retrofit

Spring has sprung and my winter project is finally ready for the road.

When I bought the Super Corsa 5 months ago it had a mish-mash of Japanese, Italian, and Spanish components that betrayed years of neglect. I stripped the bike of all components, then cleaned and polished the frame, which wasn't in too terrible shape considering the cosmetic state of the components.

I only kept the Campy Record headset and shifters, the Ambrosio rims and OMAS hubs with a 5-speed SunTour freewheel, the Sedis chain, and the San Marco Concor Supercorsa saddle. All else was cleaned up and then eBay'ed, along with a few other bits I had on hand, to finance the build with used old stock.

I had initially installed a Regina 6-speed 14-28 but couldn't solve a chain sag problem at the high end without creating a tight chain problem at the low end. So, for now, the SunTour 13-19 remains.

Here are the requisite white garage door picts.

stan









And one for the serial number database, in case anyone is keeping one (7 6.8.410):

jebensch

Looks incredible - I don't even really dig Bianchis - incredible. I love those seat-stay caps.

John E

Them's fightin' words in these here parts, partner.

roadrasher

That my friend is a beautiful bike. right at the top of my personal wish list.

Chapeau

'Rasher

retrofit

jebensch, roadrasher thanks for the compliments.

John E - fightin words, indeed; perhaps jebensch will be convinced to ride celeste yet!

stan

cyclotoine

My size too! Is that a Miche post?

And yeah it makes me jealous. Nice bike!

retrofit

Thanks cyclotoine. The post is a 3TTT.

stan

Mansram01

Beautiful bike! Really nice job. Love the saddle, the luster on the shifters, brake and everything else. The blue brake cabling is nice too! Congrats on your winter project.

Seems like this will be your regular ride given that you have modern Speedplay pedals on it?

retrofit

Thanks, and it is fast becoming my favorite over my Trek--just a completly different feel on the road. Now if I can just get a freewheel that is more accommodating to steeper grades.

stan

Six jours

Wheels.

Pedals.

Tape.

Hoods.

Otherwise, great bike!

Otis

And anyway still a great bike. Really the last of the great Bianchi racing frames (maybe the nicest of them all).

A "correct" build can always be done down the road. Or not.

retrofit

But none of that will go with the eventual 10 speed campy upgrade.

stan

mkeller234

Looks fantastic! I really like the blue cables, they seem to match the decals perfectly. That concor saddle looks perfect, wish it were mine!

Matt

Gary Fountain

Great work - great bike.

javal

Yes, those Bianchis are as classic as you can get which your restoration proves. Truly excellent! Have you got 1980 confirmed by the serial nr?

jebensch

Well, to clarify: not digging Bianchis is relative. I mean, if someone was like, hey man I hear you like old bikes, I have this thing in my garage... of course, I would take said-Bianchi with glee. I mean more in a window shopping kind of way.

But again - I should've kept my mouth shut - yours is gorgeous. Very nice build.

And now to go look for that guy with the old Bianchi in his garage

banjo_mole 

Gorgeous build. I'm not a Bianchi fan (but likewise to jebensch, I'd take it 'twas it offered,) but it is probably the nicest I've seen so far.

-Nick

retrofit

I haven't been able to decipher the serial number; not enough info. Perhaps others (T-Mar??) can lend some insight.

I'm calling it an 1980 based upon viewing other sources on web, notably Bob Frietas' (Nitro Bob) gallery on Wool Jersey.

Bob has photos of his 1981 Super Corsa next to another's 1980 Super Corsa and noted that there were differences in the brake bridge, the placement of the Columbus decal, and the addition of the Piaggio sticker on the sides of the seat tube of the 81 model.

The SC in the foreground is Bob's 81 and you can see that the top of the brake bridge has a flattened circular section, while the top of the the brake bridge for the '80 model is completely cylindrical.


This is a photo of my brake bridge--its the same as the '80 in Bob's photo.


It also seems to me, though it could be a matter of lighting, that the blue of the main Bianchi decals are a lighter shade of blue on the '80 model than that on the '81 model, but I can't be sure.


So its not ironclad confirmation, but its the closest I've found so far.

One other note, there is a photo of a nearly new 1979 Super Corsa on Yellow Jersey but interestingly, it does not have chrome lugs.

stan

retrofit

Thanks Nick.


stan

frpax

Wouldn't a 1980 Bianchi also have the Piaggio decal? Or what that right before the merger?

As to the decals, they can (and do) change color over the years. Many factors involved such as where a bike was stored, what sort of light it sat in mostly, weather, etc. So, what once may have been one color of blue, over years, may change to a completely different hue. I'm not contradicting anything, I'm just saying that decals can and do change color over time.

BTW, I've always had a thing about Celeste Green. You have a very beautiful bike!

Otis

A 1980 could/would have had the Piaggio decals. But them not being present means nothing. Bianchi's were sold all over the world and were not decaled the same for all countries. Plus they were not clear coated so could have easily been taken or fallen off.

Too me, the brake bridge is the defining factor. As after '81 they had the flat top cast brake bridge.

retrofit

The Bianchi corporate site says the Piaggio group took over in 1980, but does not specify a month. The 1980 catalogue at Yellow Jersey makes reference to both the "Bianchi-Piaggio Racing Team" and the "Bianchi Racing Department," and yet none of the pictured frames have a Piaggio sticker. Could mean something, could mean nothing. Perhaps there were frames made pre- and post-takeover, some without a Piaggio sticker and some with, but don't know.

+1 about light changing the color of the decals over time; hadn't thought of that.

Any Bianchi historians out there?

stan

frpax

Look at this pic of an '81 Bianchi Catalog found on Bulgier's site:

https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalog...hi-81a/pg2.jpg

Otis

I've always thought that catalog was misindentified and it is really a 1980.

frpax

That would explain the cylindrical brake bridge...

On the last page of that catalog, in the corner, it says (Copyright) 1980 Vespa of America. Still could be a 1981 catalog, but they used 1980 bikes in it... Or it could be a 1980 catalog.