Picked this up a couple of months back. Condition from pics provided looked great and so it was when it arrived. Not a spot of rust anywhere to be seen.

Have spent a bit of time looking for a catalog to check what it originally would have looked like. The bulgier site and bhovey.com have some but not of this one. Suspect the fork is not original as most Basso's I've seen have the Basso logo on the crown. The brake levers have been swapped out most probably too. Shimano 600 everwhere else bar the RD which is Dura-Ace 7401. Columbus SLX tubing.

Since I got it I've re-greased the BB and hubs, did a general cleaning and put a new saddle and bar tape on.



More pics:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/4843399...7625093204577/


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Very, very nice. A keeper.

Awesome! It's in great shape. How's the ride?

Ride is very nice. I haven't been on a bike much in the last 20 years so this is a terrific way to relive the joys of my youth.

I'm not sure what you been by "what it orignally would have looked like". If you're refering to the OEM component mix, that's irrelevant. Most of them were sold as frames. If you suspect it's a repaint, I doubt it. That's definitely an OEM color scheme.

FWIW, Basso does not appear to have introduced the Loto prior to 1987. Yours still has the old style SLX label, so it should be 1987 or possibly 1988.

Thanks T-Mar..

I don't have any doubts about the frame or the paint job. I've seen similar fade schemes on models from that era. By the way it looks like it is fully chromed underneath. I read somewhere on here (probably one of your posts) that the chromed lugs were from before the 90's.

What I am wondering about is what forks it came with if it was available as frame & forks only. As all pics I have seen show the fork crown with the Basso stamp which mine doesn't have. On mine the dropouts on the front are Columbus while the rear are Basso. That's what got me wondering.

Then again if it was available fully built I'd love to see what it came with, out of curiosity. But you're probably correct about frame only as the '92 catalog shows the Loto as frame only.

None of this is going to stop me enjoying this bike. I probably failed to mention that I absolutely love this bike (including the components) and plan on keeping it for as long as I can ride it. My wife thinks it's gorgeous too and doesn't seem to mind that it occupies a prominent space in our dining room..at least for now!

Photo below is the Gap model from '87 with the Basso stamp on the fork crown. It seems odd to me that the Loto which is the next model up and possibly top of the line in '87 / '88 would not have forks with the same stamp. Unless the stamp is really a decal but that would seem too cheap for this frame.

Going to throw a little detour into the op, because I have long wondered about the lineage of my own Basso which I purchased as frame and fork in 91 or 92. I don't think I knew even back then which model it was, but it is/was just like the one shown in the reply by old dreams except for the chromed lugs.
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From what I've seen, the fork is almost certainly a replacement.

The only info I have for built Basso Loto, is from 1991 when Security Bicycles was distibuting them. At that time they were offered with Ultegra, Dura-Ace or Chorus. However, yours is earler, probably from when Lake was the distribuor. Their ads from the period show only bare frames.

My best guess would be 1985/1986. The mid-1980s models do not appear to have had as much chrome and it still has the B/world's stripes incorporated into the seat and down tube logos.

Hope folks don't mind me bumping this thread to add the following....

Same complete frame as mine just sold on ebay. It has the fork with Basso stamp + Basso lugs.

Well I certainly don't mind, as I missed your thread the first time. That bike is stunning.

AAAGGHHHHH! There's a chip in the paint!! (Photo #4, on the left side of the lower seatlug point).

Seriously though, schveeeeeeet bike. Now get out and ride that puppy!

SP
Bend, OR

Yes, I agree she is a beaut & I picked her up for a nice price too. 8 months of stalking ebay eventually paid off. There are a couple of spots but overall it's in fantastic condition for it's age. It was well cared for.

I'll be taking her for a nice 40 miler tomorrow morning if this bloody storm evers blows over.

Ant ideas what this model is?

Can't say I've come across that one in my searches. On quick inspection it doesn't seem to be listed in the basso catalogues on the bulgier site

https://www.bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/


Maybe Kurt or T-Mar might know

Gorgeous Bike and GREAT photography!! Nice Job on both!! Have fun with it!!

andy

Thanks Andy..

I'm only familiar with the D'Arienzo rebadges (in part thanks to a telephone call to Gary Silva).

-Kurt

the Basso bros. made some nice bikes, and the OP's is one of them. Replacement fork really doesn't look that bad, you almost wouldn't notice until someone called it out. Never seen that brand of handlebar, is it an Italmanubri like the stem?

The handlebar is inscribed "Cyclo Man" & "Mod Rover Italy".

I did a bit of searching a while back and didn't come up with any info bar finding another example or two.

There is one for sale right now for I think €12 with some decent pics.
https://www.brocky.ch/Velo_Ersatzteil...ten/Lenker.htm