AZORCH

So I've successfully whittled my collection down from around forty to seven. It's taken me about five years to get to this point, not to mention quite a lot of chagrin and gnashing of teeth. When I retire in a year or two we plan to get a smaller house, so the last thing I need is another bike project. (This is your cue to guffaw.)

I was offered a frame and a few parts today for chump change. As usual, most people passing along a bike or a frame are wildly wrong about what they've got their hands on. And so it was today. This was purported to be a 40's or 50's era Olmo Special. No doubt it was dated by the lack of a derailleur hanger, so it must be really, really old, right? It's definitely not 40's or 50's. From what I can glean from a little web surfing, the down tube decal dates from the 60's through the mid-70's. Every example of an Olmo Special model I could find had chromed lugs and a derailleur hanger. Absolutely none I came across utilized this down tube graphic either. I am pretty sure this is lower on the ladder than a Special. I know little about Italian bikes, other than the Freschi I used to own. I especially know almost nothing about Olmo, other than this one definitely does not fit a 26.8 seat pin as I was told. (26.8 is too large.) Oh, and ignore the wheels and bars. I stuck them on just to get a rough sense of how heavy it will be. My guess is 26 to 28 pounds. The guy I got it from said it had a Huret chain set and Campy GS rear derailleur. The CP brakes are Balilla, which weren't available prior to 1961. The original cable housing is there, for what that's worth, but the hoods are long gone.

So, I'm tapping into the collective knowledge of the forums. Tell me what I've got here. The decal gives me a little more than a decade date range as a starting point, and that's about it so far.



As I said, ignore the wheels and handlebars.


I rather love the patina!


I'm not familiar with this doohickey. Someone school me, please.


Pressed dropouts.


Olympic Rings must mean this will go really fast...


Check out the brake bridge.


Down tube graphic dates to early 60's through mid-70's, I think.


Fairly confident that's a replacement bolt out of a Mason jar in someone's grandfather's shed. Oh, and the Ski Rack shop sticker is in great condition.

jamesdak 

3 old Olmo catalogs here, you might find this model in them.

bulgier.net - /pics/bike/Catalogs/

AZORCH

Thanks. Bulgier is always the first place I visit, and I'd already checked there earlier today. The earliest catalog, unfortunately, seems to be later than this frame.

P!N20

Make yourself a coffee and immerse yourself in the Olmo Serial Number Dating Registry: Olmo Serial Number Dating Registry

jdawginsc 

Is that a derailleur cable guide?

obrentharris 

I believe you're right.
The branding on it might give a clue to the original derailleurs and shifters.
Brent

AZORCH

It’s Huret.

jdawginsc 

I have only seen that on a handful of frames, and none ever built up, so that's what I always guessed they might be...seems a cheaper solution to a chromed down-tube cable guide when it is rear derailleur only? (I am assuming this was a 5sp X 1?)

AZORCH

I wondered the same thing, but a shadow from the FD is clearly visible. On the other hand, it occurred to me that it would make an excellent three speed cable router.

iab

The downtube logo is a dead ringer with what's in their 1970 catalog and nothing like the downtube logo from the 1946 and 1954 catalogs. Even the lower tier models in the 1970 catalog had forged dropouts. Sorry.

seedsbelize 

A very pretty bike though

AZORCH

Actually, that's kind of great news to be perfectly honest. I'd already had it in my head to build a townie, and now I can do so without feeling any pangs of regret. I've got a pair of blue fenders that match almost perfectly, and Velo-Orange Left Bank handlebars that are looking for a home.

juvela

-----

frame comes close to matching the example of @Dion912....

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-old-olmo.html





-----

Dion912

that is exactly my frame, but sadly I can’t supply anymore info to the mystery of what year or what model. Good eye Juvela.

merziac

Bingo

tricky 

Rear dropouts are completely different though. And there weren't chrome socks on your fork. Makes the mystery even stranger because the better dropouts make me think the Dion frame could be better but the AZORCH frame has those nice chrome socks.

