I bought a Bianchi a couple of years ago and decided to change the wheels, pedals and saddle. I thought I would stay with the old campagnolo derailleurs, after all I had some respect for vintage. I have slowly come to the conclusion that what I like most about the bike is the frame and that I'd truely enjoy a perfectly meshed drive train and the cadence possibilities that modern equipment can provide. I've decided to upgrade to a 10 speed and while I'm at it a brand new paint job and restoration. I'm not yet decided about the crank, 2 or three gears. To keep costs down I've decided to stay with downtube shifters and the existing brake system - I don't mind downtube shifters and the brakes work fine. If I want to upgrade later I figure I can do so without compromising now or later. I'm going to stick with Shimano gear, also to reduce cost, as my wheel set uses a Shimano hub. I figure this is a not a difficult job, my current wheelset is already at 130mm, the bike has 126mm space between the dropouts (stretched out a wee bit).


Here's what I'm looking to get
* Shimano cassette ultegra or 105 - 10 speed - probably starting with 11 teeth (for speed)
* Shimano Cranks set ultegra or 105 - 2 or 3 speed, I haven't decided
* Shimano dura-ace downtube shifters - I think the only ones available
* Shimano bottom bracket etc.


I'm not a competitive cyclist but enjoy in equal measures cycling fast and in style, this bike affords me both, with a brand new paint job and drive chain I figure it will only get better. If I could get some input and opinions about my plans I would appreciate that. Also, some help to identify the year and type. There is one decal along the top tube that I can't decipher. The bike was purchased in Toronto, Canada.

The pictures I've attached were specifically for finding the decals, I'll attach more interesting ones tomorrow.

The model is most probably a "Campione D'Italia" but it could be a "Campione Del Mondo". The decal looks like Campione D'Italia. It would be a shame (Old bike collector speaking) to remove the original paint/patina as it can never bee replaced but it is your bike. Keep the old, original components just in case.

I agree that you should forego the paint job for the groupset and wheel upgrades. If going to a 10-speed, I would invest in a brake upgrade too, possibly an Ergo (Italian wants Campy!) or brifter setup, depending on vintage. Keep the original patina Italian job celeste I say. I am doing up my own vintage celeste Bianchi project now and will not touch the frame, other than an Evaporust treatment on the internal tubes. Nice bike you have there!

For me I will keep paint, go for durace 7900 groupo. Keep the old stuff for future if later i want sell it back.

IB, Two points I agree with are to leave the paint alone and to find some dual pivot brakes. I also think it's a D'Italia. You can use a clear coat to preserve what decals that are remaining, then wash and wax.

Brad

- Keep the old parts
Absolutley, as Ive been replacing them im keeping it all together in he garage. I love the simplicity and beauty of the campy derailleur but it just doesn't mesh well with the seven gears.

-paint
I'm second guessing this decision now, and it is super expensive. My thinking was that starting over would ensure protecting it for a long time, there are rust spots, and thought touching it up would be unsightly and near impossible with celeste.

what about the year? With the bottom bracket stamp and decals, I was guessing 1987.

Dixie Kiwi, can we see some pics of your bike?

Neil.

Neil, have a look at this website. You might find a brochure with your bike in it.

https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/

That would be a waste of time, given that it is a Canadian market model and those are USA catalogs. I would have expected 1987 based on the serial numbers, but the decals and component mix are consistent with a 1988 Campione d'Italia.

First I agree the Mint Celeste paint looks great, at least from what we can see in the pics. That crackling thing seems to be pretty common from that era. Bianchi had some issues with paint and decals for some reason in the '88/89 years. While it looks bad it seems (at least on my bike) to be the paint and not the clear coat. Aslong as there isn't big chips and scratches in the finish leave it alone.

I also agree judging from the brakes and the Formula tubing decal this is a Caqmpione de Italia, but I think it might be newer than '87. These decals didn't show up in the US until '88 and brakes seem to be a later model like the Quattros from '89.

What is your present crank and what kind of riding do you do? Do you really need more/different gears to go faster? make climbing easier? or just because you want them?

Are the current replacement wheels capable of taking a 10spd cassette? If you need a lower gear I would simply check Velobase for the max cog and max wrap you present RD can handle and get a new cassette.

Now if you want crisp index shifting. simply get a medium or long cage Deore RD and a pair of quality (I am not sure what levels of index DT shifters shimano makes these days) shifter and your done.

OH if those are OEM brake pads I would consider an upgrade like a KoolStop continental or similar beefy looking block.

Funny I came across this post, I'm building a bike very similar to yours. I have a 1999 Specialized Allez with a totaled frame, but full 105's groupset that I am in the process of transferring onto an older bianchi frame i just recently picked up. I know very little about my bike as well. I was planning to repaint it too, I think mine is even rougher around the edges then yours. I'm not going to Hijack your thread by posting pictures of my project but if your interested here's a link https://s176.photobucket.com/user/Dra...ianchi%20Build

Your frame looks '85/6ish can you post some good pics direct to the forum? Even better yet if you can post some pics and the serial number here for T-Mar.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...+number+thread

As soon as I get home I'll take some pics of the bike! Thanks for all the great input so far.

