Citoyen du Monde

It could very well be built in Italy but the brand name is unlikely to be Italian. Many resellers had their bikes built in Italy and then put on their own brand. I think it is pretty safe to say that there was no builder who sold bikes under the Ghisallo brand, so in the end, it is all rather unconsequential

theoriginalpol

I just picked one of these up this morning on CL for $110, looks identical to the one Horatio posted a photo of. I too couldn't find a single thing about it online, other than the wooden manufacturer which there didn't seem to be a strong association.
Unfortunately, it was stolen off my porch hours later. But, not before I was able to snap some detailed photos and make a post. I could not find a serial number. I can confirm though that the derailleur was a Camp, and my drop bars were 3T. The tires were Matrix ISO Tech 2's.

Hope this helps, I'm eager to learn more about this mystery brand as well! It feels so quick and responsive, a great ride and very light. I sure hope mine is recovered...

horatio 

That's the same bike. I never made it down to Charleston to check it out. Sorry for your loss. That really sucks.

I'll keep an eye on the area CL postings in case it pops up.

3speedslow

That is one twist to the story I never saw coming ! Ditto, sorry some scum sucking dirt bag crossed your path and came away with the bike.

Do hope it returns. Consolation, that was not a high end Campy...

theoriginalpol

Haha thanks 3speed, in some backwards way that does help. OP I'm just noticing your location. Small world — guess it really was one-of-a-kind after all. The ad was almost a month old too, I was surprised no one had jumped on it.

Not to get too off-topic, but do you guys know any good forums to post notices for stolen bikes? Was gonna try Bike Shepherd, National Registry, and this place..

juvela

so sad to hear this news.

thank you for posting the detail pictures in the other thread.

please add an update if it is recovered by law enforcement.

3speedslow

Post on CL. If it gets back on there, someone might see it and give you a buzz. I see those alerts sometime.

Yeh, I am backwards... But mean well.

Lazyass

Hmm. Here's another one. Full Campy. Can't find anything on them.

Ghisalli Cicli Italian vintage road bike 56cm

RobbieTunes

Beat me to it.

juvela

Once again, all three examples turn up in same area; must have been a distributor nearby....

Too bad photos do not show us better detail. Wonder what seller means by "full Campagnolo drive train" - that cottered chainset is certainly not an item of Tulliana. Headset looks as if it may be Way-Assuato.

Thank you for this addition to thread.

horatio 

And he's asking $575.

RobbieTunes

Yep, $275 and I might be having coffee with him.

That is one cool headbadge.

juvela

doth anyone else suspect a respray? looks like someone may have saved two of the original transfers and then reapplied them post respray. just an idea...

wonder if dropouts Campag Sport or Agrati.

Marco61

Hi everybody. The same I'm looking for infos about Ghisallo bikes: I've just bought a used one, quite a good/light city bike (double uppper low/female tube/cane, 18 gears, thin wheels/tires that look like for a speed/road bike)... I also found on the web about wooden wheels and also the Viscontea Cicli has some models named Ghisallo (that sound Italian...). Anybody has some informations?
Last: for the price I payed (50 €) I don't think it comes from America...

Marco61

Here again: I found on ebay a guy that sells a copy of Quattroruote (most famous italian car magazine) dated 1974: it has on the cover advertising about the inside article: "Gimondi tries Ghisallo bikes".
More: I'm italian and I live in italy: I do not want to offend anybody but I found the thing about the name of a saint given to a bikes' brand=inappropriate a bit stupid: here the most diffused saddles' brand is the "S. Marco"...
Anyway: if anybody has any info I'll be very grateful, if somebody wants pictures of the bike or anything else please write me to mmcp(at)iol.it

Marco61

The brand symbol on my bike is dfferent from Citoyen's one: mine is an adesive tag with Ghisallo - Milano, not Verona and no mountain's image (I found Milano more probable than Verona)

OldGhisallo

I have an Orange one hanging in the garage . As to its origin, I only know it was purchased in or near Raleigh NC around 1975. It still rides well and the bike shops like it. Its only had new tubes, tires, pads, and tape. Glad to find some info here. I've looked for a while with no luck. Cheers!

horatio 

Chicodoodoo

I have a similar Ghisallo that has been hanging in my garage for 30 years, waiting for some new tires. Finally got to it and was wondering what it's worth. Here are my notes from re-examining it:

Cicli Ghisallo (Verona Italy) 10-speed, 22" frame, SanRemo alloy rims, Campagnolo Velox rear derailleur, Campagnolo shifters, Shimano Titlist front derailleur, Tourney crank arms on a cotterless crank, Gnutti quick release one piece hubs, Balilla center-pull brakes, 3ttt stem and handlebars, Campagnolo drop outs, OFMEGA headset, stored for the past 30 years in my garage awaiting new tires (so not ridden), probably about 50 years old. Very smooth and easy ride, feels like new. The prior owner must have been left-handed, as the brake handles have been moved from their traditional sides, making this bike even more interesting.

Lots of pictures at: hm.dinofly.com/Ghisallo/
.

juvela

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Hello Chicodoodoo and welcome to the forum.

Thank you for posting and adding your example to the thread.

You do not give your location other than "US"; are you perchance in North Carolina?