AZORCH

The stamped rear dropouts on my frame are pretty chintzy, in my opinion. And that's ok. I like the patina, and I've begun a rough upright build with Bluemels I have on hand that are an amazing match to the blue of the frame, and with a pair of VO Left Bank bars. Perhaps a 1 x 5 drive train - time will tell. I have to find the Italian BB that I know is hiding in one of my parts bins before I make too many other decisions.

juvela

-----

AZORCH -

one check you could make would be to determine saddle pillar size

the example of Dion912 is 26.2mm

https://www.bikeforums.net/21754841-post49.html

-----

AZORCH

Definitely. I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

I was told it took a 26.8 seat pin. I've got a couple of those size on hand and that size is clearly too large. I haven't checked yet to see if it's simply been squeezed or out of round, or if it's truly a different diameter. My sense is that it's going to take a smaller seat pin diameter than 26.8.

bwilli88 

I feel that would make either a sweet 1x5 or 6 or a cool IGH driven townie

AZORCH

@bwilli88, an IGH was my very first thought, followed by 1 x 5, so we’re thinking along the same lines here. Most likely, a 1x shifted by bar-end will be the outcome.

AZORCH

I decided to "townie-ize" this frame, cobbling things together with available bits and pieces I had on hand. The only thing I needed to purchase was a seat pin in the correct diameter, which turned out to be 25.8. That set me back six bucks and a welcome few minutes visit with my friend at Pace Bicycle Haven. I've never been a big fan of upright bars, but hey! - it seems like there needs to be one in the group. This one was fun to puzzle together.



The Ballila center pulls are a little soft and need adjusted, but I will also need to replace the pads, so I'll save those to be done at the same time. Some parts have a low pedigree, while others are a step or two up. Importantly, they all function fine. Even more importantly, they didn't cost me anything since they were all languishing in my parts bins.

Saddle: Vetta, that I recovered just to do it several years ago. There's a thread on here somewhere documenting the process.
Seat pin: Just an old steel 25.8 pin
Seat bracket: Simplex
Handlebars: VO Left Bank bars that I tried on a personal build, then wound up selling the frame before I could do more than ride it up and down the street. I've tried them on a couple other builds that didn't work out. Essentially, they're unused.
Stem: One of those tall Nitto ones. I had it on my Jeff Lyon until I thinned out frames last year.
Crank: Sugino, originally a 46/36 outfit. I pulled the big ring and swapped in the small ring. After running the gear inches I realized I effectively wound up with almost the same hi/middle/low range as a three speed, which was an option I'd considered.
Chain: A brand new one I'd forgotten I had. Wal-Mart, I think.
Brakes: Ballila center pulls that came on the frame. The Ballila levers have been put away for later.
Shifter: One half of a pair of Suntour bar ends. I used a Suntour cable guide to route it down.
Wheels: Maillard hubs with an Atom, if I recall correctly, 13-26 freewheel.
Tires: The ubiquitous Panaracer Pasella, in 27 inch.
Fenders: Who knows? Very light aluminum things I have had for eons.
Headset: Again... who knows? It was on the bike. No markings, but rebuilt easily.
Bottom bracket: A lower end Campy, not sure what model, that I got off Amazon on close out some time back for the outrageous price of $13.
Bell: POC from the junk bin
Rear Derailleur: Simplex, just living out its silver years here.

iab

Classy.

obrentharris 

What an eclectic build!
Nicely done.
Brent

CroMo Mike 

That frame looks to be exactly the same as an Olmo I bought new from a local shop in 1971. The lugs, seat stay treatment, dropouts, brake bridge, seat tube clamp, fork, and that little Huret cable pulley are just like mine. It came with Campy Valentino derailleurs and levers. Balilla brakes, Gnutti quick release hubs, no-name bars and stem, steel no-name cranks, and a cheap plastic saddle. The price in 1971 was $129, or $119 with Simplex derailleurs. It weighed around 28 lbs. The decals were not very durable.