Every now and again, something kinda neat comes along, and today's offering was a Gardin "Special". Full Columbus SL, Campagnolo drops, Modolo Speedy black anodized brakes, Rino transmission, seat post and pedals, all anodized black. What I believe is a Rino cranks set with black anodized rings and a Rino leather saddle.

And, of course, the bike, at 59cm (c-c) is just too big for me:-(

The black anodized stuff will go on my ALAN, freeing up a near perfect Shimano 600 grouppo. Perhaps the black anodized Rino hubs will also find their way there. Pretty soon, I will have to use night vision, just to find that old Italian beauty. I really like that bike, both in appearance and ride quality.

Anyway, thought you might like to have a peek at what I think might be an early Gardin.

Oh, I almost forgot. The bike was equipped with a beautiful, all chrome Colnago embossed hand pump. It, too, is too big for any of my rides.

Gardin_Spec_AF_59_.jpg Gardin_Spec_AF_59_.jpg Gardin_Spec_AF_59_.jpg

Gardin_Spec_AF_59_.jpg Gardin_Spec_AF_59_.jpg Gardin_Spec_AF_59_.jpg

Very attractive, randyjawa,

I myself have a later Gardin Special, and it is a wonderful ride. Shame that this one doesn't fit you - Or me for that matter!

Oh, I am not the least bit upset that the bike is too big. Why? Because this one is my personal Gardin Special built to commerate Campagnolo's fiftieth anniversary. (Gotta change that date to 1983, but I keep forgetting).

My joy is in finding the black Italian components and the grouppo is in great shape, as is the bicycle itself.

I am facinated by the RINO parts, have never seen them.
So often, asian manufactured items are "knock-offs" of a western brand but RINO seems to be a european knock-off of suntour parts.

https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/..._style%29.html

Have a look at my "found in the dump" Cambio Rino 2000, the predecessor to the Gardin line. The 2000 now lives in Thailand.

those are all awesome looking bikes. I am partial to your personal Gardin Special though. It looks perfect.

On this Cambio rino, is that a 3 speed on the hub?

Nice bikes , I like the mix of chrome and paint on that 50th anniversary's fork. Interesting to know that Cambio Rino became Gardin. Since you seem to like these bikes, here is a picture of a Cambio Rino I found at the flea market.

Nope, just a six cog straight block and one that my old legs were starting to have trouble pushing.

I was just gonna comment on the Rino rear derailleur till someone else brought up the sunTour knock off. Rino musta been pretty gutsy, wonder if they got hit with a copyright lawsuit infringement, that looks like it runs a slant parrelelogram, possibly before the patent was still running? Well, unless of course sunTour just built it for em/

Cool bike and in my size....

Rino did develop a slant parallelogram dérailleur in 1978 that was a blatant and butt ugly copy of Suntour's Cyclone and their later Crono dérailleurs also borrow heavily on Suntour designs... they may have paid licensing fees for these and the Crono series are a very nice shifting rear d that is also extremely lightweight.

The licensing makes some sense as Suntour, being Japanese, may have had some difficulty in the European market in the late seventies but an Italian company using Suntour designs would have had a considerable edge over much of the domestic competition.

Yup and that, combined with the fact that the parts are black anodized, is why the Shimano 600 Arabesque grouppo is coming off of my ALAN. I plan to install the RINO transmission, brakes and cranks on my ALAN. I even have a set of black anodized Gipiemme hubs laced to Nisi tubulars that will complete the, already pretty light, package.

ALAN_Build_1_Brid .jpg

Too bad they screwed up the seat stay.

I can attest that this bike is a great ride...