Bottechia Professional conversion surgery
 

There have been some other great threads recently about vintage Bottechia's and about bike surgery, here is mine!

About 20 years ago I bought a '72 Atala record Professional and used it over the years for cyclocross as previously detailed at end of thread

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...t=#post9653858

I wanted to add cantilever brakes to make it a more dedicated cyclocross bike but decided that the frame was just slightly too small for me and I was hesitant to irrevocably alter the vintage Atala frame with its sculpted chrome lugwork. I made contact with another local C&V member Blindamood (Brian) and traded my Atala (which fit him perfectly) for a boom era Bottechia Giro/Professional frame that fit me perfectly. When Brian first got the Bottecchia several years ago it had a cheap re-paint and looked like this;

Attachment 200709


Brian utilized the original components for other restoration projects, leaving the bare frame;

Attachment 200703

I will miss the gorgeous Prugnat lugs of my Atala, but the simpler chromed lugs of the Bottechia are not bad;

Attachment 200708

I first stripped the old paint, then put in an order with NOVA for cantilever bosses, cable guides, rear cable stop, pump peg, chain hangar to convert the frame for my CX uses. I have my own oxy-acetalyne welding equipment but this was my fist attempt at brazing on a bike. It was a fun project and went fairly easy, the post-brazing cleanup with a file was intricate detail work. There is definitely pleasure in using the torch and files to add and re-sculpt metal.

Attachment 200710

The original seatpost clamp was a flimsy stamped extension of the seat lug. The clamp was damaged so I opted to just cut/file it off and replace it with a new forged clamp that I fillet brazed in place.

Attachment 200705

One 20/20 hindsight discovery is I probably should have located the brake cable stop slightly higher on the seatstays for more direct routing.

Attachment 200706 Attachment 200702

With the brazing work completed, I masked off the chrome and painted with etching primer, duplicolor automotive enamel touch up spraycan, and a clearcoat. The paint didnt come out quite as nice as I had hoped but I got impatient and went ahead and put it together so I can actually ride it. Color scheme is reminiscent of a popular 1980s Botecchia scheme. I will eventually get some script decals for it.

Crank is an 80s vintage Specialized 110mm BCD that I recently picked up at a swapmeet, looks like new. I setup the cable guides for the option of a front derailler so may add that later. Brakes are wide stance KORE cantilevers. Vintage Galli tubulars rims shod with Grifo pattern CX sew-ups. I have only put a few miles on it so far but it is a great riding bike, looking forward to racing it this fall.

Attachment 200701 Attachment 200707 Attachment 200711 Attachment 200704

Totally read my mind...
 

Wow...you totally read my mind...I love it!!! I've been in touch with a custom builder in the past few weeks. Seriously considering him to build a custom steel cyclocross frame based on my favorite vintage Italian road bike. I'd use it for riding the rough roads and paths that I don't impose on my restored classic era bikes (they're pampered...only smooth well known roads for them). Vintage for me is late 1980s or very early 1990s, so my current stock of bikes/frames don't have sufficient front fork clearance for anything larger than 23 x 700x. I'd be very interested to know how your Frankenbike (sorry...the name fits...had to say it) rides on rough pavement with 28 x 700c slick tires.

nice work. good idea.

I love it! You will definately have the classiest ride in Arcticross this fall.

It rides very smooth, I also got a set of 32mm file tread sew-ups to use on conditions that dont need the traction of the CX knobbies. The frame is small diameter columbus SL tubing, relaxed frame angles with fairly long chainstay for a nicely compliant ride. Mud clearance at the rear is good with 700x34c tires, that was much of my inspiration for originally selecting a 70's bike rather than a newer road frame and the Bottechia is lighter than a touring or low end road bike which might have sufficient clearance. The clearance at the front fork crown is sufficient for dry conditions but is a bit less than a CX bike would typically use for additional mud clearance.
The frame work was definitly fun, I want to build an entire lugged tubeset frame next.

Hello there, GrayJay......

I really like what you've done with the frame. I have a '72 Giro I've often thought about putting canti's on for a light touring/rando/light trail capable bike. Namely because I've discovered how pleasant the tubing feels even on country roads. The paint's already in terrible shape, so adding bosses wouldn't be that big of a deal. I even have some vintage Dia Compe cantilevers I want to use for it.

Anyway, maybe this a question more suited for the 'Cross forum, but I've been discourage from running tubulars because I was told they're so prone to flats. Apparently, since you're running them and I've read where they commonly used in 'cross racing, the tire size makes a difference.......as compared to road tub's, that is???

BTW, did you drill the stem for a cable stop, or was the stem made like that?

Thanks!!

I am really digging this concept. Granted, I generally fall within the mod wing of C&V, but this is good stuff. The reality is that BMTB (before mountain bikes) there were very few stock CX bikes. I love CX bikes, have several, and ride them regularly. Here is my mid 90's Land Shark X Shark set up Old School. It is a great path and trail bike.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...ndsharkII6.jpg

Thook- glad you like my project. CX refit is definitely a good way to add some new life into a nice old frame. Good luck with your conversion.

CX tubulars are lighter than clinchers, you can run less pressure in them for better grip/traction/handeling and they are much less prone to snake-bite pinch flats. I doubt that they are any more prone to puncture flats than clinchers of similar construction. That said, CX tubulars are really expensive and probably not worth the additional cost and glue job maintenance if you are not racing on them.

I did drill out the stem for the cable stop. It is a really beefy solid cast stem, cant imagine the small hole will be a problem. Just dont try it with a hollow stem

I really like this conversion, congratulations! building your own frame next :D?

Thanks for this thread.

I'm working on this as well.

RFC, your Landshark is an awesome machine!

Great thread, I've been thinking of doing this to an old bike myself. How do you decide which degree offset bosses to use when you purchase them? Although I see they are cheap enough I could just buy a couple of each one and decide when they get here. Anyhow, sweet bike and nice work!