rcschafer

Tweaking this somewhat confused-looking Project 7. It's pretty weathered and the cockpit configuration (thumbshifters + cyclocross levers on drop bars) isn't very usable to the current owner. All that aside it looks like a great frame.

There aren't many pictures of these bikes in their original configuration; would they have come with flat bars from the factory? I'm going to see if I can get the CO to ditch the Rockshock but finding a Celeste front fork might be problematic. A new seatpost would be nice too

Click through to the photoset for more pics.

tashi

I'm pretty sure those came with flat bars originally. The Project bikes were hybrids, and the 7 was a nice, high-performance one. It's got some real nice kit on it (although rusty) - those 987's were top-end brakes at the time, and the fork may be a bit of a rarity if it's actually a 700c version, not a 26" one with a 700c jammed in there. That's what it looks like to me though, as I remember the 700c ones all being SL's with the polished looking lowers - does the fork have a mounting hole for a road caliper? That seat's pretty stylin' too, I love perforated saddles.

randyjawa 

I like it!

jimmm18 

Hi

I have the project 7 in 3 catalogs: 91,92,93. Yours looks like a 93. It came with those decals and the fork on yours is the stock one and the only year it came with a suspension fork. The tubing is "Bianchi SuperSet2 with Tange Ultimate Ultra light double butted chrome-moly tubing" It came with Suntour XC-comp drivetrain the brakes were diacompe 987 brakes with SS-7 levers. It had a ZOOM alloy bulge flat bar with cr-mo stem.

Looks to me it is mostly stock except for the seatpost, stem and bars. Tires were 700x45 Panaracer smoke. Is it a 16" frame?

I notice your tubing sticker added the word "prestige" to the string. Guess they ran out of room in the catalog. ;-)

rothenfield1

I’d love to restore this bike! This could be something special. I can’t tell if those are 26” or 700c. They look 26 to me. I would go the practical bike route and ditch the suspension fork, regardless of its’ condition. The components look top-notch, and the rust is nothing to be concerned about. The Regal saddle looks out of place to me. The drop bars were someone’s imagination gone wild. Not a bad thought, but I don’t think it works on this bike. If it was me, I’d replace the wheels with a decent 8spd freehub type and match them with Shimano or SRAM finger shifters on some high-rise MTB bars. Put a rear rack and comfortable saddle on it and BLAM, instant high-end rare lugged MTB commuter do-anything bike.

jimmm18 

They are 700. The rim pic is the same model as listed in the catalog. The fork is a mag21 for 700 wheels. Matches the catalog as well. Pretty rare bike.

rothenfield1

If there 700's, then this is a true hybrid and a rare one. I think Trek and Cannondale started making the 'hybrid' class bikes in the early '90's. This lugged Bianchi is in a class all it's own.

Bianchigirll 

HOW DID I MISS THIS? that Project 7 is a fabulous, or atleast it was, bike. the Project series were intended to be mountain bikes not fancy hybrid and the 7 was top of the line.

unfortunately for Bianchi the 700c mountain bike did not go over as well as the hybrid idea. now however the 29er bikes are all the rage so maybe Bianchi was just a bit early to the party.

I really wanted a P 7 when the Projects came out but I ended up with a P 3, still a great bike for my level of mountain biking. the Project bikes also make great commuters.

rcschafer; get the owner to put some flat or treking bars on it. finding a Celeste fork for that may be tricky because it is a 1" steerer, it has Cantis and you need lots of clearance plus, like MTB the frame was designed for the suspension fork.

one more thing in case you missed it. the Project bikes were MOUNTAIN BIKES not hybrids.

here is my humble Project 3 although it has not been off road in years hence the rack and street wheels

rcschafer

Thanks for the feedback, y'all. I'm definitely going to recommend new bars and I'll keep an eye out for a suitable replacement fork. It would be nice to change out all of the rusted bits (bolts, front DR cage, etc.) and I'm going to go over all the cables and bearings as well.

