Info needed - 80's Italian frames made for Palo Alto Bikes?
 

I've been offered a minty Italian frameset of unknown parentage, in my size. The owner is a known, trusted, knowledgeable person who's opinion I value. He can only go by what he was told, but has a good eye for frames. He got this frameset in a trade from a fellow that claims to have bought it from Palo Alto Cycles in the mid 80's. The original owner's story is that the framesets were made in Italy for the shop, but cannot be confirmed as of yet.

The frameset is ruby red, as new, no decals - but shop-marked in the steel. I have not seen it yet, but the owner says it is cherry, has nice lug work, and appears to be Columbus steel of some sort. Frame, fork, and Avocet BB are included - not sure about headset. Price is $250.

Does anyone have any knowledge or insight about Palo Alto Cycles, or contract mid-80's Italian steel? T-Mar?

I have a spare Shimano Ultegra group laying about that I can use to build it up right away, with the idea to evenytually "modernize" it with Campagnolo 9 or 10 speed.

ANY help or opinions appreciated......

smoke em if you got em i.e. buy ittt

If I'm not mistaken, Palo Alto is said to have retailed Mexican "Cinelli" bikes of Columbus tubing from the same builder(s) as the Mexican Windsors... At least, I believe that's what people told me when I bought my Mexican Windsor.

[QUOTE=
ANY help or opinions appreciated......[/QUOTE]
You said "any", so here goes; got this off the CR list, and it's not the only reference to Romani as the supplier to PA Bikes:
I found this info on Romani in my Used Bike Buyers Guide. I know nothing
else about them other than I had also made a note that they built the Palo
Alto framesets. Perhaps Steven Maasland knows.

ROMANI: Via Are, 12-43038 Sala Baganza, Parma, Italy 011-39-521-833146.
Currently, Rodolfo &Gaetano Romani. Since 1924. Columbus & Oria tubing.
>>

I've heard, Ritchey, Colnago and Romani mentioned as possible suppliers for Palo Alto bicycles. Aren't they still in business? Why not try contacting them?

I used to have the (1984?) Palo Alto catalog, but I mailed it off to a member who bought a Palo Alto bike. He posted the catalog on his website, but it looks like his website is down now. You might try PMing him; I can't remember now who made the frameset. Another solution would be to call them up-- they're still in business, from what I hear.

I've got some old Palo Alto catalogs, but I'm pretty sure them don't reference the source for the frames. I also believe them are more late 1980s, around 1988-1989. I'll check to-morrow evening, after work. I've got to go beddy-bye now. Good night John-Boy.

Yes - I thought of this :) . While the web page is still active, the email bounced and they are closed for the evening. I plan on giving them a ring tomorrow.

FWIW, I've been perusing the Serrota Bicycle Forum, and there are a lot of folks that think they were made by either BMZ (BIEMMEZETA?) or Romani. I'm going to go look at it tonight, and see if there is a BMZ on the BB shell.

Ok - went to go give it a look-see. Chrome Campy dropouts with adjuster screws, simple but clean looking lugs, sloping fork crown with the Columbus logo, chrome chain stay and chrome seat stay caps. Seat stay caps and top of bottom bracket shell are engraved/embossed with Palo Alto. Bottom of BB shell is marked "BMZ", so this is definitely a Biemmezeta-made frame. BB shell is 70mm (of course), and rear dropouts measure about 129mm inside-to-inside. Fork and rear bridge are drilled for recessed brakes, dual water bottle bosses, pump peg, and braze-on shifter mounts are present. No rack or fender bosses on the forks or stays. Not sure how to measure the chain stay length, but they are pretty long, measuring about 15.5" (394mm) from rear of BB shell to middle of dropout. A test wheel inserted had the tire clearing the seat tube by at least an inch - maybe more.

It is a beautiful metallic ruby red. It looks like it was built up at one time, but barely ridden. A couple of small nicks here and there, but basically new looking. No decals. Comes with an installed Avocet BB, and a Campy seat post and binder bolt.

Not my dream Colnago, but a nice Italian frame nevertheless. What'cha think?

What!? You buy every red-headed stepchild bike in the Bay Area, and you have to ask us about THIS one!?

