Bergamo 10 Speed
08-06-24 | 06:46 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 221
Likes: 663
From: Eastern Iowa
Bikes: Canyon Endurace 7, Trek FX 2, Cannondale H400, Jazz Latitude, Bergamo (Made by Chiorda)
Bergamo 10 Speed
I got this bike at a yard sale 5 years ago and have been unable to find out much. Nothing appears left of this brand.
08-06-24 | 07:04 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 15,369
Likes: 4,393
From: Alta California
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appears to be contract produced by Chiorda, perhaps Italy's largest maker in terms of raw numbers, definitely ONE of the largest
the name may be a house brand for a retail cycle shop or for a distributor
there are thousands of such and they can be difficult to source
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readers would be able to give more information about the bicycle if additional images could be posted
from what can be seen in the two photos provided it appears to date from the early 1970's; suspect it could be much later than about 1974
lugs and headset seen in images are Agrati products
headset appears to be Agrati Art. 000.3071
Agrati headsets offered in an economy zinc finish and in a polished chrome finish, this is the zinc finish
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as you may know Bergamo is a place name in Italy, the name of a region
it is possible the the name was chosen as a house brand cycle marque by a retail cycle shop there
it could have been purchased by an American traveler or member of the armed forces and brought back with them when they returned home
if you wish to pursue the inquiry one avenue of investigation would be to contact the region's cycle shops
probably good to keep in mind that it has now been about half a century since the machine was originally sold...
this one says it began in 1975 -
https://www.morottisolociclismo.it/
search results (not all shops have web sites but all seem to give contact information):
https://www.google.com/search?q=cicl...66367831240723
[ wylde speculation
]
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appears to be contract produced by Chiorda, perhaps Italy's largest maker in terms of raw numbers, definitely ONE of the largest
the name may be a house brand for a retail cycle shop or for a distributor
there are thousands of such and they can be difficult to source
---
readers would be able to give more information about the bicycle if additional images could be posted
from what can be seen in the two photos provided it appears to date from the early 1970's; suspect it could be much later than about 1974
lugs and headset seen in images are Agrati products
headset appears to be Agrati Art. 000.3071
Agrati headsets offered in an economy zinc finish and in a polished chrome finish, this is the zinc finish
---
as you may know Bergamo is a place name in Italy, the name of a region
it is possible the the name was chosen as a house brand cycle marque by a retail cycle shop there
it could have been purchased by an American traveler or member of the armed forces and brought back with them when they returned home
if you wish to pursue the inquiry one avenue of investigation would be to contact the region's cycle shops
probably good to keep in mind that it has now been about half a century since the machine was originally sold...
this one says it began in 1975 -
https://www.morottisolociclismo.it/
search results (not all shops have web sites but all seem to give contact information):
https://www.google.com/search?q=cicl...66367831240723
[ wylde speculation
]-----
Last edited by juvela; 08-07-24 at 02:33 PM. Reason: addition
08-07-24 | 06:16 AM
#3
feros ferio
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 22,417
Likes: 1,882
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;
I think juvela nailed the origin (no surprise there 
).
Do you have a side view of the head tube and the fork crown? Are the head lugs integral with the head tube or actually brazed onto it? The fork crown and head tube look a lot like those of my first road bike, a bargain basement "Bianchi" (presumably contract-built by Chiorda) my father bought for me for Christmas, 1962 for $55 at Wheel World, Culver City, CA.
). Do you have a side view of the head tube and the fork crown? Are the head lugs integral with the head tube or actually brazed onto it? The fork crown and head tube look a lot like those of my first road bike, a bargain basement "Bianchi" (presumably contract-built by Chiorda) my father bought for me for Christmas, 1962 for $55 at Wheel World, Culver City, CA.
__________________
"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
08-08-24 | 02:10 PM
#6
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 221
Likes: 663
From: Eastern Iowa
Bikes: Canyon Endurace 7, Trek FX 2, Cannondale H400, Jazz Latitude, Bergamo (Made by Chiorda)
One More...Full Shot
Thanks for the input. Very interesting. I have had some fun on this bike, I used it a lot before I got my Canyon.
