Hey Guys, I'm thinking of getting this Bianchi, what do you guys think?


Vintage 1960 Bianchi Team Frameset | eBay

Saw the link today earlier on the CR list. Absolutely beautiful. If you have the scratch, I say go for it! It's a grail bike for me, but a little before my time.

If it were a few cm bigger, you wouldn't have the chance.

That answer your question?

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OC, OR

Looks very nice but what makes it a team bianchi other than the seller saying it is so? If he had B. Baylis restore it he has a ton of $ in it...maybe reflected in his BIN price? Other than that it looks amazing!

My size too, 60cm CTC seat tube 59cm CTC top tube. Damit......I really like this.....

Owner said basically the Baylis restoration, chrome work, plus the value of the headset thrown in was the asking price, meaning you get the frame for free.
I know very little of the provenence. Jim Cunningham once told me team bikes had no chrome. Baylis may have a different opinion. Either way it's something worth buying if it fits and you can afford it.

I am out of my comfort zone with early '60's stuff. Maybe Otis can chime in...

I find it amusing when ever someone is selling a frame or bike.

The standard line..


BOY, if it were only my size!!!

Way too big for me! I don't know the vintage, but I'd guess early 60's, I've seen one or two where the top and bottom of the headtube were 'bulged' to accept headset races. I swear Bianchi, and dark green for certain.

Technically, the seller does not claim it was a bike used by the team.

"This Bianchi frameset is a Team model, their top of the line model."

I am no Bianchi expert, but I believe the top of the line model in the late 50s was the Specialissima. Either way, I would not purchase this based on the written desciption. The photos on the other hand are superb. That is one pretty bike. Equipping it with excellent condition period correct parts will not be cheap.

Yes, semantics. This is a Team Model, which may or may not be a team ridden bike. It was a model sold to the public, and at least in the early 60's in the US was an upcharge over the Specialissima. It was also the only model in the early-mid 60's sold in the US in Celeste, the Specialissima's were only imported in other colors.

But basically it was the same frame as the Specialissima, but the Team model had no exposed chrome "socks" on the stays and fork, and had a decal instead of a head-badge. Which makes this one a little odd having the exposed chrome for the stays and fork. Which the seller confirmed was evident before the refinish, as well as there being no holes for a head-badge.

But as far as I'm concerned there's no "absolutes" for Bianchi, just good guesses. This may be a very first year Specialissima?

Anyway, the work was most likely done very well, and if you could put a clean correct parts group together for it would be a very nice bike.

Well, it's always fun to help someone else spend their money. I say if you have that kind of expendable income, go for it. What a cool frame. How much does a Baylis paint job go for? A grand? More? And that head set. Wow. The only example better might be a similar, minty, un-restored one. But finding one of those might be nearly impossible. A beautiful bike, Mike. No doubt about it.
It's interesting how different the color shows up in different lighting, in the photos provided.

Edit: just read this in the CR ad;

"Rechroming and repainting this frame came to $1,600"

I really like it. I saw that link as well. If I had the $$'s I would give it a shot. My size too.......

Make absolutely sure the headset parts are complete. It is a proprietary Bianchi integrated headset and it will be hell to find another one.

Read this thread - about the (possible) bottom bracket issue. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...und-rough.html

Also budget $100 for the special VAR pin wrench (or two) necessary to work on the headset. Unless you have a LBS with such tools, or can improvise an alternative.

I think there is quite a good chance the frame will not sell at that price. In that case, you might be able to negotiate a lower price w/ the seller, or see if he has the appropriate BB should this be a frame requiring the wider BB.

frame made to take the special campagnolo-bianchi headset which uses 1/8" balls. if not included in sale this would be a challenge to locate. these are fabulous headsets; they turn like glass.

see nothing in the frameset to separate it from the contemporaneous specialissima.

specialissimas were offered in other finishes in addition to celeste. have had black come through my workshop and seen photos of assorted hues as well.

A NOS would be difficult, but this one is waiting at the post office for me, I have to sign for it, posta raccommendata. This version is the clip version, a bit more difficult to find over the "regular", but not that bad.

I already have two Pin spanners from working on the Stucchi, which the owner decided to abandon. So now I'm the owner of a Stucchi Frame set. Maybe I'll add the Bianchi to the Stable.