Ever seen a Campagnolo seatpost with measuring increments on the side? Me neither, but its pictured in the catalogs!

Is there any chance the bike originally came with cottered cranks, which were still common on high-end bikes into the early 1960s? I have some safety concerns regarding early aluminum Campagnolo cranks.

I first got exposed to Legnano in 1964 or 1965, when the rich kid next door got one (the $110 model, I believe) for Christmas. With its chrome lugs, true quick release wheelset, centerpull brakes, and Campagnolo gear, it outclassed my humble $55 Bianchi Corsa.

I think the chances are slim, since I've come across several referencs to Romas with the really rare raised-pedal-lip Campy cranks, which would indicate Legnano was probably putting them on their top-of-the-line model even before the Record rear derailleur came out. I really think a bike that special deserves the special crankset anyway, but that's my opinion and it's not my bike. I understand the safety concerns, but I hope that bike won't be ridden exactly into the ground by its (new?) owner anyway. I'm a lot more worried about the guy in the other thread who's thinking of putting 500-600 miles a year on wooden rims. I will say that putting a lot of money into a 151 bcd set of cranks in really nice shape may well not be recouped at auction. If it were mine and I was planning on selling, I'd look for a little while for an early set of Campy cranks I could snap up at a reasonable price, but if I couldn't manage that, I'd probably sell it as-is. Heck, the guy who buys it may have the 151 bcd cranks already stashed away just waiting for the right bike to put them on.

I got home and took a look at the hubs they only say campagnolo and not campagnolo record. I removed the locknut on the front hub an in the back it says CAM 65. I would take a wild guess and conclude it means 1965. The front derailleur does have the integral cable stop as suggested by picchio. Dating the bike to 1965 means that I still have to look for a 151 BCD crankset. I will continue to look for a week on ebay and post ads on local classifieds and if I dont find It for less than $300, the legnano will probably go on ebay as it is (but cleaner and with much better pictures). Also what do you think about my saddle choice? had it in by parts box , is it close too period correct?

Hey now!:D

That's 1, 25-30 mile ride per week for 4 1/2 months. I do it now on a 50-year-old bike.

And for the record, I am leaning towards the aluminum rims. Although I was PMed by a guy with many amazing wood rims to trade. He even had some Scheerens in the pictures.

End of hijack.

Some of those Legnanos came with a rare Campagnolo-brooks saddle. Another one of those items the next owner will want to track down on his/her own. I wouldn't sweat the saddle. Your bike is once-in-a-lifetime or close to it, condition wise. Whomever lands it will make sure to get the right parts to complete it.

Odd, I thought they started adding the word Record to hubs after 1963, that doesn't match to the lock nuts and those are definately Record hubs.

Also, let me get this straight, if you can't get a campy crank you are going to sell it? Why is the crank so important?

Not sure of what you're asking. My Legnano has the Gran Sport RD w/o the adjusting barrel on the derailleur. Attaches to the dropout by means of a bolt which threads into the dropout.

The No-Record hubs definitely persisted after 1963, even though the "Record" marked hubs debuted that year. They apparently coexisted for a while. Another bit of Campagnolo charm.

I think the OP is planning on selling the bike either way.

I checked the hubs again, just to make sure , even removed the ''grease hole cap'' and it does not say record.About the saddle , the guy I bought the bike from said he threw it away be cause it was dry...Also thanks for comments about the condition, I am very lucky those days.This year I found ;a pinarello treviso, a pinarello montello, a c-record century equipped chas roberts, a miyata team sl, this bike and a few others, all in near mint condition. Lets just say that I can't afford to keep all these bikes and buying/selling bikes enables me to live my passion for bikes and make a bit of money at the same time. The Legnano is going on ebay crankset or not, its just that I am giving myself a week or two before it goes for sale.

