Identifying an '80s Bianchi model and year
03-17-24 | 10:00 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Chromolyamorous
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 65
Likes: 68
From: Medford MA
Bikes: Just some old ten speeds
Identifying an '80s Bianchi model and year
Recently picked up a mid-80s Bianchi roadie. It's a dull red color. Bottom bracket serial reads S4167C5.
Maybe a Stelvio? It looks a lot like this Stelvio-- Road Test/Bike Review (1985) Entry-Level Racing Bikes
It has a "Bianchi Special Columbus" badge on the fork, and a similar "Bianchi Special Produzione Columbus" badge on the frame.
Without wheels or a chain, the otherwise-complete bike weighs 14.8 lbs on my luggage scale.
It's no museum piece, with plenty of little chips and surface rust spots. (The irony of wanting to identify it is I'm not going to make any effort to keep it original.)
The rust (original?) calipers are Modolo. The (original?) pedals say Lyotard 82, though I see this was stock on an '85 Stelvio so the 82 is not the production year.
Will post pics in a follow up.
Maybe a Stelvio? It looks a lot like this Stelvio-- Road Test/Bike Review (1985) Entry-Level Racing Bikes
It has a "Bianchi Special Columbus" badge on the fork, and a similar "Bianchi Special Produzione Columbus" badge on the frame.
Without wheels or a chain, the otherwise-complete bike weighs 14.8 lbs on my luggage scale.
It's no museum piece, with plenty of little chips and surface rust spots. (The irony of wanting to identify it is I'm not going to make any effort to keep it original.)
The rust (original?) calipers are Modolo. The (original?) pedals say Lyotard 82, though I see this was stock on an '85 Stelvio so the 82 is not the production year.
Will post pics in a follow up.
03-17-24 | 10:09 AM
#3
Thread Starter
Chromolyamorous
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 65
Likes: 68
From: Medford MA
Bikes: Just some old ten speeds
This thread has just about already answered it: Bianci Special Columbus decal - what is it?
Tre Tubi Rinforzati means only the 3 main tubes are butted, so it's a midrange model. If not a Stelvio then something similar. Glad it's not a truly high end machine in such neglected shape.
Tre Tubi Rinforzati means only the 3 main tubes are butted, so it's a midrange model. If not a Stelvio then something similar. Glad it's not a truly high end machine in such neglected shape.
03-19-24 | 02:28 PM
#5
feros ferio
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 22,408
Likes: 1,873
From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Help me out here, someone more knowledgeable regarding Bianchi serial numbers. Does that count as a C.5 (March 1985 production) or an S4 (sometime in 1984 production)?
Would this frame be comparable in quality to my Campione d'Italia, which is also tre tubi?
Would this frame be comparable in quality to my Campione d'Italia, which is also tre tubi?
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
01-01-25 | 09:50 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Chromolyamorous
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 65
Likes: 68
From: Medford MA
Bikes: Just some old ten speeds
Update, I've been riding this bike for a year and took it on two tours.
This frame has about a 57.25cm top tube, measured c-c, and a 72 degree seat tube angle. That shouldn't be a Stelvio; the review linked above says a 56cm Stelvio had a 55cm top tube and 74 degree seat tube angle. So it remains a mystery what model this was originally.
I really like the slack seat tube angle. It lets me get to KOPS before the saddle reaches the end of its rails. On my other old steel road frames the saddle is all the way back on the rails before I'm even at the KOPS "starting point." It's not good to hit the ending point before the starting point.
This frame has about a 57.25cm top tube, measured c-c, and a 72 degree seat tube angle. That shouldn't be a Stelvio; the review linked above says a 56cm Stelvio had a 55cm top tube and 74 degree seat tube angle. So it remains a mystery what model this was originally.
I really like the slack seat tube angle. It lets me get to KOPS before the saddle reaches the end of its rails. On my other old steel road frames the saddle is all the way back on the rails before I'm even at the KOPS "starting point." It's not good to hit the ending point before the starting point.
01-01-25 | 11:00 AM
#7
Bianchi Goddess
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 28,925
Likes: 4,176
From: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.
Update, I've been riding this bike for a year and took it on two tours.
This frame has about a 57.25cm top tube, measured c-c, and a 72 degree seat tube angle. That shouldn't be a Stelvio; the review linked above says a 56cm Stelvio had a 55cm top tube and 74 degree seat tube angle. So it remains a mystery what model this was originally.
I really like the slack seat tube angle. It lets me get to KOPS before the saddle reaches the end of its rails. On my other old steel road frames the saddle is all the way back on the rails before I'm even at the KOPS "starting point." It's not good to hit the ending point before the starting point.
This frame has about a 57.25cm top tube, measured c-c, and a 72 degree seat tube angle. That shouldn't be a Stelvio; the review linked above says a 56cm Stelvio had a 55cm top tube and 74 degree seat tube angle. So it remains a mystery what model this was originally.
I really like the slack seat tube angle. It lets me get to KOPS before the saddle reaches the end of its rails. On my other old steel road frames the saddle is all the way back on the rails before I'm even at the KOPS "starting point." It's not good to hit the ending point before the starting point.
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
01-06-25 | 09:39 AM
#8
Thread Starter
Chromolyamorous
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 65
Likes: 68
From: Medford MA
Bikes: Just some old ten speeds
The rear dropouts have BIANCHI stamped on each one, all caps, and no other markings.
Here's the fork crown and tops of the seat stays (is that the "stay caps"?) I don't see any markings other than the prominent Bianchi "B" at either spot.
01-06-25 | 11:29 AM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 737
From: Kingdom of Hawai'i
Bikes: Peugeot, Legnano, Fuji, Zunow, De Rosa, Miyata, Bianchi, Pinarello, Specialized, Bridgestone, Cinelli, Merckx
Careful with those old Gatorskins, the sidewall on the front tire looks like it's going to give way.
01-06-25 | 04:57 PM
#10
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,827
Likes: 1,806
From: Northern California
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Are you measuring the ST angle off of the TT angle, or perhaps on a not-so-level surface?
Did you measure the STL as center-to-top or C-C?
I can't really imagine this particular Bianchi having a 72-degree ST angle.
Did you measure the STL as center-to-top or C-C?
I can't really imagine this particular Bianchi having a 72-degree ST angle.
01-08-25 | 09:22 PM
#11
Thread Starter
Chromolyamorous
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 65
Likes: 68
From: Medford MA
Bikes: Just some old ten speeds
I measured from the ST to the TT with a protractor.
To double check the protractor, which is not super easy to read, I did some tape-measurements and some trig to compute a STA. These are all c-c, rounded to nearest cm:
ST = 56cm
TT = 57cm
DT = 61cm
HT = 9cm
The HTA is around 74 degrees. Based on that, the math projects a STA slightly below 72 degrees. Close enough to the protractor.
This frame has no other "touring" features -- no canti brakes, minimal bosses (sadly) and shorter chain stays; the 28mm rear tire is within 1cm of the seat tube. So it's a roadie, it's just got that low, lax STA. It's an oddball.
To double check the protractor, which is not super easy to read, I did some tape-measurements and some trig to compute a STA. These are all c-c, rounded to nearest cm:
ST = 56cm
TT = 57cm
DT = 61cm
HT = 9cm
The HTA is around 74 degrees. Based on that, the math projects a STA slightly below 72 degrees. Close enough to the protractor.
This frame has no other "touring" features -- no canti brakes, minimal bosses (sadly) and shorter chain stays; the 28mm rear tire is within 1cm of the seat tube. So it's a roadie, it's just got that low, lax STA. It's an oddball.
