Bottecchia SLX
 

Just got hold of an early 1990s Bottecchia SLX. I'm absolutely delighted with it. There's already loads of info on here and I've learned a lot already. I wrote to Carnielli in Italy and they confirmed that it was made at their factory in Italy from 89-91 and that it was the SLX model. Quite nice of them really to get back to me. (I did beg...and in Italian!!)

Anyway the chap who sold it to me has done a nice refit. It's had 10spd Campag Chorus fitted throughout with Record hubs and brakes. I've just put a white Rolls on it which is really comfy and i got some ok looking Japanese pedals. One day i'll get hold of the right campag pedals and seat post.

What i'm really looking for is info from other Bottecchia owners and i'd love to find some scans of 89-91 Bottecchia or Carnielli catalogues. I'll keep searching...

Any advice on dating it would be great - serial no. is SLX 5452 56.

Anyway see what you think...

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=204640

Welcome!

9 and 10 speed Chorus gruppos are great values, with all the performance most of us need.

Could I ask for more detailed pics of that beauty?

She is one of my favorites.

I just scored one last week also. It's an 87 or 88. 61 cm spx tubing. Serial 3654. Its got columbus droupouts and a cinelli bb shell. C-record with cabaltos. Upgraded in 93 with record ergos and a chorus derailer. I even got 2 sets of wheels. A pair of almost unused mavic open 4 cd clinchers with a dura ace freewheel and a set of c-record and mavic gp-4 tubies.
I rode it 60 miles this morning and was really impressed. It was just as lively feeling as my slx derosa and felt stiffer climbing.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_0920.jpg

When it rains, it pours.

You guys are knocking me out with these beauties.

I can count on one hand the Bottecchias I've seen in Minnesota.

Trucker, have you posted pics of your De Rosa before?

In my old age, I can't remember. :)

Congrats to both of you on your very nice recent acquisitions.

Truckerdan - wow yours is really clean - the paint is chipping off mine in places. Can it be touched up or is it difficult on the chrome? Also any ideas how i can get hold of catalogue scans?
Gomango - i'd never seen any before here in UK - i'm pretty happy with it. took it for a ride yesterday and loved it. I'll put some more pics up asap.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=204741http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=204742

Mine doesn't look so hot up close. I have some corrosion issues on the chrome lugs. Also the bike appears to have been extensively touched up. Whoever did it did a very good job. Its almost like a repaint but with the original decals. I have replacement cobalto stones in the mail.
The paint around the lugs looks hand done and very amatureish. Does anybody think it came from the factory like this?
Anybody know the best way to get rid of the corrosion on the lugs?
One of my older buddies keeps giving me crap about the bike calling bottecchia the kia of italian bikes. I like it though and probably will keep it.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_0921.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_0922.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_0925.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_0924.jpg

The De Rosa isn't in picture taking condition right now. I'll be sure to post some pictures when I get it looking good. Here is a little tease until then. It probably has less than 400 miles on it and the owner lived in a desert. Everything on it looks like it did the day it was new.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_0926.jpg

Nice Bottecchias.

Gorgeous!

I rode her twin today.

Thanks.

So Jealous! Nice bikes!!

andy

Bottecchias seem to be fairly common in the U.S., Germany and Scandinavia for some reason. Not sure about the U.K. You can use spray paint over the chrome. It will look nice but is not likely to be very durable. I sent you a private message about the catalog scan.

:eek:

Yes, the lugs probably came from the factory that way.

No, you can't really do much about the corrosion on the lugs. Well, you can use oxalic acid or naval jelly or something to get rid of any rust but the chrome is gone. Search the forum for oxalic acid and you'll see how to use it. It won't hurt the paint. Then maybe use clear coat over the chrome to keep it from corroding again.