Funny guy.... :p

I buy all those other bikes so I can have the pocket money to grab a bike like this, FOR ME, when it comes along. The question is - is this The One?

You know the guy that's selling it, too. His initials are JK.

If I go ahead and scoop it up, you might be making decals for it - if I can figure out what the hell it is. Then again, I might leave it unmarked or maybe use my own (Italian) surname on the downtube. Hmmmm.....

Wait a minute -- BMZ on the bottom bracket means Biemmezeta? Think you just solved the mystery of who the contract manufacturer was on my Lazzzareti frame. Thanks!

Mine is a nice ride, albeit a little large for me at 58cm. Different engraving, obviously, nice cut-out bottom bracket, drilled/milled dropout faces, and plenty of chrome. Sounds similar to the one you're looking at.

From Lou's buyers guide:

BIEMMEZETA: Italy, 011-39-429-780788. Tanner Cycle, Peabody MA 01960.
Province of Padova, Italy. Italian threading. Investment cast lugs and
bottom bracket shell. Columbus tubing.
Models:
Chronostar 85 SL (Wishbone seatstay)

further CR archives discussion of BMZ:
So yes, I'd scarf that up in a heartbeat. either get some Palo Alto repop decals
or have some decal maker do up something snobbish like Colnassini, De Narello or Pogliago!

marty

Avenan;

check this
http://search.bikelist.org/?SearchString=Biemmezeta
mentions Lazzaretti in the results.

marty

Thanks! The myriad of incorrect ways to spell Lazzaretti meant I didn't see that post before in the archives. That I didn't see it when it was originally sent, however, is very odd. Oh well.

No problem - thanks for helping me out with the Merckx a while back. You did see I received a reply from Gita, yes?

Enabler....... ;)

Yeah - after seeing it last night, I tossed and turned all night thinking about it. It really is a beauty. Pics to come later tonight.

bossman - buy it. (another texas enabler here, just helping the cause ya know ;))

If it's unlabled now, I like the idea of branding it as your own.

Yep I did -- and noted it in the serials list.

Sorry to revive a long dead thread, but I thought I could offer some information here. I am the member who BlueOrder sent the catalog to. I am the happy owner of a blue mid-80's Palo Alto. I no longer maintain that website, but I've uploaded the catalog to a site that will be around for a while, I think, so here's the catalog. I'm sure the OP knows this already, but that frame looks to be a more recent vintage...the earlier frames had a very simple BMZ stamp on the bottom (not the fancier graphic on the ruby red beauty) and a slightly different design.

Here's a link to that catalog. Thanks again to BlueOrder for sending it along.

By the way, there's a beautiful looking Palo Alto on eBay right now, although the current owner might have some misconceptions about it's origin. Still a nice bike, though... I wish mine had more of the original components.

Hey, glad to see you're still around, and glad to see you've still got the bike, and the catalog posted on the web. :beer:

Cheers, Blue!

I haven't been hanging out in the forums as much as I did last year, but I still ride my Palo Alto regularly and get plenty of envious stares when I take it to the park. As a matter of fact, I think I'll take it out tomorrow!

Prospect Park? I spent a lot of time there when I stayed with friends on 7th Ave. in Brooklyn.

Is it the 49 cm, that is claimed built by Ritchey? a fine one! Too bad its too small!!!


Road Fan

Yep, that's the one. It's a great ride, although after five or six laps that hill really gets you. Well, when I haven't been riding much, it pretty much gets me on the second lap.

I usually stay out of the park early morning on the weekends... that's when the serious riders are out. They ride packs, and they'll run you off the road if you're not careful. I tend to ride at a more leisurely pace.

Prospect Park is also on my way out to Coney Island, which is a great ride. I like to go from the Brooklyn Bridge, through the park, out to Coney Island, down Neptune Avenue out to the Rockaways, and then back again. All told, it's about 30 - 35 miles, and about as nice a ride as you can find in the city.

Yes, it does look nice, doesn't it? But it is quite small. I've get an email from eBay anytime anything with "Palo Alto" comes up in the cycling category... I've got a couple of jerseys now and almost bought a second frame. I should probably delete that search... it's just too tempting!

Nice! Good memories (except for the humid heat... :p )... :)