bicycle brands/models
 

I know this has been asked a thousand times in one variation or another ( I know because ive searched and read for days) But i need help in my search for my first road bike. Ive always been a motorcycle guy, but a Combination of insurance costs stacking up with every bike i lusted for and my fathers addiction to cycling drove me back to my roots.

Ive been riding his 70s motobecane and am now certain i want a road bike. I wont be as vague as other threads ive read and ask "whats the best brands?"

What i want to know is, what brands should i narrow my search to with the following qualifications:

Italian made
Lugged chromoly frame
1970-1980s
Price point definitely under 1000

What model 70's Motobecane? :innocent:

Are you commuting? Are you riding off of pavement? When people say Italian, that's usually code for "I want a really fast bike to ride as a hobby."

My favorites are the smaller names...they're usually a good deal less expensive and often of greater quality. I think it's also cool to have some of the smaller named ones because they;re fun conversation points. $1,000 can get you a lot of bike, but it typically won't get you (at average pricing) the top named stuff in great condition. A lot of this also honestly depends on how patient you want to be...if you;re going to go out and buy this weekend, you'll likely get a lot less bike. If you wait for three years for what you REALLY want, you'll do well.

I wouldn't limit myself to one brand or nationality...or even era. I'd wait for the best deal on a bike that fits and which is appropriate for what you want. There's a good chance you'll end up modifying it, or swapping it out anyway, as you start to learn what you do and don't like. There's nothing wrong with non-Italian bikes (so long as they aren't French and don't have internally geared hubs).

Don't get too hung up on lugged steel...sure, it's pretty, but ti makes a very nice bike. I've never ridden a stock Italian that I like as much as my Merlin.

You might also look at the Schwinn Prelude, Premis, Prologue from that era, made with Columbus steel in U.S.. Italian Bikes have a lot of levels, including one made for K-Mart, all the way up to Colnagos and Pinarellos. Bianchis seem to make a lot of people happy on many fronts.

Sub $1k will get you a heck of a nice Japanese lugged frameset with a high quality component group in good shape. Miyata and Bridgestone are my favorites but there are plenty of other good brands out there.

If it were my money...that's exactly what I'd do; buy an upper mid-range Japanese bike for $300...leaving you plenty of room for upgrades and tinkering. Ride that until you know what you want in a bike...sell it, and THEN get your dream machine. The Miyata 9xx series are some GREAT riding bikes...durable as heck (though a bit heavy) and can often be found reasonably.

Another quick thought - it might not be vintage, but the early 90s steel has a LOT of advantages; it's usually modern spacing, so it's easier to work with modern parts if you want to upgrade it. You start getting the stiffer, OS tubesets...you still have lugged frames around and they did some neat paint in the 90s. It doesn't have a collector's premium attached to it (yet) and you get indexed or even STI/Ergos components...along with dual pivot brakes.

...and start riding!
.
...and then wait for the right Italian dream bike to show up at the right fit, right price, etc.... which may take some time. And if you bought the first bike wisely, you can sell it for no loss.
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Yes i ride mainly for pleasure or around town or back highways, and i never leave the pavement.

The thing is, i already have a bike to ride in the mean time my father gave me. Its a 70s model Campania (cant find much about it). It has a shimano derailleur and thats about all i can tell ya. Needs some maintenance issues addressed but its not bad. I want to find the bike i laid out in my original post while i continue to ride this.

After i buy a nicer bike, I plan to "hipsterize" this one with fixed gear goodies and switch to the new bike for my road bike needs. Kinda fascinated with the stripped down race bike riding style but I'd like to experience it on a cheaper conversion before i drop coin on a nice example (but thats a separate topic not to be discussed in this thread).

Campania was a California based company, selling frames made in Japan. I believe forum member BigBossMan worked for them. They were around from the bike boom to the 80's.

After a quick look, I believe it's a Grand Jubilee

I've seen a few Campanias - my recollection is lower end...probably a good fixed project.

Here's what you want to do...learn to spot what makes a quality bike a quality bike (not just the names). Learn to identify different types of components and their relative value and quality. It takes time - it's not just a read a list on the internet question. Familiarize yourself with smaller names - like Picchio, Grandis, Olympia and Marnati. I'm not sure what area you're in, but bike swaps are a great place to find good values on smaller names. Obviously Craigslist. Set eBay searches on brands you like.

Italians all have their own characteristics; a Colnago doesn't ride like a De Rosa. Some are quicker handling, some are more stable. Ride as many as you can and learn what you like. Fit, saddle and tires make more difference than anything else. As far as what Italians people like, opinions vary heavily...some like Ciocc, some prefer Pogliaghi. The top end 70s Italians are both uncommon and PRICEY. Also, don't rule out contracted bikes - for instance Billato and Della Santa built Lemonds (later than what you want). I have a Biemmezeta built Palo Alto - I'd consider that Italian. I've yet to build it up, but it's BEAUTIFUL and fits your criteria, except maybe the decals.

With your criteria, keep an eye out for Frejus.

This is a great resource...

http://sheldonbrown.com/glossary.html

We
Are
Ironman

ride the legend

80's Columbus Schwinns! Highly under rated, and stil affordable.,,,,BD


http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...r/DSCN4543.jpg

bicycle brands/models
 

I would look for Bottecchia, Atala, Frejus, Coppi/Fiorelli. Full Campy NR models generally sell for less than $1000.

Add Bianchi, Pinarello, Ciöcc, Legano.... But if you're song an eBay search, try to be a bit broad minded in your search terms. Search for your size plus Columbus tubing, for example, and see what comes up.

thanks for the information guys i'll start looking some more. it's going to take years to digest this whole scene though :)

part of the fun, i'd imagine

Add Basso, Torelli, and Olmo to the mix.

I'd still say the smart move would be to go for a classic Japanese frame; just as snappy, but less expensive and a lot easier to maintain.

I lurked on here for a year before I even bought a good bike, waited six years to post anything. There's a lot more to classic bikes, and bikes in general, than meets the eye.

Why are they easier to maintain?

Japanese bikes use English threading on the bottom bracket. Its a better design (the drive side has a left handed thread so it won't unscrew itself) and the parts are more common. Italian bikes also have a wider bottom bracket, which is good but means less common parts, and even a different headset threading, though that's too close to worry about it. These are not major issues, but real.

French bikes have a similar, but slightly more challenging, set of problems. We won't go there.

I was about to ask about french as its my second choice :)

Thank you for informing me on these details.

I started the thread I linked below when I was looking for my first Italian, and I got a real schooling on what to look for. Check it out, it might help you to. I finally decided on a Basso Gap, and it is a truly great rider with good looks to match.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...e+the+italians

Oh, and IMHO, don't get talked out of buying an Italian, because there really is something magical about them...

--What he said!


And I definitely agree; just be aware there are caveats to be observed. :)

Well I'm not going to say Italian bikes do or don't have a magic. Seems to me any good bike that fits you just right is going to have a certain magic, especially if it's one you've been wanting a long long time. That said, if you've been wanting an Italian bike, then you should get an Italian bike. If it's the one you have been wanting, it will have the magic you crave. Well, it will have the magic if it fits you, and it has good tires, and the wind is at your back when you ride it, and... uh....

I really want to think there are better built, better riding bikes than the late 70's to the late 80's Japanese frames. I really really want to.

I reckon that there are some as good as. But better? Have to think about that.