The importer for these seems to have been located there...

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imagini assistenza -






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frame -

exhibits some minor differences from the earlier examples. lug pattern is Agrati "CORSA". upper head lug item nr. 021.8194, lower head lug item nr. 021.8193, seat lug item nr. 202.8529.

ends set is Campag Sport nr. 1010/1.

interesting to note that while it would have come with a Valentino model front mech the Campag braze-on for bare cable operation was employed. this is not a rare situation. a number of cycle makers did this. at first glance appears slightly odd to the practiced eye...

chainstay stop is Campag nr. 621.

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fittings -

Tourney chainset and Titlist front mech clearly replacements.
originals would have been a cottered steel chainset from either Agrati or OMG and a Campag Valentino front mech.

suspect the 3TTT Record stem/bar set also an upgrade; original was likely 3TTT Tourist.

handlebar end caps and brake cable clips from REG (Rampinelli).

the Balilla brake set is without quick release mechanism. these are the economy Balilla brake levers. the Corsa 61 model lever incorporates a lever mounted quick release.

pedals are Sheffield Corsa model nr. 655.

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if you have a means to measure it could you please check saddle pillar diameter. its size is a clue as to the tubing employed. would expect some sort of a quality plain gauge set with a pillar diameter in the vicinity of 26.2mm.

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dating -

looks to hail from the 1972-73 time.

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KenNC

Here is another thread on Ghisallo,"Ghisallo" Road Bike (from Verona, Italy)?
The blue one I refurbished and passed on. It had a shop decal from Tumbleweed Bicycles in Carrboro , near UNC-Chapel Hill.

Chicodoodoo

I purchased this bike locally from a Goodwill in Colorado Springs, surprisingly enough. It was totally out of place to my eye, and I'm sure there is an interesting back story on how it got there, but I don't know the story. It was clearly a step up from my Viscount road bike that I was riding at the time. Even so, I simply hung it up in the garage to work on it later, not knowing that later might mean 30 years later. Somehow, life kept me distracted from that project.

The seat pillar looks to be 27.0 mm in diameter, according to my Omega pocket calipers. I can't find my digital calipers at the moment to get another reading. The seat post is fluted, so that may throw off my measurement a bit.

Thanks for the more detailed information about the bike from your practiced eye -- most impressive. It bugs me that one pedal end cap is missing, but maybe I can find one if I'm really patient (hopefully not 30 years patient).

juvela

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thank you for getting back with the additional information.

in reviewing the thread posted by KenNC was reminded that we had another example posted which came through with the second generation 3TTT Record handlebar stem & 3TTT Gran Prix handlebar. my error . the nominal accepted launch date for the second generation Record model stem is 1974 but it may have been available at the OEM level in Italy sometime in 1973. previously had the idea that it was very slightly late for the bike.

being able to see the other examples gives you an opportunity to see how they were kitted.

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pedal note -

don't feel too bad about the dustcap for the Shfeffield model Corsa Nr. 655 pedal. they are not a very practical model for most riders. the lateral distance between the inner and outer "spurs" is quite narrow such that unless a rider has rather small/narrow feet they will probably be unable to fit their shoe into them. this has caused me to refer to them as the "ballerina pedal."

once you have enough forum posts you can post an ISO/wanted notice for the dustcap. it may be that a member has a hopelessly damaged Sheffield snoozing in a parts bin which yet has its dust cap.

another possibility, if you wish, is to check the web site subito.it. this is a kind of craigslist for Italy which regularly has bicycle parts offered. the prices there are typically below those of ebay.

here are two images of the 655 in case it may be of help -





they were offered in both a chrome and a zinc finish.

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Chicodoodoo

Wow, thank you for that knowledgeable correction on the handlebars and stem, and the interesting pedal details. Fascinating detective work, so to speak! The front derailleur is no doubt a change-out, but is it for sure these Ghisallos all came with cottered cranks? As these Ghisallo bikes appear to be a limited run of custom imports, I'm thinking they might have had some limited variability in their features to maybe have two or more price points at the retail shop. I was indeed quite surprised when I read in this forum about the Ghisallo with the cottered crank, as such a BB assembly did not match the quality of the other components and seemed out of place to me. I'm no expert, so I could easily be wrong, but that was my first reaction on reading about the Ghisallo with the cottered crank. Could my idea have any merit?

juvela

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as regards the Shimano Titlist front mech -

be very careful not to permit member non-fixie learn your address

he has a passion for them

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as regards models of Ghisallo bicycles -

all the examples we have had thus far seem to be the same model

there are some small variations i would attribute to production batches rather than model differences. for example, your bike came with an OFMEGA headset while the others exhibit a Way-Assauto. this makes me suspect your example slightly later than the others. Way-Assauto ceased production of cycle fittings in the early 1970's.




the frame ends set on the blue example from KenNC is Agrati rather than the Campag Sport model 1010/1 of your bicycle.

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regading the Tourney chainset on your machine -

check the bottom bracket cups

you will likely find they are the OMG originals

fixed cup probably exhibits three notches/dogs

typically when someone replaces a cottered steel chainset with an inexpensive alloy cotterless one they reuse the original bottom bracket cups

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Hope you enjoy lots of good fun with it however you should elect to proceed.

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