As much as I love my vintage road bicycles, not one of them is a decent commuter. The old school transmissions and outdated braking systems are not commuter friendly, in my opinion. I also feel that vintage road bicycles are flimsy, when compared to many other types of bikes. And, they attract thieves! Just a few days ago, my son found his Empire Professional gone and the cut in half lock laying on the ground...
With that in mind and in need of a decent "rider", I blew sixty dollars Canadian to buy this old Rocky Mountain mountain bike, changing this and that to meet my personal preferences and riding needs. The project has proved to be a great success and I think that I should have built something like this years ago, when I was commuting to and from work. After a month or so of riding the paved and dirt roads at the cottage, this thing seems to be almost bullet proof. That said, this one is still too pretty for me to consider using it as a city commuter since it, too, would attract thieves...
So, one other option might need to be considered. Check the prices of old mountain bikes and, if you find one, consider using some of the components (bars and brake levers) from the busted Bianchi to build something cheap that meets your personal riding needs.