Thanks for the input. Very interesting. I have had some fun on this bike, I used it a lot before I got my Canyon.
08-08-24 | 03:09 PM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 15,369
Likes: 4,393
From: Alta California
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thank you for the additional images
information exhibited by them is confirmatory of a Chiorda origin
---
frame -
head lugs are Agrati "AM" pattern
upper head lug is item N. 000.8044
lower head lug is item N.000.8043
seat lug is AMERICA" pattern N. 086.8569
fork crown one widely seen on Chiroda built Bianchi cycles, do not have stock number
(Bianchi acquired Chiorda in 1966)
bottom bracket shell appears Agrati item N. 000.8507 (image indistinct, some guesswork involved)
dropouts Agrati N. 000.8002
fork ends Agrati N. 000.8010
both plate style stay bridges are Agrati pieces but do not have the stock numbers for them
the under the top tube routing of rear brake cable is something frequently encountered on Chiorda products
---
kitting -
OEM gear ensemble was Simplex Prestige
chainset may be OMG
pedals Union Frondenberg model K10491/U41
original stem/bar set likely 3TTT Tourist
original brake levers Balilla
non-original bits: front mech, rear mech, brake levers, stem, saddle
---
round black transfer on seat tube appears to be from a cycle shop, it may be cycle originally sold there or it may be it was only serviced there
there are other transfers which appear to be of post-manufacture origin, possible they may give helpful information
-----
thank you for the additional images
information exhibited by them is confirmatory of a Chiorda origin
---
frame -
head lugs are Agrati "AM" pattern
upper head lug is item N. 000.8044
lower head lug is item N.000.8043
seat lug is AMERICA" pattern N. 086.8569
fork crown one widely seen on Chiroda built Bianchi cycles, do not have stock number
(Bianchi acquired Chiorda in 1966)
bottom bracket shell appears Agrati item N. 000.8507 (image indistinct, some guesswork involved)
dropouts Agrati N. 000.8002
fork ends Agrati N. 000.8010
both plate style stay bridges are Agrati pieces but do not have the stock numbers for them
the under the top tube routing of rear brake cable is something frequently encountered on Chiorda products
---
kitting -
OEM gear ensemble was Simplex Prestige
chainset may be OMG
pedals Union Frondenberg model K10491/U41
original stem/bar set likely 3TTT Tourist
original brake levers Balilla
non-original bits: front mech, rear mech, brake levers, stem, saddle
---
round black transfer on seat tube appears to be from a cycle shop, it may be cycle originally sold there or it may be it was only serviced there
there are other transfers which appear to be of post-manufacture origin, possible they may give helpful information
-----
Last edited by juvela; 08-08-24 at 03:13 PM. Reason: spellin'
08-09-24 | 10:46 AM
#8
Thread Starter
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 221
Likes: 663
From: Eastern Iowa
Bikes: Canyon Endurace 7, Trek FX 2, Cannondale H400, Jazz Latitude, Bergamo (Made by Chiorda)
Thanks for all the info. I did some research on Chiorda. I think a possible origin is that it was made for JC Penny or Ward's or someone like that, etc with the name Bergamo emphasizing Made in Italy as sort of a slightly more upscale model. Chirorda was based in Bergamo it appears. Also, the bike is older than I thought it was. I would guess now that its somewhere around the Mid 60's.
08-09-24 | 11:16 AM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 15,369
Likes: 4,393
From: Alta California
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recall participating in a JC Penneys Chiorda thread here -
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/jc...-italy.133427/
your cycle exhibits some details which make me think it could not be prior to the early 1970's...but then i certainly make my share of errors...
Chiorda also produced cycles for Sears and for Kmart, the latter under the AllPro badge
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recall participating in a JC Penneys Chiorda thread here -
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/jc...-italy.133427/
your cycle exhibits some details which make me think it could not be prior to the early 1970's...but then i certainly make my share of errors...
Chiorda also produced cycles for Sears and for Kmart, the latter under the AllPro badge
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