Thank you so much, T-Mar! I'm so glad to know this information. I think it was worth the money I paid for it. I have no idea of the bicycling world's opinion of these Taiwanese made bikes. It rides really great and so I'm pleased. And, that's all that matters.

Yes, you got a good deal and by this period the better Taiwanese manufacturers, such as Hodaka, put out nice product that was good value. Though not a Bianchi, I competed on a Hodaka manufactured bicycle circa 1988-1992 and was very pleased with it. Enjoy your new acquisition! :thumb:

Wow - thanks so much. That is great info.

Any ideas about the serial that I cant seem to find ?

Is there any reference on the Superset frameset ? I am really curious as to where it sits in the hierarchy.

Really appreciate your feedback T-Mar.

I trying to get around the posting of images and URL's for newbies... if you put https and a '://' (no spaces) in front of these lines you should be able to view a couple of pics.

http://www.dropbox.com/s/wdi2q62a07h..._7990.jpg?dl=0
http://www.dropbox.com/s/nwrgqx1r4gp..._7989.jpg?dl=0
http://www.dropbox.com/s/xbzdb20ef9c..._7988.jpg?dl=0

Maybe the pics can help in some way.

That worked, adding another couple of pics.

http://www.dropbox.com/s/3s4kt1q832i..._7991.jpg?dl=0
http://www.dropbox.com/s/9zcqyx9zslo..._7992.jpg?dl=0

Another interesting feature is the tapered seatpost which I have not often noticed in my searches. The stem is Bianchi branded steel. Really tempted to weigh and (prob) swap it out.

I don't recall any of the Mirage equipped models in the USA being built with Columbus tubing and don't recall any TIG welded road models in the USA before the very late 1990s. It may be unique to Italy/Europe.

Regarding Superset & Superset II, they were Bianchi frame designs, as opposed to tubesets, so there is no hierarchy. For instance, when Superset II was introduced circa 1991, 19 of the 23 models available in the USA were Superset II designs. The only models not to employ it were the bottom of the line hybrid, the bottom of the line ATB, the track model and the top of the line road model. The latter used Columbus Max tubing which had it's own combination of diameters and shapes to increase rigidity, so a Superset II design wasn't necessary.

Thanks T-Mar !

Appreciate your comments.

I bought this bike for my girlfriend's upcoming birthday and want to clean it up. Paid $120 cash. I've been unsuccessful searching for similar bikes online. Can anyone share more information about the bike (year, frame metal type, tier, etc.)?

Serial BS14121
Mixte Magenta 21" Frame
10-speed
Suntour 7 GT Derailleur
Sakae Silstar SR Crank
Edoardo Bianchi sticker on front
Sport SS sticker
Bianchi AR Tubi Rinforzati sticker
Made in Japan sticker

I have pictures, but cannot post them because I am new. Maybe I can PM them to you if you are interested. Thank you!

Welcome to the forums. The subject bicycle is a Bianchi Sport SS and the frame was manufactured in Japan, during February 1981. The Italian language tubing decal is perplexing, as the Japanese models typically used English language decals. However, the "rinforzati" at least confirms butted tubes, though on a mixte butting would be restricted to the down and seat tubes. The early Sport SS typically employed double butted, carbon-manganese tubing. During this era, Ishiwata appears to have been the preferred tubing supplier for Bianchi's Japanese source. Consequently, the leading candidates for the tubeset would be Ishiwata Magny V and Ishiwata Magny X.

Edit: I neglected to mention that the Sport SS would have been considered an upper entry level model bordering on mid-range, during this era. It was typically about 3rd from the bottom of the line, just above the Standard/Strada and Sport.

Thanks, T-Mar! Much appreciated. Great information that I can share when I gift the bike next week. I haven't been able to find a similar bike online or in the archived Bianchi catalogs (maybe they didn't advertise the step-through mixte).

Hi everyone, I'd love some help identifying the bike I just bought for my wife. I am fairly certain it's a Bianchi but beyond that I'm unsure since the badges were mostly scraped off. It would be awesome to know what model it is and the time period when it was made? The serial number is 6253. I'm also curious if it was made in Italy or Japan if it's possible to tell. The wheels and brakes don't look OEM but I think the crank and handlebars are. Also, one wheel is 700C and the other is 27". Do you know which is the correct size originally? I'm thinking of finding another 700C front wheel to make them match.