I posted the 'before' photos of my celeste TSX a cpl weeks back on the most recent page of the Bianchi serial number thread in this forum. The frame has been stripped of all the older Campagnolo Mirage 8-spd components and Campag Mexico wheels and old narrow bars and stem. I found a nice low mileage 2005 Fuji Professional carbon bike that I will be using to harvest a complete Campagnolo Record CT Ergo groupset for the Bianchi TSX. Even found a Record seatpost too! Awaiting a new Deda Zero 100 stem/handlebars from Ribble, plus Campy Record headset. Last thing I need to track down is a Campag barrel cable adjuster but have a lead on that from LBS. Expect project complete in 2 weeks and will post final pix then. Am photographing the process to document for a future thread here in C&V. Great having experts like Bianchigirlll and T-Mar for expert advice on these vintage 80's/90's Bianchi's

Bianchi Girl,
When I determined that I should wanted to do something with the drivetrain, I figured it was my opportunity to make a big change. I liked the idea, with so many gears, of having the ability to achieve great cadence no matter the incline or fatigue level. As far as I know the current wheel set is capable of 10 gears.
The Cranks are Stronglight, as far as I know these and the brake calipers are original. The Brake levers are replacements because the hood covers on the original had disintegrated and fallen off.

Dixie Kiwi,
I saw the pics of your bike after I'd posted that request, pretty cool, I can't wait to see the after pics.

Some more detailed shots of the bike and especially the drive train:

The hanging parallelogram Campy rear derailleur with the Modolo Mach 1 brake calipers just seem right and I really can't imagine modern components on your bike... Celeste and Campy is a long standing tradition and still holds respect with all the roadies that I know and ride with. I'm by no means a purists, I'll rip a bike down in a second with no thought to originality, but nearly all 70's and 80's road bikes lack the pedigree that yours has. Modern components on a whatever bike is fine by me but not a Celeste Bianchi, especially one with Campy. For what it's worth, the MADE IN ITALY sticker demands to be preserved as well as the rest of the bike. Find something else to customize and modernize, something with a quality frame but has outdated parts and wasted paint, one that the seller is happy to unload cheaply. That's the proper bike for what you want to do... this one should stand as is... sell it to a fan of Celeste Bianchi bikes and build the bike you desire.

Thanks T-Mar, I was unaware that the Canadian market had a different model range for their Italian made Bianchi's. You certainly know your stuff.

That is an understatement! T-Mar has continued to blow me away time after time, he is an absolute asset to this C&V forum! As always my good man, T-Mar, thanks for all the help!!!

I got my modern 105's onto my bianchi last night, will upload pictures after work... honestly I think they look great on the bike! That being said, I bought just a frame so I didn't choose the 105's over original campy parts, I just threw on what I already had laying around.

One note, be careful with newer FD's, mine was a 31.8mm and its clamp was too big to fit on the 28.6mm steel seat tube, I will be stopping by the LBS today hoping they have a shim laying around. If your buying all new components, they should come with the appropriate shims. or so I've heard.

I appreciate your emotional view on this, let me tell you my story about these bikes... as a pre-teen I used to spend hours in a local bike shop staring at probably this exact model. Of course I couldn't afford the bike, though I counted my money many times, anyways it would have been too big! The thought of that Celeste bike stuck with me through the years and finally I have it.
I've struggled with the idea of the change and is why I want to keep the downtube shifters, and brake calipers. If I do repaint it, it will be Celeste with the best reproduction decals I can find (I think I can personally recreate the bike store decal).
The story is simple, the derailleur does not mesh well with the 7 speed there now, I've messed around for hours and hours. My thinking is if I change the derailleur I might as well change the drivetrain. 10 Gears does sound nice. With all respect to the tradition of Campy, it is the frame that is the heart of the bike and what has held up through the years. It is this that I want to preserve as much as possible.

Is it feasible to build a 6 speed cassette into a modern wheelset? Can I find new 6 speed cassettes to fit modern hubs?

Neil.

I'm pretty sure they are Modolo Mach 1.

Well, there are some advantages to being Canadian, besides the health care, Timmy's, getting live televised coverage of every major European cycling tour and classic, etc.

The Canadian models, at least in the early 1980s, were spec'd by Jim Miele. The giveaway on the Canadian models during this era are usually the fully chromed forks, which Miele also featured on his own brand. I'm not sure if he continued to spec Bianchi in the late 1980s.

The drivetrain is an excellent match for the 1988, Canadian market Campione d'Italia, with the exception of the pedals. BTW, original MSRP was $799 CDN, though that was when the USA dollar was worth about 20% more than the Canadian dollar. Here's the 1988 Canadian catalog picture, though they show the electric rose version, as opposed the celeste.

Well done T-Mar - not only for knowing this information but also for remembering it. I would love to have a copy of the "T-Mar Bicycle Encyclopaedia" if you ever write this stuff down.

I'm not sure about the in-roads of Bianchi into Australia but I suspect that many of the Bianchi's I see here have been imported by individuals. The model's I have come across have from in and around the Piaggio era look very similar to the catalogues depicted on the Bulgier site. Later on in the 90's a grandson or great grandson of Eduardo imported them but he was very un-reliable so they are thin on the ground. Thanks T-Mar for sharing your knowledge.