Found a Corso in the garbage
 

a friend and i found a pretty "beaten on the surface yet still fine overall" frame in the trash yesterday. most of the decals are gone, but the sticker on the headset says "Corso". i can't find any info on this company online so i figured i'd post here. i apologize for the lack of photos but we dont have a camera right now.

:D Hi
I am pretty sure that this is an old Italian frame from the 1960's that was imported and sold through Stuyvesant Bicycles in New York City. They were pretty nice bikes for their era, kind of basic workhorse bikes that would last for quite a time. The problem that you will encounter today, if you do not have the bottom bracket, pedals, stem and handlebars, is that all of this equipment is Italian threaded and a bit smaller sized diameters than normal available parts. You would have to find another old Italian bike (quite possible I am sure in NYC) in order to install parts for it.
So, you have a good sturdy frame ( provided that it is straight) , but obtaining parts for it might prove interesting. Good luck with your find.

Jacksbike

thanks for the info! the bike actually has BB, crank, bars and headset... the only thing it's missing is wheels.

There is alot of italian threaded stuff available via e-bay, private sales etc.
IIRC some of the english thread and italian threaded components are
interchangeable the pitch of the threads is different.

Marty

:) Sounds like if you find a cheap set of 27" steel or alum. wheels you are all set. If you still have the old chain I think you will have to replace it with a basic new one-reason is that a brand new freewheel does not work very well with a worn chain-skipping etc. Would not be worth it to buy a brand new set of wheels- I am sure you can find a used set - and you will be on your way !

what jack said.

I saw one of these at curbside a few weeks ago on Columbus Ave running to the dr before work to get blood drawn, had to rush to the office fast, but I was still plotting how to stash it at work without a lock.

gave up my blood and urine, ran back out - just in time to see the garbage truck pull away with it deep in the truck's bowels.......:( :( :( :( :( :(

I had one of these in the 70s. the parts and threads were a pain but the frame, tho heavy, was nice enough.

lemme know if you wanna sell it!

btw, the one I saw looked pretty intact - what a waste.

I remember mine from the mid 70s - a "Giro D'Italia" model.

I recall it had centerpull brakes, 'safety' brake levers, cottered cranks, a regina freewheel (14-28?), simplex derailleurs, chromed fork ends and stays, plastic narrow racing saddle, vinyl bar tape, lugs (obviously), no tubing decal I can recall. The head tube logo had wings around the name and a Ballantine Beer/John Bonham symbol (three circles intersecting).

Sounds just like what my Atala looked like when new.
Top

I just saw a guy with an old Atala on the subway this morning; he'd converted it to a SS

Corsos are wonderful bicycles! I just finished a build of a nice early 70s road racer. Here is the link

My understanding is that this was a fine Italian bike builder of relatively light, moderately priced bicycles. There were at least three U.S. importers, and finding info has been tough. My mother who is Italian remembers the name from when she was in Italy (she is Italian and lived there until the middle of WWII), so it would seem that they had been around at least back in the 40s.

In any case, the frame is surprisingly rigid and light for a 70s model. The lugs are awesome, and the seat stay connection to the seat tube is very unique. The threading on my frame was standard Italian, so new or old parts would work just as well. I used a Campagnolo Chorus bottom bracket (probably about 4-5 years old) and it worked like a charm.

Corso...nice bicycle.

I used to work at Stuyvestant Bicycle Shop...you may try A Better Bicycle Shop;some of the guys there worked at Stuyvestant.

Wow. OP's post was twelve years ago. Talk about back from the dead. 💀

That's nuthin'

I wonder what the longest time a thread has sat dormant and undesturbed, only have someone knock the dust off of it and answer/ask a question?

Welcome to Bike Forums C&V.
With a name like yours, i'm guessing you are a good fit.

It's not dead, just slooooooooooooooow to respond.
All good and welcome.
Ben

Where is it located?

yes, Corso was a private label created by Sruyvesant, in the very late sixties or as late as 1971 or so. The name comes from the last name of the two brothers who owned the company, and they created the label, because their primary vendors couldn't deliver enough low/mid level bikes to meet our (I was working there at the time) demand.

The decision was made to shift to higher mid level bikes from Atala and Bottecchia, who's labels had more cachet, and to fill in at the bottom with generic bikes from a lesser known factory with the capacity to spare.

What's most impressive to me is the near-exact 8 year span between the posts, both by single-post members of the site.

Even more impressive is the fact that the info provided by the person who resurrected this thread was outdated by those same 8 years (or more).

I'm looking for it now...Sal was there when I went back a few years ago, so it's been a while. I was on 22nd and I want to say later on 14th. I'm googling now.

My Corso Bike
 

Just Got it a few months ago in nearly the same shape it is in today...i live in kenya,it has rigida superchromex rims 27 by 1.25 inches ,suntour Honor Five Speed Rear Derailleur.suntour sprint 2 Speed front Derailleur ,shimano hubs and brakes, and a schwin saddle

Welcome to BF! You might have one of the bikes sent over from Thunder Bay, Canada.

Looks like it found a good home! is the bike your main means of travel?

My Corso Bike
 

I own two road bikes now this one and a red one ,i use this one for exercise and training for road races(buying a new modern pro road bike is impossible for me)and most times to get to work when I`m really late,but maintaining it is kind of an issue parts are impossible to find so i might have to ground it for some time as i try to find tires for it

Parts should not not an issue,especially tyres. While 27 x 1-1/4" is no longer OEM specification, they ares still being manufactured for the replacement market. Any LBS should be able to order them for you. Even Walmart carries them and compatible 27" x 1-1/8" models. Similarly, while exact replacement parts for other items may no longer be available, compatible replacement parts are readily available.