Hello everyone, I was wondering if someone could help me identify this battaglin model and help me understand this zanella writing on it. I was told zanella was a framebuilder for colnago, but I have found no record of him ever working for battaglin.Thank you
this is the only picture I have.

Why do you think it's a Battaglin?

well, it looks like it has the classic battaglin relief on the top tube although painted over

I think I've seen those on other makers' bikes, but I can't be sure. Without a head badge or other pantographing, I wouldn't conclude it's a a Battaglin.

ok, thanks anyway

NEWtie , you probably should ask a moderator to move this thread to the Classic and Vintage subforum. You're more likely to get info there.

thanks man

Judging by it saying Zanella on it I would guess it to be a Zanella possibly the Dino Zanella who formerly built for Colnago back in the day as you alluded to. Battalign is a different maker (and former racer). However a lot of bikes especially in the steel era in Italy looked similar to a degree. I mean if you showed the average bike knowledgeable person 4 frames that were from Italy in the 70s or 80s with no paint of identifying letters on it most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Obviously there are some super knowledgeable folks in C&V who could tell anything from the simplest lug or certain B.B. shell used or the angle of something but to mear mortals it all kind of blurs together to a point. However I think this is its own thing not related to Battaglin beyond them both being Italian and maybe using similar tubing (probably from Columbus)

It is a neat bike though and probably quite fun to ride but me I would rather have a brand new Officina Batttalign those are super pretty and with a nice cromovelato finish...DAAAAAAYUM!

Thread moved from Road to C&V.

I could be wrong but I think that mark you're referring to is from Bilato Bros a big contract builder who built frames for lots of importers/distributers with lots of licensed band names on them.

FWIW the bike looks to date from the mid '90s judging by the luggless construction and the unicrown fork. I'm guessing the group might be the last year Athena used the Monoplanor style brake and that low profile chrank (both handed down from Chorus) or early Mirage be every part got the group name put on it

yes, someone also said something about billato

You can post pictures on Billato's FB page about it. Include the underside of the bottom bracket. Roberto is good about responding on if they made it or not.

I'll try that, thanks!

Yes here is some more info https://vintagevelore-cycling.com/di...-columbus-slx/

Billatos here, too
Show your Billato Built Bike - Any Make

Another contract possibility is Mondonico. Often used by the same vendors.

I will stick my neck out (and put my foot in ) to say judging by a few clues I will guess it may come from the BONATI/CONTI factory (Bonati is frequently confused with Billato, there were "brothers" in both firms but they are not the same firm) and given it's Tig-welded with a unicrown fork has to from the '90s or so...
Clues are that brazed-on "flag" on the south end of the top tube (others used it but Bonati was a "power user") and this is the "later, "Italicized" or slanted flag version, which makes the bike look faster, right?
And the semi-vertical dropouts.
But what's curveball is that paint: I'd bet money it was "Varnish by Dosenna Carlo" but he applied his one-off paintjobs to several different contractors and marques, but I believe all were in the Greater Milano Regione, FWIW. And per the website Zanella was based in Pordenone, pretty far from
Milan in the region north of Venice, so...not sure what that tells us.
Would be a great idea to run the pix (including close-ups of frame details) by Roberto Billato as well as post some here!

May I ask, what if anything is stamped on the bb shell. Front of the drive side may have something, bottom of the other side maybe also. The frame does have similarities to some later Concorde products made by Billato. Yours seems to have semi vertical dropouts I believe? I attached a couple of photos of a late Concorde I found in a sale post on a popular social platform.