Thank you in advance, any info is much appreciated.

I'm new so it won't let me post pictures, so here is a URL to some I posted on Imgur. Just remove the space after "imgur."

imgur. com/a/tLy3Gyi

Hello and welcome to the forums. I am not sure this is a Bianchi and if it it might have been repainted. Are there any markings on the frame other than the numbers on the bottom bracket shell? What brand are the dropouts?

https://imgur.com/a/tLy3Gyi

That's definitely possible! The dropouts are Gipiemme and I don't think it's been repainted but I could be wrong. If they did repaint it then they must have sanded it down to the frame because there isn't another color beneath and the chrome portion by the chain is clean.

This frame looks almost identical to my wife's except for the Bianchi stamped into the forks (again just delete the space after "flickr."):
flickr. com/photos/28267220@N05/4439529243/in/photostream/
I'm fairly certain that sicker that's scratched off her frame is a Columbus sticker like on this one.

vabbster, the serial number is consistent with a Bianchi manufactured frame from 1989. The frame features, with the exception of the total lack of embossing, is consistent with the USA market Mondiale model. The decal remnants are Columbus SPX/SPX or TSX, the former being consistent with a Mondiale. You can verify SLX/SPX by removing the bottom bracket and checking inside ends of the tubes for five helical ridges (see pic).

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d9271720bb.jpg


Another brand that used the same serial number format was Bertoni but again I recall their SLX/SPX model with embossing and can't recall seeing any with Gipiemme dropouts.

Im having a bit of trouble pinpointing this Bianchi model. The chrome fork is throwing me off and im getting the impression its not oem. Amy help would be appreciated.

Ill try to get a serial number.

http://i.imgur.com/ohOtbBo.jpg

Having by now scrolled back through 700 posts here, I realize that before the AS through LS serial prefixes of the early 80's that there was the MY series Bianch Super of 1980-81, made by a different Japanese contractor.

I'm curious now, having just rebuilt my second one of these bikes that came equipped with the 600 Arabesque gruppo with Gran Compe brakeset.

What sets these bikes apart is the aggressive geometry, 75 ST with 73.5 HT on my 58cm examples, always shod with an 8cm stem. That and the fact that these 58cm bikes weigh only 22 lbs, despite a 26.6mm, seatpin, a 380gm modern saddle, and with modern 300gm pedals and alloy bottle cage!

I just posted this to the "show your Bianchi" thread, but am still interested in who (Mariushi, Miyata, Miki, etc.) produced these Supers with their MY0xxxx serial number format.
The frame details (unspecied-brand db CrMo tubing, scalloped seatstay eyes, sheet-metal under-bb guide with integral eyes, and semi-vertical dropouts with adjusters) are so completely different from the later (also Japanese) mid-range Limited racer that it just has to be a different Japanese builder.
Previous posts here about this model were post # 1007 and post # 687. My bike is pictured below:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f6e3132128.jpg

My immediate thought upon seeing the decal scheme was a circa 1982 model. The serial number is not Maruishi or Miki. If it was Miyata, it would indicate a 1985 model manufactured in very late 1984 and the Bianchi no longer carried Piaggio decals in 1985. The most likely source is Tsunoda as their M-codes appear to represent 1981. The Y would represent weeks 49-50, which is late enough in the year to be a 1982 model.

Regarding the model, these have been reported as Bianchi Super. There is no such model listed in the 1982 catologue for the USA market. It may be a foreign market model or simply non-catalogued.

The geometry and lack of dropout eyets is indicative of a a racing model, which would place it above the Limited. During this era there was a Japanese manufactured racing model called the Professional but it was equipped with Sun Tour Superbe. All the Super have had Shimano 600EX, suggesting a model ranking between the Professional and Limited. The seat post diameter is consistent with four different Tange tubesets from this era but is most likely #1 or #2 . It's worth noting that Tange was Tsunoda's preferred Japanese tubing during this era.

