Anyone out there know anything about Romani frames?

I have one circa 1981. Columbus SL tubing, made in Italy. I purchased it at Bicycle Village in Falls Church, VA. (Marty probably remembers this place.) Romani was imported, at least on the East Coast by Mel Pinto Imports). I haven't found much about Romani by searching on the web..

Thanks --- SteveE

Mel Pinto is based in Falls Church. Phone # 7032374686. I think they may have imported them.

Don D.,

Thanks. I know, that's who I bought it from. Mel Pinto Imports was upstairs from Bicycle Village Pro Shop on Annandale Rd. in Falls Church. When I had the frame repainted about 10 years ago, Mel sold me the last set of Romani decals he had stashed away in one of his drawers. I guess I could give them a call and ask them if they had any background info on Romani.

SteveE

I may be wrong about this, but I think Romani was a house brand for Mel Pinto. I know he branded bikes with his name, but I think this may have been a kind of upscale house brand for them. Not positive about that though. I never bought frames and stuff from them. I used them for french and swiss threaded parts. He had alot of that and he used to carry alot of tandem stuff.

I went and checked the frame. It appears that Romani started in building frames in 1924. One of the decals reads "Frames Romani Italy dal 1924". I think this means "since 1924".

Oh, ok, I kinda thought it was a name that Pinto came up with and had some italian shop build for him, but it sounds like that was wrong.

Don,

Do you know if Mel is still in business? He was getting up in years 10 years ago. I thought that maybe he sold the business. Maybe they just kept the name?

I think he is. I think he is still doing wholesale too. I can't get any links to work, but if you search on Mel Pinto Imports you'll find some stuff on him. He is a distributor for TA, Time, and ALAN products. I think from an article I just read(can't get link to work), he is 79 now.

yup I remember Bicycle Village, you went in talked to
Mel Pinto, spent hours in there drooling over the newest
bestest italian hardware.
Mel is still in business but I'm not sure where or how
to contact him (is he still in Falls Church?).


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

They were the suppliers for the Palo Alto bikes of the 70's.
They are known for supplying small house brands with frames.
Nice frames but do not have quite the cache of say an old
colnago or masi.

Marty

Thanks, guys!

I'll try to post some pictures of the frame. The current paint job is MUCH nicer than the original. Anyone know of a good source for NOS Campy NR or SR headset? That's the only item in the gruppo that I've had to replace. For financial reasons I put a Shimano HS on the bike but in my restoration I want it back to all Campagnolo.

SteveE

Whoa! that was a blast from the past, I remember Palo Alto Mailorder. What years were they putting out their mailorder catalog? I also remember their frames. Always wondered who made those. What about Torelli's? Are they jobbed out to? I kinda always suspected as much.

I remember their catalogs. I loved the cover photos. Especially one of a lone cyclist on Gavia Pass in Italy. It may have been Jobst Brandt who took those photos.

Steve,

there's a NOS Edco on e-bay for $10.50 currently.
(and an Edco Competition) they were expensive back in
the day if I remember correctly 3 hours left

There's a NOS SR currently bidding at $26 3 days left


Marty