So Who knows what this 1970's bike is ? It reads "Benotto"
 

Bought this bike 15 years ago. I picked this one, as someone had been very proud on it as he engraved his name on it.
I traced the guy, and he actually still lives close by. He was the 2nd owner, making me the third.

I use it now and then on a nice summer's day.
Now these type of vintage bikes are becoming more and more cool. Never new I was such an "early adopter".

Who can tell me what it is that i drive? I'd like know what type of bike it is, what type of components are used etc.
Can it be collectable?

The only knowledge that i know about this bike, is that it gives me a big smile while going around our little forest roads nearby :).

Erik,
The Netherlands.

Double butted Columbus tubing frame, full Dura Ace groupo -- what's not to like? :)

I am not surprised it's a great rider -- it is evidently one of Benotto's mid-to-high-end offerings. Others can probably help figure out the year (I don't know Shimano date codes, etc.), but the 6-speed freewheel, low flange hubs, and lack of water bottle bosses suggests circa 1980 to me.

Sweet bike. I don't know the model but Benotto is an Italian bike company and it made high end racing frames like yours. Google benotto and you'll find information on the bike.

Columbus tubing, in its day, was considered one of the top tubing sets in the world. You have a columbus frame tubing sticker on your bike.

Dura Ace has always been Shimano's top end parts offering. Dura Ace first came out with indexing derailleurs in the early,mid 80s; your parts gruppo is non-indexing so that helps date the parts gruppo.

Benotto (an Italian make that produced most of its bikes in Mexico after the 1950s), with early Shimano Dura-Ace components (that was/is Shimano's top race group). I don't know how to tell if this is a Mexico or Italy-made model, but the next poster may. The bike looks in very nice condition, but really needs cleaning and, perhaps, a service wouldn't be wasted.

Looks nice. Your pride is justified. Were some of the Benottos made in Mexico? You should flip your front brake shoe holders over so the pads don't slide out when braking. Also, it appears the rear wheel quick release is assembled backwards and the nut is coming off. Don't want that to let go when riding.

Lovely bike.

I'd say she is pretty collectible and a worthy keeper. Good, early Dura Ace gruppo, Columbus tubing, and in decent condition for her age all make for a nice bike that vintage guys would love to have.

But good grief man, show her some love, clean her up, especially that chain! I'd take her in for a good servicing from your LBS. If it makes you smile riding her like that, wait until you ride her after a good servicing!:)

Nice. But yes, get a new chain! That one is eating your chain rings.

DuraAce EX gruppo (probably original to this bike) would date it to between 1978 and 1984, but since this frame has portacatena dropouts, I'd guess not earlier than 1980. That and late '70s Benottos still had cable clips and this has more "bikini" lugs plus that "fade" paint would have come along a little later. Might be made in Italy, but pretty sure the majority of production was in Mexico by the '80s.

Turning up in the Netherlands, I would bet that this one is Italian-made, perhaps 1979 or so.

As others mentioned, there are a few mechanical problems needing immediate repair. I will note that the front derailer is set far too high on the seat tube, inviting poor shifting and chain control.

Likely the engraved stem was a very enthusiastic first owner's addition, and nice that this bike has clincher rims. Looks like a very good pro bike.

Interesting fade blue paint job.....
Did early 80's Benottos come painted that way? You'd expect such more on later 80's bikes....

So, after reading your remarks, i contacted the previous owner.
Indeed it was repainted. it was driven by PO in the "70's and 80's and repainted somewhere in between. It was repainted by the local company "Elmondi", hence the decal on the front tube"
So this explains the paint scheme.

PO also mentioned that it was fitted at that time in all Dura ACE components, and MAVIC rims. The Dura Ace bits are still there, even I can spot that. But are the fitted rims of the Mavic brand?

Next to that, here some pics of the underside, as i found some marks there;

56 - could that be the frame size?
and 1-0172 or L-0172. No idea on the information in this code.

