A fellow I know is a huge fan of The Who. He's gotten the autographs of Daltry, Townshend and Entwistle, and he bought one of Keith Moon's. He has everything they've ever recorded, he's seen them live dozens of times, bla, bla, bla. But the one thing he really lusted after was Rickenbacker guitar like Pete Townshend played (and frequently smashed) -- and not just any ol' Rick, but a proper 1960s Rickenbacker model 360, with a "cherry-burst" finish. Just like Pete played.

After saving-up for the better part of a decade, he was finally able to buy just such a guitar. It cost him more than I paid for my last car. And here's the thing: this fellow doesn't play guitar. He has fingers like Vienna sausages, and no musical talent. But I've never seen him as happy as when he's looking at it hanging on his living room wall, in the center of all of his framed Who memorabilia -- a touchstone to a group of guys who were at their best before he was even born.

So, I ended up doing what I've sometimes done in the past, when on the fence: I made a low-ball offer, and left it up to the seller to make up my mind for me, so to speak. I offered what I thought I could re-sell it for, if it doesn't work out (and if I could bear to part with it).

Spoiler alert: I just got notification that they accepted my offer.

After all this, you had better post up some GOOD photos ;)

Pics or it didnt happen! :D

Cool Miata you have there. How can I be of assistance? Or, what additional work do you feel is necessary to get your bike where you want it?

So I have bikes that have from 70-110mm stems. Sure, they ride different, but they fit. What's the point of having all your bikes ride the same? Do you only ride on a flat oval? That would be tragic.

My biggest issue with a frame too small is bar drop. Not a lot of adjustment in your average stem. Yes, there are stems that can go "up" along with seat, but for me, they look goofy. In addition to not riding a bike that doesn't fit physically, it also needs to fit aesthetically.

I was going to say that you cannot properly call it a "grail bike" if it does not fit you, but Wildwood beat me to it.

I work at a musical instrument store and we have a term for guys (yes, they're ALWAYS men) like this:

Blues lawyers.

Here you go:
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c85434b0d6.jpg

No, it's not the most exceptional example of their frames; it lacks some of the really special touches that I've seen. And it's by Angelo, rather than Francesco. But it's in the original finish, and I love the color; it's so understated and unusual.

Oh nice!! And that would fit me!! I'll PM you my address :)

Wow! Very cool. What year was it made?

According to the seller, 1977. I think that Angelo retired in the early-'80s, but will defer to others here (Citoyen Du Monde)?
If so, that would make it the newest of my bikes.

A Who concert might be considered as sport, I guess. I understand lightweight vintage collectors may be different from enthusiastic cyclists that want to ride the best from the past and actively practice N+1 in the pursuit. It’s not exactly coveting something but seeking out the finest, from your personal saddle-side perspective with miles to validate assumptions & preconceptions about the frameset + components separately.

I'm not that far ahead with 6 bikes. :)

Feel is different from fit, you mentioned feel, I got the 2 conflated. As it turns out, I am all torso and my affinity for older Italian bikes turned out fortuitous as they typically have a top tube 2-3cm longer than the seat tubes. But I also can deal with a square bike by either an offset seat post (not my favorite look) or a longer stem. My butt/hands position is essentially the same on all my bikes only with the BB moving forward and backwards relative to that seat/bars setup. It is odd to ride one bike with the BB "back" and the next day ride a bike with the BB "forward". But after 5-10 minutes, I'm used to the "new" setup.

If I had the time or inclination, I'd get the exact same bike in my max/min sizes, set both to fit properly with stems/posts and see how different the feel is. I doubt I would notice, I'm no princess by any means, but who knows. I just know I have had bikes too small and I don't like them in the end no matter how much I wished they worked.

rch427: thanks for the pics, espescially the first one. The bike is smiling :)

Really nice bike. Enjoy!

Thanks, Millstone! It should be a fun project. I'll post a photo or two once it's built-up, so everyone can scratch their heads and ask "Why the hell would he do that to a Galmozzi?!"

Seller called that 55? Lot of headtube for a 55. Even if 55 on centers that is a lot of headtube. Frame drop looks normal, head will look taller if frame has little drop. Sellers don’t always know what they have. You won't know for sure until it is in your hands.

Coaster brake on this one? That hurts. There are some very fine Stucchi and Gloria city bikes with a Galmozzi connection, look for those.

Some say that bikes that are a few cm's smaller works for them in terms of handling sense (swaying; flare; spurt). I guess it really differs from one rider to another. Safest is to wait for the right frame or bike to come along. Patience my friend, coz it come to you as a surprise that, it may be a better bike that the one you want now.

rch427 , I agree with this comment -- here's hoping the seller mis-measured and you got lucky with a frame larger than 55. That's a pretty frame.

That looks more like 58 - 59cm from a glance.