Originally Posted by tricky (Post 21565334)

So classy!




It's my first time seeing Martini livery from Bianchi. So good!

Originally Posted by Deerman (Post 21565805)

Hi Tricky - this bike is also an amazingly good ride - stiff, light and fast. Massively underrated frame set in my view.

Originally Posted by thejohnreyes (Post 21795431)

I just picked up this Bianchi yesterday. The guy I bought it from said he thought it was a 1980 bike but didn’t sound confident. I couldn’t find a serial number. The back of the crank arms are 1976. The front sticker brings up the CX when I google it but not much info. I’m kind of curious about the 2 numbers. The 170 is for the Strada but 2.8 or 28? Hmm... thoughts?

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ac27a4ff3.jpeg

Originally Posted by thejohnreyes (Post 21795431)

I just picked up this Bianchi yesterday. The guy I bought it from said he thought it was a 1980 bike but didn’t sound confident. I couldn’t find a serial number. The back of the crank arms are 1976. The front sticker brings up the CX when I google it but not much info. I’m kind of curious about the 2 numbers. The 170 is for the Strada but 2.8 or 28? Hmm... thoughts?

Originally Posted by T-Mar (Post 21795797)

It's the 170th frame, built during February 1978. The combination of brazed-on shift lever and water bottle bosses but top tube cable clamps is consistent with the era. The long Camapgnolo dropouts are also correct.

The curious aspect is the tubing decal. It is a pre-1978 decal used for Record, SL and SP. Normally, I would suggest that Bianchi was simply using up some old stock. However, the 1978 Campione del Mondo CX was spec'd with Columbus' new, midrange, plain gauge, Aelle tubeset which had it's own dedicated decal. Application of the subject decal would be incorrect and misleading, as it indicates a butted tubeset.

Consequently, it appears that bicycle may be at least partially decaled incorrectly, by either the factory or a previous owner, As a result, it may not be an actual Camapione del Mondo CX. The seat post diameter will tell us if it is actually Aelle and a Campione del Mondo CX.

Originally Posted by thejohnreyes (Post 21796212)

Thank you and everyone for your help. It has a 27.2 seat post.

Originally Posted by rccardr (Post 21796952)

Just tossing this up here again because it's been such a great build for the past 15 months.
One of the 'fastest' bikes in the stable.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...776f54ca3b.jpg

Originally Posted by T-Mar (Post 21796883)

An Aelle tubeset typically takes a 26.8mmm seat post. So, unless a previous owner reamed out the seat tube, it's not a Campione del Mondo CX. Given the era, a 27.2mm post would be indicative of Columbus SL. In which case, the tubing decal could be correct and just left over stock from the previous model year. However, the model decal on the head tube would be wrong and the correct model would be the Super Leggera, model number 00.4.30. To increase your confidence, remove the front wheel and inspect the inside of the bottom of the fork's steering tube. An SL steerer tube has five helical ridges (see photo), while an Aelle steerer does not. These ridges can be quite hard to detect on older bicycles which may have corrosion or foreign material in the steerer tube.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8a06f1102b.jpg

Originally Posted by thejohnreyes (Post 21797533)

It took a little cleaning but I did find out that it does have 5 ridges. So would it be safe to say I have a 1978 Super Leggera based on everything I’ve told you? Is the Super Leggera better or worse than a 1977 CX? BTW thanks again for everyone’s help. I’ve learned a lot!!

Originally Posted by T-Mar (Post 21797658)

The frame has both indicators that differentiate it from the lower grade Columbus Aelle frame. It's definitely Columbus SL, which means it higher than a Campione del Mondo CX. In 1978, the Columbus SL frame was used on the Barcelona, Super Legerra and Professionale. Based on another closer look, your bicycle appears to have the full Campagnolo (Nuovo) Record group, which would make it a Professionale and third in the hierarchy, immediately above the 4th place Campione del Mondo CX.

Originally Posted by thejohnreyes (Post 21797741)

Im sending more pictures to help. I’m wondering if it’s a leftover 77 frame? ...

Originally Posted by DMNHCAGrandPrix (Post 12285339)

Thanks to several people for kind comments on my favorite bike. The tires are Continental Grand Prix 4000's with a white reflective stripe. I thought the reflective stripe would be a good for commuting, and I think mix of black and white in the wheels plays well with the black bars and white hoods of the Campy brake levers. When I bought the bike it had a mix of Armadillo and Gatorskin tires. Switching the tires, changing the stem, and keeping everything else black, white or silver was all it took to bring out the classic beauty of the Celeste frame and gleaming alloy components.
Attachment 191500Attachment 191501




Some people like to have the bottom of their bars nearly level with the ground, which typically produces downwards sloping tops. Others like to have the tops of the bars nearly level with the ground all the way to the hoods, and the bottom of the bars angled so that they point towards the rear hub. I find the second set up much more comfortable for riding in either the tops, the ramps, the hoods, or the drops; probably because I no longer have the flexibility to lean as far forward as I used to!

Originally Posted by Bianchigirll (Post 14078227)

RATS!! I never win :( I should call and check on that.