go.

The computer loaded the pics out of order https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cb3600b41d.jpg

Beautiful splatter.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5f8b8dfaa6.jpg


On another post about a Bertoni someone posted a Wiki article that says, in the '80s anyway, Bertoni was built by Daccardi I wonder if that was still the case in '94?
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...22acfa0e2b.jpg


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...62e15abce9.jpg

Bertoni! I wonder if this is a Cinelli crown?
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e619700def.jpg

I just couldn't fuggedaboud this beautiful bicycle. This color is called TriColor Radiant Fd
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c5a9d9d554.jpg

The date seems odd to me but I have a price/inventory sheet from Lawee for some MTBs and the Bertoni frames. It is dated 4/5/94 which I am guessing is April of '94 and the MSRP is listed as $560. There didn't appear to be any of these in stock


More chrome and CampI dropouts.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...66673813fe.jpg





I finally have an SLX frame!!
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...85c0749f03.jpg




https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...35881b4dcf.jpg

They managed to work those three little hash marks in yet again
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...40e0c3cea7.jpg

A few more pics.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d9998431f7.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...46bbecc00f.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6fe2551199.jpg

I am still not sure about the rims but these tires must go!

Congrats on winning the deal! Splashy looking bike. I like it.

Cool bike. I really like the splatter paint.

I think “splatter” sells it short. It’s like a rare tropical fish. Very beautiful.
Have you ridden those tires? I had a set and was favorably impressed, and read some good reviews online.

Cool looking paint, and overall bike. 😎 Congrats! 👍 So, are you changing your forum name to Bertonigirll now? 😁😉

Nice! I saw that come through and loved the paint. There was a really, really nice new-in-box Specialissima for like $900 on eBay a year or two ago. I seriously thought about it, but picked up an '86 Corsa Mondiale in superb condition in the year prior. (pics: https://imgur.com/a/19uyK)

Wanna trade? :D

(Kidding, I actually kept mine, I really liked it)

Groovy paint with chrome icing, fine SLX tubing- what's not to like?!

Looking forward to the road report.

Love the paint, love the bike.

That is some awesome finish. It's tough to see some of the lug details, and who cares since the paint is so cool!

Oil can splatter with metal color blend, then chromed stays too?! The dropouts being painted is a neat touch.

I'm "green" with envy over that paint job, and the condition too, looks basically unridden. That looks like the same fork as my SLX Bottecchia, those things really eat up the road shock, you can watch them bounce around as you ride down the road, they have some serious movement.

Simply gorgeous! I couldn't bring myself to actually ride such a pretty steed -- It'd have to hang on a wall as art!!!

Nice catch, BG! Tropical fish, indeed. I'm impressed, and - dare I say it - slightly jealous.

I'll be following proceedings. Enjoy!

WOW that's a gorgeous frame.

Congratulations on the new find! I'll admit I don't know much about Bertoni, but it looks like a great mix of components, solid tube-set, and I really love that seat-stay cluster. Let us know how it rides!

What's the R word?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fed191fff6.gif

Destiny.

Curious, what’s so wrong about the tires? Size or ride quality?

Why?

Too skinny, methinks. (?)

Very sexy bike. :thumb:

Slicks? If yes, great for smooth surfaces. I know people who ride slicks on nice MUPS. Not something I'd personally use on road, but I've seen plenty of people do it.

Nice bike!!!! :thumb:

Great bike Bianchigirl! Love the paint and frame details!

aceves