Real Bianchi? or does it really matter?
 

I was thinking of picking up a bike locally for the parts, but was wondering if it's actually a real Bianchi.. I don't know much about the older stuff but it doesn't look real for some reason.

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Define "real Bianchi." The frame looks to be near identical to a Bianchi I own: same dropouts, seat cluster, brake bridge, braze-ons, and decals, but the components attached to it are mismatched and most are clearly newer than the frame itself.

I don't know about the fork. Did that Bianchi come with a part chrome fork? Looks odd.

I would not pay much for it. It looks like someone put a mountain bike drivetrain and assorted mismatched other bits on a road frame.

I agree with you. Looks like the rear brake caliper does not belong there...the arms (where the cable is attached) are usually on the left side of the frame, not the right side.

I just want a cheap triple bike with brifters for going to the store or riding with my wife, I wasn't planning on offering that much but since it looks like at least a 9 speed tiagra it should work fine for what I need.

I just thought it might have been some other brand frame re-sprayed with bianchi decals.

What year and model frame is yours? Thanks for the help.

I thought you meant real as in Italian.

ahh yeah I guess it was kind of misleading. Honestly I don't know anything about Bianchi's except they all seem to be Celeste colored and I was suprised when I found out they made more than the Pista in Celeste.

I have a 2010 Masi Gran Criterium that I call a "fake" Masi because it's just some rebranded aluminum frame with pretty colors and a Masi logo.

Just curious about this one because I really just wanted the parts and was curious if the frame was worth using.

It would be easy to tell if it is a real Bianchi frame, just look for a B in a circle on the seat stay caps, Bianchi stamped on the dropouts and a B on the DT/HT lug. Provided the decals are original the frame seems to be older than '85 because of the Piaggio decal, and the over the BB cable routing and nutted brake mounting would point to early '80s frame.

The parts post date the frame by about 20years and depending how much the seller wants for the bike it would be worth it for the parts, if you like them.

Not all Bianchis are Celeste even the "good" obes. Back in the '80 almost all Bianchis except the top of the line model usually came in two colors usually Celeste and something else. Before '88 with the eception of a few MTBs no Bianchi made in the orient came in Celeste (although the Professional model may be an exception).

I think I can actually see the B on the DT/HT lug so the question that remains is... was this an Italian built frame or a Orient built frame?

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...9&d=1362458509

aramis, My guess is that the price is high because the bike looks to be completely rebuilt with much more modern parts and possibly a repaint.

Brad

PS I don't remember the brand, but I had some "reversed" calipers I installed on my Raleigh.

The reason it looks odd is because the seat tube decal and head tube decals are missing. The question is, were they just peeled off or is it a repaint with partial decals?

Based on what we can see, the frame features are typical of the Piaggio era (i.e. early 1980s), Japanese manufactured, entry to lower mid-range models. Unfortunately, it's what we can't see that would make a positive identification. If the OP can get the serial number, I should be able to tell him if it is a genuine Bianchi, the country of origin and the year.

I'm excluding the whole vintage Bianchi angle, but to me, it looks like quite the decent bike. Sure it is a frankenbike but if one is looking for a solid reliable older steel frame with modern triple components, what is wrong with it? I wouldn't pay a premium for it because its a "Bianchi", I would base my price upon the fact that it has a triple crankset, triple front road derailleur, decent albeit mountain long cage rear derailleur, STI shifters which I happen to find very desirable, and the fact that the frame looks nice and appears to have been refinished. Its a far cry from a classic restored bicycle but its not pretending to be.

Its like buying an old late '60s plain jane 6 cylinder Mustang notchback with a missing drivetrain and a beat to hell paintjob. Not really worth restoring as new but why not do a quick Maaco paint job, and replace the drive train with a modern fuel injected drivetrain, would make the car a lot of fun to drive and still have that classic look even if isn't worth nearly the price of a fully restored Mustang fastback.

But back to the bike, I would pay a small premium for the fact that it has working STI shifters which are very expensive on their own. The rest of the bike is a nice non-original frame with decent non-matching parts that probably work just fine together.

I would pay no more than $300 for it, pick it up, get more pics, and we can give you more info!

400 posts :)

Well I bought it. Paid $230. It's a cludge of parts (9 speed tiagra shifters/dia compe brakes/deore rd) but the wheels are ok (rear is a nice mavic aksium, front is some goofball paired lacing deal) and it had good continental gatorskins on it. I just wanted it as a beater or to take on mellow group rides. I'll post some pics.

Guess it wasn't cold set and I need to go over the bike since as I was riding it around my backyard the rear wheel popped out and I fell into the bushes. Was kinda funny even if there were thorns.

What does cold setting have to do with with the rear wheel popping out? The wheel popped out because the skewer wasn't tightened properly. I bet the seller did the ole "twist the handle like a wing nut til it gets tight" thingy with the skewer which is the wrong way to do it.

Well it "popped" out with some gusto. I would think with the frame spaced properlyy it wouldn't do that.

Maybe I'm used to vertical dropouts where the wheel won't move unless it's unweighted with an improperly tightened skewer.

All frame spacing does is allow a hub of a certain width to be easily inserted. If you have a rear dropout spacing of say 126mm and you stick a 135mm mountain bike wheel in there by pulling the stays apart to allow the wheel to fit in there, it will work just fine with no problems other than your fingers getting sore from holding the stays apart. Spacing won't affect the ability of a wheel to pop out or not no matter if you have horizontal or vertical dropouts. The pressure from the skewer properly locked in place is what holds the wheel in place. An improperly locked skewer is what allows a wheel to pop out. Doesn't matte if its a vertical or horizontal dropout.

In a nutshell, frame spacing basically just makes it easy to insert or remove a wheel, it really doesn't do much more than that. A convenience is what it allows.

Definitely a 1983, upper entry level, Japanese manufactured frame, most likely a Sport SS.

aramis, Another vote for a loose skewer, not a cold set (or not) issue. QRs in horizontal dropouts need to be TIGHT. Also the front QR or wheel is backwards.

Brad

Yeah I noticed the front wheel was on backwards after I took the pictures and that since there are no safety tabs up front or vertical dropouts in back I now put those suckers on TIGHT. With the newer bikes they don't need to be as tight. I am just going to leave the spacing as is and deal with the hassle of pulling the droupouts apart.



Anyway it turned out that the stem was SEIZED really well in the fork. I tried for a day or two with no success to get it out and then I just decided to ride it with the stem in the spot it was. It rides pretty well, felt a little slower than the bikes I'm used to, but not much really. Pretty smooth ride.. The gearing turned out to be pretty cool with a 48-36-24 and a 11-28 out back so its great for around here since there are so many hills.

Well I decided yesterday I would be patient with the stem and removed the stem bolt and wedge (had to remove front brake and use a dremel to clear rust off bottom of fork to get wedge out) and them taped up the stem hole w/ electrical tape and unloaded most of a can of PB blaster into the upside down fork until the fluid level passed the stem and left the bike upside down for a day.

Then I put a 5/16 1/4 drive socket in the stem bolt hole and hit it with a 5 # sledge with the fork bolted to a roof rack fork holder bolted to a 2x4 and the stem finally moved. Then I just swung the bars back and forth a few times and the stem reluctantly came out. I was pretty relieved, I thought I would have to cut the stem off and press it out or something.