I've been offered a mid/late 80's CIOCC. The bike is complete right now, but is a mismatch of Shimano, Specialized, Suntour, and assorted other parts. My interest is in the frame-set, to include the Campy headset, 3ttt bars, and Cinelli stem. If I agree to buy, the owner will strip the bike down to that specified configuration. It is my size, and I have taken it for a test ride - it rides well.

Oddities of note - the original fork is long gone, and was replaced some time ago with a NOS Colnago chrome fork. Also, there are no tubing stickers on this bike, and there is no model name/number evident. The last curiosity is the rear dropouts. They are chromed, with adjusters, but have no identifying marks.

My offer has yet to be made, but in general conversation with the current owner it has been determined that the final price will fall somewhere in the $150-$200 range - again, only for the frame-set, Campy headset, 3ttt bars, and Cinelli stem.

Please take a look at the pics below, and see if you can help me identify the model and tubing used. I'm thinking I can't go too wrong for the price, even with the mismatched fork.

What do you folks think?

Those dropouts look very similar to the dropouts on my Casati, which I believe are Tecnociclo, who supplied dropouts to Columbus and others.

Very nice!

I came across a ciocc frameset with the same paint scheme last month in Boston. There's a thread where I asked for help IDing her. Consensus from Dr. Deltron and others was that it's Columbus SLX tubed.
The seller of my find wanted 110.00, and the frame was stripped of decals, scratched and rusty. It got the fixie/SS treatment!
But the crosshatch paint detail was evident. Although it came with the original fork and what looked like a C-Record headset, I passed on it as I was required to beat his offer.
Ciocc's are great performers, always liked them and are one of those Italian marques I'd love to have.

Hmmm..... SLx, you say? I wonder why no sticker? Is there such a thing as a "low end " Ciocc?

FWIW, this frameset is in very nice cosmetic condition. Hmmmmm....... looks like it might be a decent deal, even with the odd-ball fork.

I guess one attempt to investigate if it's SLX is to shine a bright flashlight into the lower seat tube and down tube areas. See if you can spot the splines.

BBM, I'm totally guessing, but by looking at the bulgier catalogs, it appears that the seat lug on yours more closely resembles that on the Aelle tubed models, rather than the SL\SLX models. Yours would appear to be a late 80's model, by the paint. The treatment of the rear brake bridge would also lead me to guess more Aelle than SLX.

At that price, even an Aelle tubed bike is probably a decent deal. Just a quick check of an auction site shows the fork to be worth half the $150 purchase price. I wouldn't assume that it is an SLX bike, though.

on a somehwhat related topic, can anyone point me towards any links for reference material regarding ciocc bicycles? i'd like to read up on the history of the brand, but i have found precious little on the internet thus far. there is little info on classicrendezvous.com

thanks-

I'd buy it even if it was Aelle, but the seatpost size (smaller than 27.2) as well as checking for splines in the tube bottoms thru the open BB, will tell you whether it's SLX or not.
As far as learning the History of this Marque: you won't find a great deal on the internet, but searching the archives of this here BF C&V will learn you a little bit. Checking the CR archives (search.bikelist.org) and scouring droves and droves of hits will garner you a little more, there's a catalog or 2 on Bulgier.com's catalog archive...but it's pretty sparse.

FWIW, I have a number of SL/SLX and even Aelle frames, they are all 27.2 seatpost.

You're right - there isn't much out there. And much of what is there revolves around how to pronounce the name. But do at least check out Ray Dobbins' former Ciocc show bike, it's a real stunner:

https://raydobbins.com/ciocc/index.html

One of the earliest Ciocc's to come into the US sold on ebay within the past year or so, and was an interesting example of a San Cristobal (the top of the line at the time). But I didn't save pics of that one. I owned an early San Cristobal frame myself, but sold it as it was way too large for me.
In my opinion, Ciocc is one of the Italian marques that was interesting and distinctive right at the period when Italian bikes were beginning to look all of a piece. Though they used investment cast lugs, many of the early ones (like my former frame) had very narrow lugs with a tear drop at the end rather than a point. Their narrow profile meant they took some real skill in brazing, which was the opposite of many IC lugged bikes which adopted that lug type precisely as a labor-saver. The early Ciocc's in particular are very cool, IMO, though not at the very top of Italian framebuilding. I've seen many I would be happy to own. You can tell the earlier ones, BTW, by the detail that the graphics do not use a "flying" C, as was adopted later.