And that sentiment about Bottecchias is common but unfair really. Until about the late 60s most Italian bikes availible in the US were produced by big factories like Carnielli (e.g. - Bianchi, Atala, Frejus, Olmo, Legnano, Torpado, etc.). The marketing departments of those companies sponsored pro racing teams to sell bicycles but the actual bikes raced by the pros were usually custom made by master builders in small shops like Colnago, Cinelli, Masi, etc. Then, as racing bicycles became more popular in the US in the late 60s the master builders started exporting to the US right about the same time that the bike boom began putting tremendous strain on the Italian factories' ability to produce enough bikes to meet demand. Quality dropped on the factory bikes and the market was flooded with entry level Italian (and every other nationality) bikes. The Bottecchia Professional models of the period were fine bicycles but not up to the standards of the semi-custom machines built in small shops. People began to associate the major Italian brands with the lower end machines with hi-tensile steel frames, steel wheels, and Simplex or Valentino derailleurs. Then the bike boom ended and stiff competition from the Japanese drove the major Italian makers out of the US market. You couldn't find a Bottecchia in the US from around '75 - '83 but the high-end custom or semi-custom Italian bikes were still around. Bottecchia reentered the US market in '84 with a vastly improved product but by then it was fighting the reputation earned during the bike boom and competing against the really high-end stuff. Bottecchia had a Reporto Corse in the 80's and 90's and produced some very high quality racing bikes. The pro teams sponsored by Bottecchia in that period used actual Carnielli produced bikes except for a few of the star riders like Greg Lemond that had his own custom builder. In terms of comparing the 80s - early 90s SLX Bottecchias to other high-end Italian brands the differences are minimal, investment cast lugs had already eliminated much of the hand finishing work that had separated the earlier Bottecchias from the custom machines and the paint and chrome work on all Italian bikes then was equally mediocre.

Kommisar89 - that's a really kind offer with the catalogue. although just found out i can't send personal msgs til i have 50 posts to my name! not sure if i'm supposed to put my email address on here...

No problem, I'll send you my email address and you can send me an email and I'll reply to that.

My first bike was a 90ish aelle tubed Bottechia. I'd love to have it back just for nostalgia.

i found an incredible Bottecchia on Ray Dobbins' site - it's an Equipe SLX - check out the pantographed campagnolo groupset - now that's a real work of art. Not sure i'd use it to commute to work on though!

http://www.raydobbins.com/bottecchia/

Hello there,

I am too very new to this forum. I have recently got a Bottecchia but don't know much about it. I only know it's from around 1990 and have the Columbus frame and fork. The whole bike was painted and almost all the original components are gone. It has no other decals on it other than the Columbus on the fork. It looks incredibly similar to the ones in the pictures in this thread. The serial is SL2 1434 48. How can more info about it?

Kommisar, I would really appreciate if you could send me a catalog copy as well.

BTW, does anyone know how to safely remove the old paint and restore the original?

Many thanks,
Adrian

Hello Anascu welcome to the forums. can you post some pics? was the new paint just applied over the original paint? if that is the case and the new paint is low quality someone may have a trick for that.

Great piece of history!

I just learned alot about the Italian bike history in this country! Thanks for taking the time and sharing it...

Very nice Bottecchias you guys have acquired. I am still looking for a good one to resotre as a daily rider for an old man (myself!) Thanks for the history lesson Kommissar, things like your post keep me coming here for good gouge on classic bicycles and friendly conversation.

Bill

I have a couple of low quality photos that I can upload at this moment.

Regarding the paint, I think it's a quality pain done years ago by an car painting shop.

Adrian

For some reason uploading photos fail on me.

There you go.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=215255

And another one

Hi Siroberts:

I'm the owner (bought it new in 1986) of a Bottecchia Carnielli. It is still in great shape, haven't ridden it much because of a bad back (2 surgeries). I'll take some pictures if you or others in the Forum need them for reference, etc.. One "big" fact, is that it's only a 50cm frame.
The components are Campy Super Record.
Best regards,
bluecat128