Well it looks like we have most of the pieces to the "what year is my Legnano" puzzle. Using component date codes is not the most definitive method but when coupled with an original owner and a bicycle in an unaltered condition you can get awfully close. So, I guess we'll call it a 1965? Or do we have 1963 hubs with incorrect locknuts? Anyway Iam sure we'll all be watching eBay with our big stacks of Franklins in front of us.

this bit here:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1424/...673dc43ff9.jpg

later versions were not drilled..
it would be interesting to know legnano may have used these dropouts on bikes as late as 1965

OK now I understand. Yes, my 63 Legnano has that drilled hole.

I think 1965 (or maybe 66, depending on when the bike was assembled) is as close as we're going to get. I would be inclined to go with '65. There's no real surprise about those hubs - there are numerous examples of "no Record" hubs with later-dated locknuts. The timeline doesn't claim that every hub that left the factory after '63 had "Record" stamped on it, and parts could have persisted in the supply chain for a long time.

I've had my '60 Premio since I was 18 (well, it was in the basement my whole life, I'm 27 now)... I love it more each day. Few things age as well as a good Legnano! Please take some more pictures for us.

A couple more thoughts re your Legnano. Was the entire BB assembly changed out? Also no mention of original pedals. Did they go with the crankset? I think original pedals can be quite expensive, probably in the $200 range. Anything less than very good to NOS condition would only detract from the Legnano's appearance IMHO.

I will list the bike as a 1965 based on the exellent informations I got on this forum. The pedals went with the crankset, unfortunately. I think my chances of finding the crankset in a timely manner are very slim so the bike will probably go with the crankset and pedals that are actually on it. I am actually dissasembling the bike to clean it , I will post pictures once its done. In the meanwhile, and I find it quite incredible, a local offered me a red Legnano with campagnolo dropouts , cottered cranks and NR R derailleur. We settled on the price and I should have it by the end of the month (hope he doesnt change his mind).As for the BB assembly, I really dont think it was changed, I could post pictures of the bb once the cranks are removed. I will have to get it removed at the bike shop because my crank tool is way to small for the cranks (hole too big).

A "local"? Tell them I want to meet their chief. My bike could use some company.

No problems; the stonglight 49 is at least period correct even if not the proper nationality.:D

Pictures of the cleaned legnano
 

If its of interest to anyone, here are some pictures of the Legnano I finally finished cleaning. I really like the crankset ,if I would keep the bike I would leave it. I also think I will wait to have the other legnano in hands before putting this one for sale.

Here is one picture , for other pictures you can go there

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1041/...11027cf0c2.jpg

I have little to add to the thread but this.....often components like hubs will sit in the supply line for a while after manufacture, so the hubs dated 65 might be put on a 66 or 67 bike, or even later. My Paramount P-15, with a frame made in 1973, as well as my wife's Paramount P-15, made in 1974 have pre-1972 Campy triple crank sets on them, at least on the drive side. The non drive sides are closer to the actual year of manufacture.

In any event, it is a beautiful bike and I wish it were my size! :D

Godfrey Daniels! That's a beautiful Legnano! I believe the excellent condition will offset any loss in value from the Stronglight 49d crankset, which can be somewhat valuable. I can see that you are in the early stages of separation anxiety!

another legnano
 

Hi, Its me again, thanks for your comments, the Legnano will be for sale soon but in the meantime,here are pictures of the other Legnano I have been offered. The pictures are bad but that is all I have to work with untill I see the bike this week. It is equipped in nuovo record and the sellers says the paint over the chrome on the fork is ''flaking''. It is not exactly cheap ($350) but I was pretty sure it was a good deal until I saw that a legnano equipped with campagnolo gran sport just sold for $330 on ebay. What dou you think? is it worth the risk? thanks !

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1112/...57ada209_o.jpg

The dropouts appear to be stamped campagnolo

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1012/...9fee56f5_o.jpg

Need to see more of the Legnano to determine if it's worth the asking price. The Legnano 'mystique' has an uplifting effect on prices. According to Sheldon Brown some Legnanos were made of gaspipe. The one that just sold for $330 only had three bidders and the starting price was $279. The red Legnano appears to be of better quality judging from the pic of the rear dropout. Check for a date code on the RD to help in dating the bike. Also ask the seller if he has any info on its history. Finally, sewups or clinchers and what type of rims/hubs?

Looks like a "good" one.