$150 would be a good deal, $200 would be okay. If it's your size it will ride beautifully and perform quite well.

The deal was struck today. $165 for the frame set, seat post, Campy Record headset, Cinelli stem, and 3ttt bars.

I've got a Campy 10 speed compact group sitting around not doing anything, so this'll be my place-holder frame until I glom onto a real frame.

Post the seat tube diameter and if the tubing is rifled along with the serial number. Shots of the dropouts and BB would also help. I don't know enough to identify which model it is but someone might or the next person with CIOCC questions might be helped...

BBM,

Are those Simplex Retrofriction Shifters on the downtube?

Beautiful frame. Definately worth the price you paid. Looking forward to seeing it built up.
I've liked Ciocc for a long time and would very much like to have one someday. Problem is, you don't find a bike like that in my neck of the woods.

Good luck with it.

Dante

Don't think so. What ever they are, they look a lot prettier than they work. "Unremarkable" comes to mind - a bit sloppy, even. Maybe they were just mis-adjusted, or maybe I'm just so spoiled by modern Campy stuff that I'm no good with DT shifters anymore.

Yeah, I hear ya. When I get back from my business trip, I'm going to post my latest build. It's a nice Nishiki Modulus steelie with modern 9 spd Tiagra stuff. I really like modern drivetrains on classic steel.

Dante

Sweet Machine John! Can't wait to take a trek up to see the bike, not u!

WOw, is there any chance you can get me that saddle? assuming it is in good shape, it looks blue and I really want it for my GIOS.

what a steal! am i crazy or dos that seem like an incredible deal! i see just frames on e-bay go for twice or 3 times that amount.

that san cristobal is a beautiful bike!

you are right. i've found lot's of discussions concerning the origins of the name, and how to say it- sometimes 4 pages of discussion with no conclusion. there is no history on-line. do you know of any books that encompass the breadth of italian frame builders in one book? i know it's a lot, but it would be a good place to start for the novice.

year ??? I dont now but its a italian ciocc I own TODAY FOR $ 180.00 , have campagnolo 's componets veloce crank, 9 spd cassete , transmision, brake shifters , brakes all campagnolo veloce , also have Mavic rims with campagnolo , graphite handlebar, I only need the pedals LOL but for the price thats a Steal LOL algo have a diamond inlays engrraved - on the tubes and internal cable on the toptube thats verry nice , I dont know the year or Model so if someone have Info please tell me welll thats my new ride take care cheket chao


Its verry similar ar that a one Conti red bike post in this Site but its Ciocc engraved in the frame, the owner tell me the original color was royal blue but now is Silver , I think turn back to his original color

PD-. sorry about my english LoL , and for the small photo but the page not support a bigger one , I need your help the seller tell me that its a 2000 year model but I think its a big LIE LOL but for the price ... take care cheket chao , any comments or Info my e-mail porteroflamenco21@hotmail.com
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Rommell, your English is very good but I cannot see the photos! Try upping the photos to photobucket or flickr.

My Ciocc has the exact same lugs as the OPs but came with a much simpler paint job. The paint was so shot-to-heck by the time I got it that I had it powder-coated black and I decided to outift it with some 9-speed Shimano 105 parts that I had lying around. Cyclomondo on eBay has started to make Ciocc decals so I know have a set and will re-do the bike this summer. I think it will look great once I track down a decent used Centaur group in that anodized grey colour Campy produced. You will love your Ciocc bbm, mine rides like a dream.

Here is a photo of the same colour-scheme that was on my bike and a photo of my Ciocc now.

Being a mix of suntour and other parts, I couldn't tell you right off. My Ciocc has the similar style frame with Columbus SLX tubing. How many speeds on the rear cluster? My Designer '84 has 6-speed Dura-Ace mixed with Campy Super Record. That bike looks newer than mine.

I stand corrected, then.
BTW, those ARE Simplex retrofriction shifters, and should work GREAT if they aren't broken or out-of-adjustment. I'll take 'em off your hands if you don't want them

More like semi-corrected. More often than not, an Aelle tubed frame will take a 26.8 seat post, but could be reamed out to take a larger size. So while 27.2 doesn't rule out a frame being made with Aelle, seat post size can be one helpful clue.