This bike has been hanging around my parents' garage for at least 30 years, untouched. My brother has no use for it and offered it to me. He recalls trading a BMX bike for it in the 80's. It looks like all components are Shimano 600 and tires are size 700 x 25c. A decal on the down tube appears to show the frame was Italian made. I don't have a serial number yet. It's pretty rough. Some help with ID will help me decide what to with the bike.

The tubing decal remnants are that of a Bianchi Special by Columbus decal, which makes it a 1985 model, while the Shimano New 600EX components make it a Bianchi Limited model. So, you have a 1985 Bianchi Limited.

Edit: Mid-range model, 9th in a 16 model road line. $520 US MSRP.

Very helpful T-Mar.

Thank you for the reply!

That is a very cool bike, I'd love to be given that by a brother if it fit me Also, today I learned that there were 6209 aero levers! They look very cool.

My brother was happy to see the bike in good hands.

Re the 6209s, I assume those are the levers on my bike? I didn't get a good enough photo of them to ID them on the web.

Can anyone tell me what the contraption is on stem/handlebars?

My initial thoughts are to clean it up, polish the components, touch-up paint, replace wear items, and ride on. It'll look nice on a hook in the garage too. If I measured correctly, I believe the frame is 56cm, the upper limits of fit for me.

Thanks for the help!

Yeah the brake levers, I had thought that particular generation of Shimano 600 was non-aero levers only apart from the AX stuff, but those levers are aero and look a lot like the Dura Ace ones that came out in the next generation. Very cool. https://www.velobase.com/ViewCompone...118&AbsPos=226

After some Googling, I now know the difference between aero and non-aero levers/hoods...so probably a stupid question on my part.

Great info! Thanks again.

Bar Bag Brace. Clever lightweight design.
(Don't know for which, if any, specific sack it is designed, but it works with a generic for me.)
(Picked up some fresh Bungee Cord yesterday to restore one which came into my possession with a 1973 Schwinn Super Sport, if I remember correctly.

I could be wrong but that;s what they look like and fits with the rest of the group. That bar bag brace is a neat one, looks like a good solution to the bag rotating under the handlebars.

Thank you. I'll check with my brother for more info. The bag may still be at my parents' house.

No stupid questions (for the most part), they are one of the main reasons you and we are here.

Nice score, good brother, you're on the right track, make it so.

Shimano produced New 600EX for the 1984-1987 models. When introduced, they retained the BL-6300 aero brake lever from 600AX has an aero option for New 600EX. The dedicated BL-6209 aero brake lever wasn't introduced until the 1987 model year. I can't identify the brake levers from the photograph but they're definitely not OEM, as the 1985 Bianchi Limited was spec'd with the standard BL-6207 brake levers with external cable routing. Aero brake levers became one of the most popular upgrade in the late 1980s, so it's not suprising to find them on the subject bicycle.

Thank you. I should have the bike in the next couple weeks. I'll report back.

I'm curious what type of seat is hiding under the cover.

Any idea where I can find a 1985 catalog online. I searched but couldn't find one.

I picked up the bike over the weekend and worked on disassembly.

The serial number stamped on the bottom bracket is A4400 A5

The aero-brake levers are labeled "SLR".

Curious if the stem and handlebars are original. The stem is stamped with "SR." The handlebars appear to be "OLD LOGO Cinelli Campione Del Mondo Mod 66-42."

The seat is labeled "Linea" and the seat post is stamped "3ttt," Google says "Mod Record?"

Each decal has a black "X" through the B in Bianchi. Any significance? I haven't seen this in my interweb searches.

All other components are Shimano 600 stamped XX-6207.

The frame is pretty dinged up. Contemplating a home repaint. If I decide to go this route, what's the best way to source a new decal set?

The rear DR and cranks are pretty trashed as well. Thinking about using oven cleaner, 2000 grit, and polish. Any tips?

Disregard this. I was able to remove the "X" on one of the decals. Seems my brother had some fun with a marker.

SLR stands for Shimano Linear Response and is a later brake lever than the N600EX ones.

For cleaning and polishing old alloy parts by hand, I've found Mother's Paste Polish (sold in automotive sections of stores) to be absolutely amazing stuff. I put some on a hub t hat was brown and it cleaned that hub and polished it up (with a micro-fibre cloth) just like new.

Cheers

Looks like you have a ‘85 Limited. The bar and stem are replacements and may be a mismatch, as Cinelli normally made 26.4 and 26.0 clamp are bars but I can’t remember if SR made 26.0 stems.

SLR was one of Shipmano’s efforts to prevent bike manufacturers from not using a complete component group. The SLR brakes used a lighter spring in the calipers to open them and a spring in the lever to pull the cable back. If you paired a lower cost springless lever with the SLR calipers you got a mushy feel. STI, Shipmano Total Integration was a further step first, on flat bar bikes, mounting the shifter directly to brake lever made it difficult to use shipmano index shift systems but cheaper brakes. I believe there was a lawsuit over this. Unfortunately market pressure weighed in and customers (thanks various “buyers guides” from bike rags, consumer reports etc) soon began demanding complete groups and Suntour just couldn’t complete.

Great info.

Thank you for the brochure pages!

I thought I would post some photos of the completed bike. It was disassembled, cleaned, lubed, touched up, and reassembled. I polished all aluminum components and installed new tires, bar tape, cables and housings, chain, and a loaner seat from another bike for now. I touched up and tried to restore the original paint, which looks perfect (from 8' away). The bike fits me well and will be a weekend cruiser.

Thanks for the help from those who replied!