Is this a real Bianchi?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Is this a real Bianchi?
I seriously doubt it. Looks like a less than tasteful repaint with new decals. Headtube decal is only white, not multicolored. Likely a Bianchi stem stuck on a generic frame. No, I'm not interested in buying it...just making conversation. Is this a Bianchi?
https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/bi...280443577.html
https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/bi...280443577.html
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,233
Mentioned: 652 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4719 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,034 Times
in
1,874 Posts
With that grey and blue striped livery, it looks like it should be Atala.
#4
Senior Member
Maybe, but when you get down to that level Bianchi anyway you shouldn't be paying a premium over any other mass produced brand.
__________________
N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
#5
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,171
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1554 Post(s)
Liked 1,274 Times
in
846 Posts
Looks very authentic to me, other than the paint. The DT cable adjusters are somewhat distinctive on this entry-level Bianchi.
#6
Bianchi Goddess
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 29,724
Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.
Mentioned: 191 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2912 Post(s)
Liked 2,836 Times
in
1,460 Posts
I say no. By the time Bianchi got to using tig, mig and fillet brazing most of the frames had vertical dropouts. I'd have to spend a lot of time looking through the 2000 catalogs but that paint scheme doesn't seem very Bianchi to me. Where is this bike?
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
It's in San Antonio. There is a link to the ad. I highly suspect this was a repaint with new decals. He says he cannot read the serial number. Interesting note...there are braze-on fittings at the mid point of the front fork.
Likes For icemilkcoffee:
#10
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,171
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1554 Post(s)
Liked 1,274 Times
in
846 Posts
I believe that I sold an example of this exact model a couple of years ago. It wasn't a Volpe and just had these same lower-tier D-P calipers.
The keyed cable adjuster plates on the downtube are something I have not seen on many other bikes, making me feel 95% certain that this bike is the same entry-level, Shimano-equipped Bianchi as I had. All of the other features seem consistent as well, though I don't recall the dropout type.
I get that selling bikes with an incorrect, more prestigious brand stickered on does happen on Craigslist, but this just isn't one of those.
Likely an original toothpaste color just wasn't what a previous owner wanted, as to some it looks feminine.
The keyed cable adjuster plates on the downtube are something I have not seen on many other bikes, making me feel 95% certain that this bike is the same entry-level, Shimano-equipped Bianchi as I had. All of the other features seem consistent as well, though I don't recall the dropout type.
I get that selling bikes with an incorrect, more prestigious brand stickered on does happen on Craigslist, but this just isn't one of those.
Likely an original toothpaste color just wasn't what a previous owner wanted, as to some it looks feminine.
#11
Bianchi Goddess
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Shady Pines Retirement Fort Wayne, In
Posts: 29,724
Bikes: Too many to list here check my signature.
Mentioned: 191 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2912 Post(s)
Liked 2,836 Times
in
1,460 Posts
by the time the Volpe went lugless it would have had vertical dropouts
__________________
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada - burrrrr!
Posts: 11,672
Bikes: 1958 Rabeneick 120D, 1968 Legnano Gran Premio, 196? Torpado Professional, 2000 Marinoni Piuma
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1370 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,743 Times
in
934 Posts
The first thing that I noticed, actually jumped out at me, was the rear drops. They do not look like any Bianchi that has come my way. If the OP is in the market to purchase, I suggest looking elsewhere.
The Volpe is a really nice bike and I had one many years ago ICanti brakes)...
To this day, I still have my early eighties Bianchi Touring, a really decent nice riding and darn near bullet proof bike (Canti brakes). I ride this every year, for five months in Jamaica, except this year of the virus...
The Volpe is a really nice bike and I had one many years ago ICanti brakes)...
To this day, I still have my early eighties Bianchi Touring, a really decent nice riding and darn near bullet proof bike (Canti brakes). I ride this every year, for five months in Jamaica, except this year of the virus...
__________________
"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
#13
Edumacator
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Goose Creek, SC
Posts: 7,429
Bikes: '87 Crestdale, '87 Basso Gap, '92 Rossin Performance EL-OS, 1990 VanTuyl, 1980s Losa, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 1987 PX10, etc...
Mentioned: 56 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2385 Post(s)
Liked 2,931 Times
in
1,862 Posts
Is it possible this was a Bianchi for an alternative market? Like a Verata or something? San Remo? Then had the cantis chopped for someone who wanted the more racing look?
Looks like an odd transitional period based on the drop-outs versus the fork rake (that could be a replacement).
Looks like an odd transitional period based on the drop-outs versus the fork rake (that could be a replacement).
__________________
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super
#14
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,171
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1554 Post(s)
Liked 1,274 Times
in
846 Posts
It's a Bianchi Brava. These had the same exact Sora group, the same DT cable adjusters, even the same horizontal dropouts.
I don't recognize the rims as having the same labels as mine did, but if the hubs aren't Sora than the wheels have been swapped.
I don't recognize the rims as having the same labels as mine did, but if the hubs aren't Sora than the wheels have been swapped.