I trust this has been of some value. You can at least raise the confidence level in the year by checking date codes on components. Also, there may be tubing manufacturer and date code stamps on the fork's steerer tube. Good luck! Enjoy!

Thanks very much, T-Mar.

I forgot to mention the date codes on several of the components was Feb 1981, that's how I guessed it was an '80 or '81 model.

The fork steerer only had Tange stamped into it.

Again, thanks for noticing the lack of dropout eyelets, and letting me know about that early Japan-made Professional model. My weigh-in was done with a good scale, so the frame must be of decent specification.

Oh, and Tsunoda hadn't occurred to me, even as I figured the letters might not be an abbreviation. The third digit "0" suggested to me that maybe it was at least brazed before the end of 1980.

I rode it today amidst fast company, and it performed flawlessly except for the 8cm stem having me nearly touching tires while drafting in the paceline. I think a 9cm stem will be better, and with a slightly wider bar.

hi folks! gotta love the inter web. i have a bianchi frame/fork a friend brought to me and wanted to figure out what it was. sure enough, there's a group of ppl talking about that, right here!


the frame is in original celeste green, but only a few of the original decals remain. braze-ons for everything(cable guides, bottle cages, etc) as well as head tube-brazed pump peg. no frame tubing sticker and only the 'bianchi' decal on one the the chain stays remains, along with the head tube decal. the only other decal that's intact is the 'made in italy' decal at the bottom of the seat tube above the bb.


as far as i.d. on the bb shell goes, 'bianchi' is stamped in caps across it and numbers on the sides of the shell say '6116' and '7 F' on the opposite side. i don't have the frame in my presence, so i don't know if there's any identifying stamps on the drop-outs. headset is a 90s ritchey, which may likely be irrelevant, but just noting it.


not that i know the first thing about i.d.'ing bianchi frames, but from what i have gleaned while poring through this thread, could it at least be dated to june 1987? is there anything else i could check to narrow down model/year? the lugs and fork crown don't appear to be chromed underthe paint(lugs were painted pink by some previous owner for some unknown reason(not a flattering colour combo!)).


does any of this info give credence to the frame's identity? thanks for any help. p.s. not 100 percent that 6116 is the entire serial number. a few layers of paint and some scrapes had to be gently and chemically removed so as go not lose what engraving/stampwork was struck on it.

Hey there, I have a celeste green Bianchi Sprint 24c. It's a childrens/junior bike. The components are Patent Campagnolo Nuovo Valentino, apart from the crankset and headset which is Ofmega. The serial number is 61235 at the rear stay, I'm thinking this was around 80's, one of Chiorda, maybe? What does everyone think? I've been trying to do it up recently was curious to find out more about it. The conditions were okay and was ready to go when I got it but it didn't have a couple of main bits to ride it i.e. pedals, seat tube etc.. We've tried using a standard 9/16 pedals but they only fit half way through? I've tried researching on Ofmega threads but I haven't come across much info.

Yes, it was manufactured in Italy during 1987 and early enough in thn year that it should be a 1987 model. Given your location, I'll assume it is a USA market model, in which case it is no lower than a Squadra, I assume there is no front derailleur tab? If so, it's one of the mid-range Formula II framesets. If there is no engraving on the fork crown, then it is tretubi Formula II and a Squadra.

thanks a billion, T-Mar!!!! i reckon you pretty much nailed it. no braze-on for front derailleur and no engraving on fork crown- tretubi formula II-tubed squadra it seems to be! thanks again.

you must get around- i recognize your avatar/username from the vintage CCM forums. are you in ontario? out here in b.c., we don't get the depth or selection of vintage cruisers or road/race bikes as the east does, naturally, so finding things like a funky fork(and other parts) for my 'standard/base' flyte seems impossible! but that's for another forum. thanks again for your knowledge and for sharing it.

New guy here! Serial #LS 285709
 

Hi everyone.. I just got a bianchi frame wotj the serial number ls285709 on the bottom bracket shell...all i know is it has a suntour d/t shifter and dia-compe 500 rear brake caliper and a sugino bottom bracket.
any help would be greatly appreciated. I plan on keeping it for myself but i would like to breathe some life back into it .
THANKS