Help identify a really old road bike
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 775
Likes: 11
From: Boston
Bikes: 2020 Fuji Transonic; Zunow Z-1; All-City Macho King ACE; De Bernardi Track
Help identify a really old road bike
Old bike. only with a "C" on the badge. older style brake levers, not with suicide levers, cotter cranks, rear brake line stays on top of bar with what seems to say "REG" on them. breaks, and levers say Balilla. front derailleur says made in france.
any idea what this could be
**UPDATE**
okay, got the bike and cleaned it up. i have before and after pictures. like i said before, the break components are Ballila, and the shifters and front derailleur are Simplex, but the back derailleur is shimano lark ss, which im guessing isnt original. the simplex components say made in france and the ballila made in italy.
it came with a front wheel only, with the tire marked as Pirelli. The tire has additional writing on it- " AV. Alexandre De Gusmao 48(?) Santo Andre S.F". the hub is stamped " Brampton Made In England."
The badge only has a C. i have found no labels anywhere else and there is no visible serial.
So my question to you, bikeforums, what make is this bike? is it worth anything? My best guess is its something Italian. i originally planned to just clean it and sell it for whatever it was worth, but now after taking the parts off and cleaning it, i think the bike looks quite nice, maybe even right for a fixed conversion. would it be worth a complete restoration or should would turning it into a fixed gear bike be more appropriate? i was thinking if its not really worth much, i could get it repainted and have the head badge painted on because right now its flimsy and falling off.
(im pretty sure the yellow paint around the lugs was painted on by some idiot)
Before:


After:








Thanks!
any idea what this could be
**UPDATE**
okay, got the bike and cleaned it up. i have before and after pictures. like i said before, the break components are Ballila, and the shifters and front derailleur are Simplex, but the back derailleur is shimano lark ss, which im guessing isnt original. the simplex components say made in france and the ballila made in italy.
it came with a front wheel only, with the tire marked as Pirelli. The tire has additional writing on it- " AV. Alexandre De Gusmao 48(?) Santo Andre S.F". the hub is stamped " Brampton Made In England."
The badge only has a C. i have found no labels anywhere else and there is no visible serial.
So my question to you, bikeforums, what make is this bike? is it worth anything? My best guess is its something Italian. i originally planned to just clean it and sell it for whatever it was worth, but now after taking the parts off and cleaning it, i think the bike looks quite nice, maybe even right for a fixed conversion. would it be worth a complete restoration or should would turning it into a fixed gear bike be more appropriate? i was thinking if its not really worth much, i could get it repainted and have the head badge painted on because right now its flimsy and falling off.
(im pretty sure the yellow paint around the lugs was painted on by some idiot)
Before:


After:








Thanks!
Last edited by RoboIsGod; 07-21-09 at 08:56 PM.
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
From: niagara region
Bikes: 1987 bianchi campione d'italia, 1970's eatons glider, 1990's hybrid, 1992 trek antelope
I bought a bike with a C on the head tube. Don't know what make it is. No model name either. Here is a pic of it.
#7
Senior Member

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 17,197
Likes: 761
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
The Balilla brake levers and the French derailleur say it's old (way older than Cannondale). Old enough that the equipment is probably only partly original (so the Shimano rear derailleur is irrelevant), and that the build spec is inaccessible. That means we can't say anything about the frame maker based on the parts. The only way we're going to be able to say something about the frame is to see pictures of the frame.
So, come back when you have some.
So, come back when you have some.
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,418
Likes: 12
From: New Haven, CT area
Bikes: Trek 7.5 Hybrid, Trek 1.1 Road, Holdsworth touring,Raleigh International,Ritchey Commando,Italvega Speciallissimo,et.al.
Obviously need a picture. Ballila brakes were used on older (1960'2) era Italian road bikes. Simplex derailleurs were used on French, Italian, etc., European road bikes.
#12
Senior Member


Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,547
Likes: 53
From: Sunny Tampa, Florida
So call now! That's One Nine Hundred, Bike Psychic, One Nine Hundred, Bike Psychic. Only $1.95 a minute to answer all your cycling questions.
Do you lay awake at night wondering what's going to break next?
Are you bothered by an unidentifiable ticking noise is at the bottom of your left pedal stroke?
Should you keep that Swiss thread Phil Wood bottom bracket in case it's needed in the future?
What is that bike with no decals you bought at the flea market?
Just call Bike Psychics for all your answers.
Do you lay awake at night wondering what's going to break next?
Are you bothered by an unidentifiable ticking noise is at the bottom of your left pedal stroke?
Should you keep that Swiss thread Phil Wood bottom bracket in case it's needed in the future?
What is that bike with no decals you bought at the flea market?
Just call Bike Psychics for all your answers.
__________________
Still stupid and seriously neglected..
Still stupid and seriously neglected..
#15
__________________
72 Frejus (for sale), Holdsworth Record (for sale), special CNC & Gitane Interclub / 74 Italvega NR (for sale) / c80 French / 82 Raleigh Intl MkII f&f (for sale)/ 83 Trek 620 (for sale)/ 84 Bruce Gordon Chinook (for sale)/ 85 Ron Cooper / 87 Centurion IM MV (for sale) / 03 Casati Dardo / 08 BF IRO / 09 Dogma FPX / 09 Giant TCX0 / 10 Vassago Fisticuff
72 Frejus (for sale), Holdsworth Record (for sale), special CNC & Gitane Interclub / 74 Italvega NR (for sale) / c80 French / 82 Raleigh Intl MkII f&f (for sale)/ 83 Trek 620 (for sale)/ 84 Bruce Gordon Chinook (for sale)/ 85 Ron Cooper / 87 Centurion IM MV (for sale) / 03 Casati Dardo / 08 BF IRO / 09 Dogma FPX / 09 Giant TCX0 / 10 Vassago Fisticuff
#17
Steel is real, baby!
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,532
Likes: 8
From: Boise, ID
Bikes: 1984 Pinarello, 1986 Bianchi Portofino, 1988 Bianchi Trofeo, 1989 Specialized Allez, 1989 Specialized Hard Rock, 2001 Litespeed Tuscany
#18
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 775
Likes: 11
From: Boston
Bikes: 2020 Fuji Transonic; Zunow Z-1; All-City Macho King ACE; De Bernardi Track
hey, sorry for not having pictures yet guys. i submitted my original post from my phone as i was looking at the bike.
The bike is definitely a nice old road bike, all white with yellow lining the lugs. the break levers are those i've only seen on really old bikes, single lever with no suicide lever, no hoods, just metal levers. again, the badge of the bike just has a fancy C on it. i couldn't find a serial #, but i plan on going back to the guys house and either picking it up or taking some pictures. i could probably get the thing for $15, think its worth it?
The bike is definitely a nice old road bike, all white with yellow lining the lugs. the break levers are those i've only seen on really old bikes, single lever with no suicide lever, no hoods, just metal levers. again, the badge of the bike just has a fancy C on it. i couldn't find a serial #, but i plan on going back to the guys house and either picking it up or taking some pictures. i could probably get the thing for $15, think its worth it?
#19
Señor Member



Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 18,487
Likes: 1,568
From: Hardy, VA
Bikes: Mostly English - predominantly Raleighs
Whoops, that's not the OP's bike.
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#20
Señor Member



Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 18,487
Likes: 1,568
From: Hardy, VA
Bikes: Mostly English - predominantly Raleighs
hey, sorry for not having pictures yet guys. i submitted my original post from my phone as i was looking at the bike.
The bike is definitely a nice old road bike, all white with yellow lining the lugs. the break levers are those i've only seen on really old bikes, single lever with no suicide lever, no hoods, just metal levers. again, the badge of the bike just has a fancy C on it. i couldn't find a serial #, but i plan on going back to the guys house and either picking it up or taking some pictures. i could probably get the thing for $15, think its worth it?
The bike is definitely a nice old road bike, all white with yellow lining the lugs. the break levers are those i've only seen on really old bikes, single lever with no suicide lever, no hoods, just metal levers. again, the badge of the bike just has a fancy C on it. i couldn't find a serial #, but i plan on going back to the guys house and either picking it up or taking some pictures. i could probably get the thing for $15, think its worth it?
__________________
In search of what to search for.
In search of what to search for.
#21
Velobase.com has a headbadge gallery. Maybe it's there?
https://www.velobase.com/HeadbadgeGallery.aspx
C's start on page 8 as of this posting.
https://www.velobase.com/HeadbadgeGallery.aspx
C's start on page 8 as of this posting.
#24
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,638
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From: Maidstone, Kent, England
Bikes: 1970 Holdsworth Mistral, Vitus 979, Colnago Primavera, Corratec Hydracarbon, Massi MegaTeam, 1935 Claud Butler Super Velo, Carrera Virtuoso, Viner, 1953 Claud Butler Silver Jubilee, 1954 Holdsworth Typhoon, 1966 Claud Butler Olympic Road, 1982 Claud
For $15 it's got to be worth it - Balilla levers alone could fetch more than that. When you've bartered the price down to £10.00 and taken it home, show us some photos! - Oh, and sorry - I'm pretty sure the C isn't going to stand for Confente!
#25
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 775
Likes: 11
From: Boston
Bikes: 2020 Fuji Transonic; Zunow Z-1; All-City Macho King ACE; De Bernardi Track
i looked on velobase and the closest badge seemed to be that of Casati. the badge that i saw did not have the triangle in the background, or the words Casati. i think i might try and pick up the bike tomorrow.
https://www.velobase.com/HeadbadgeGal...2-9661e3fc2a8f
https://www.velobase.com/HeadbadgeGal...2-9661e3fc2a8f




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