And, much appreciated, i'll take note of your comments :-)
I'll clean it up, flip the brake pads, move the front derailler a tad lower & clean the chain up. Anything else?

Really a lot of potential there, nice bicycle. Measure the chain after you clean it and replace with a new one if its beyond tolerance. A good chain will make a difference in the shifting and in the bicycles performance. Cables might be another inexpensive part to go ahead and replace with some new items. last thing I can think of is to clean and repack all of the bearings with a good waterproof grease of your choice.

Should be a nice ride when you get it cleaned and serviced. Hope that you enjoy it.

Bill

Nice find and bike! I concurr with the others. TLC is needed. Depending on your mechanical skills, IMHO, this bike needs to be stripped down to the frame and soaked in OA for 24 hours then cleaned up, waxed, frame saver appplicaiton and then assembly. During the soak period, all parts should be cleaned and lubed, cables and maybe housings replaced.

It is a nice bike now but could be very stunning for what it is.

yes, I'd say "56" is the frame size, no idea how to interpret the serial number or if that will tell you whether it's Italian-made, but since you're in Netherlands, probably a better chance of that than Mexican-built.
Interesting that this is a Cinelli investment-cast BB shell (the early model, can't recall if this is called SCM or what) but it has Benotto's name cast-in where "Cinelli" would have been. There were a few other marques that got that treatment from Cinelli, maybe you had to be a "special" customer (or just pay extra).

Some say that an "I" stamped on the bottom bracket indicates a Benotto that was made in Italy. Others say that the Italian-made bikes had a "Made In Italy" decal while the Mexican ones had a "Torino" decal.

I wonder if the BB stamping here was meant to read 1-01-72 implying an early 1972 bike?

I am not sure if it makes a difference, Meheecan or Italian? I raced on one (mexican made) after I crashed my Gios back in the stone age. Since I was a poor college student, another Gios or Motta (really wanted one of those) was out of the question. So, this ugly silver / brown, typical color for Benotto in those days, came along. It was my size and my price. I knew it was Mexican made but I didn't care. Tell you the truth, I can't tell the difference in ride quality. By then I have gone through a few frames since racing as a Jr. Within three or four days of riding, it was like an extension of my arms again. The Gios was 100th of a milisecond quicker in and out of the turns. I couldn't break this Benotto, and believe me, I tried. Benottos to me its like a Gios, it should only be that silver/ brown color.

+1^^
I've heard anecdotal stories of Mexican built Benotto frames supposedly cracking in areas where the brazier overheated the tubes/lugs. But does that mean all Mexican built Benottos crack?:rolleyes:.....I doubt it... and I figure that Benotto caught this problem soon enough and corrected it if there wa even a problem.
Frankly, I think the general negative view on the Mexican Benotto frames being inferior to the Euro built ones is similar to the way many VW fans prefer the ones built in Europe to the one built in Mexico..... My POS, Belgian built 97 Passat GLX VR6 sure threw that theory out the window....German Engineering indeed....:rolleyes:

Those Dura Aced parts are not 1st gen. 1st gen rear derailleur said "Crane," not "Dura Ace," 1st gen shifters did not look like that, 1st gen chainwheels had more metal on them, and 1st gen brake adjusters did not look like that. Not a problem and this does not mean your bike is any better or worse, but it does mean that it likely dates from the late 1970s or maybe very early 1980s and not the mid-1970s when Shimano first put out its Dura Ace line. That rear deralleur was certainly builf before 1984, which is when SunTour's slant pantograph patent expired and Shimano could (and did) copy it, as does everyone else now.

As for issues with Mexican-built Benottos being over-cooked and cracking, that absolutely was an issue back in the day, but I suspect that those frames have self-destructed by now. If it is still riding well, my guess is that it was brazed properly (and not all or even most Mexican Benottos had this problem), regardless of where it was built, and should continue to hold up just fine.

It's funny but some do everything they can to convince themselves and others that their Benotto is Italian made and not Mexican. It happens even more with Windsor Pro owners who have been known to replace the stock decals with Cinelli.