Seems odd that the stock fork would be so unmatched, color-wise. I mean, I guess they were going for a certain functionality but on a Bianchi it seems like such an esthetic kludge. I _think_ that my LBS might have a reasonably close-matched non-suspension fork hanging up in the loft; going to go take a look at it this week.

jimmm18, would it be possible to get a scan of the catalog pages for the '93? I'd love to see one in factory condition to guide my work.

rothenfield1

That's quit cool BG. Where the heck did you find celeste clipless pedals?

Bianchigirll 

finding new nuts and bolts to replace the old rusted ones should be pretty easy, try you LBSs and even the stainless drawers at youe local ACE.

about the fork again. look at the bike catalogs from that era and almost no one was painting roxshox to match a frame in those days. infact a OEM suspension fork was almost a selling point.

now replace the fork with one you think looks better however, you need to check the demensions very carefully. this frame is designed to have a suspension fork on it. the axle to crownrace measurement on the rigid fork need to match the same measurement on the roxshox. otherwise you lower the front of the bike by about 5cm or more and change the geomentry and handling of the bike.

it is a fabulous bike as it sits and lots of people would love to have one so please do not mess it up by changin the fork to something that does not belong on it.

Bianchigirll 

Thank You. I really need to get some fat tires back on it and find a place to ride off road.

rcschafer

Good advice and point taken - it'd be a non-trivial modification and it seems more important to keep the bike together in as close to original condition as possible (given the rarity of this particular model.)

How do you feel about those funky Look pedals? Those will probably go but I'll tell the CO to hang onto them.

Bianchigirll 

if the owner has matching shoes and like the pedals leave them on.

rcschafer

No to both (he's a Vans wearer )

Bianchigirll 

put them in the trade forum, maybe you can swap them for some nice BNX pedals

jimmm18 

Let me see what I can do. I can scan them at work but work these days has been non stop. I do have a scanner at home so I will try that as well.

batwing

I ran into a Project 7 earlier this year. I have modified it a bit. It is in good shape and a nice ride. Pics to come.

c_c_rider

just picked this baby up. it's the rare and elusive 700c grizzly, 1989/1990 vintage... the prototype, if you will, a year before the Project 7. this will soon be built up, ridden hard, and enjoyed. looking forward to hitting the trails & gravel roads. gonna run bruce gordon 43c rock'n roads.

The Golden Boy 

That's pretty slick!

The old ATBs (up to about 88) had that touring bike sort of purposefulness built into them. The Grizzlys were about the same- but it looks like Bianchi continued that line of thought after other manufacturers went to more MTB specific designs.

Way cool.

Bianchigirll 

These must have been some sort of well kept secret. The '90 catalog shows the Project 7 but makes no mention of a 700c wheeled Grizzly. The '91 catalog shows the Project 7 as well as the 5 but again no Grizzly. I wonder if these were early launch and then they decided to call the P-7s or if they were selling and they put the grizzly label on as an after thought.

Either way unless your MTB style is very wild and basically ride over everything in your path the 700c MTBs are the way to go. I mostly have N.E. single track experience with mine but I liked it (even thought it was a lower model) better than my '90HK-II or the Olympus adorned Cdale I sold to buy my Project 3.

What component group was on it?

c_c_rider

finally got her built up and she handles great. feels very versatile, but then i've just been commuting on it. we'll see how it feels when i can get it out on some single track or gravel. i used spare parts from my road fleet to buld it up, hence the Campy 1x10sp drivetrain. i'm using a Pauls Comp thumbie mount for the Campy bar-con shifter. rear spacing is 130mm so the Campy Record hubs / Mavic Open Pros that I had as a spare wheelset waiting for spring got the call. oh and we have freezing rain / wintery mix here in Nebraska right now so i have studded winter Marathon's on it (~38-40c).

bikemig 

I like the project bianchi bikes a lot. I've seen a few of the lower end ones for sale locally and I've been tempted to pick one up. This will make a great all rounder.

guzziee

Recently picked up a project 3, not sure what to do with this one just yet

concordino

Hi,

Would it be possible for you to share with us copies or scans of the Bianchi catalogs that have those cool early gen 29ers ?

thank you,
C