scale

I picked up a all original bianchi radonneur recently. It is all original including both racks. It has some junky fenders on it. I plan on getting some planet bike stainless fender stays and hardware which will stiffen then up alot and make them great. The original diacompe levers have melted off and need to be replaced. Rather than getting the cane creek hoods i am thinking of putting a set of tektro rl340s on it. The original look will change if i move to aero levers but they are SO much more comfortable than those old hand hatchets. I have never been able to get use to the old style diacompe hoods. I suppose the answer is just do whatever is comfortable and ride it

THE decals on the bike are pretty rough but the paint is pretty darn good. Neat old Rando bike. IT is almost identical to the Schwinn Voyager S/P of that same era. I believe this is a 1983. Interesting to see a bianchi of that era with cantis. IT has the same diacompe cantis as the miyata 600. They have that spring that fits behind the special nut on each pad holder. I have koolstops and new 27 1/4 paselas on order. IT does have a front and rear suntour mountech mechs. I am going to run them to see how i like them. I think they are either hit or miss. Mostly miss from what i have read.

One thing i thought was strange is it is marked Ishwata 022 on the frame tubes and the fork. When i pulled the fork to clean and repack things, i noticed the steer tube was stamped Tange. Arent they completely different companies/tubing types?

Velo Mule

No replies yet. I think you are going to have to post a picture to get members going. I would think that the frame was built with the Ishiwata tubing and the fork was purchased from Tange in order to speed building the bikes.

I would love to see a picture of it.

ryansu

Yes, Yes you should, I just did the same for my Nishiki build. Save the original stuff but build it to be comfortable to ride, as in my experience uncomfortable bikes don't get ridden YMMV

IMG_3135 by Ryan Surface, on Flickr

jlaw

Replace the old brakes and levers - if you're not comfortable you won't ride it - and you will have more stopping power. I put Tektro 559s on a bike - the hoods are comfy and braking is good.

.....almost sunrise - time to go for a ride!

T-Mar

I'm a firm believer in modifying a bicycle to make it more enjoyable for the owner, so that it will be ridden more often. However, having said that, I don't do anything that's irreversible and always keep the old components so that it can be returned to OEM spec for when it eventually moves to the next owner. A completely OEM bicycle almost invariably nets a higher resale value.

While different brands of steel tubing for the forks and frame was atypical for the era, it's not unknown. In this case, the frame was made by Bianchi's Japanese source and the forks were likely sub-contracted to Tange, who had a large and efficient (read. inexpensive) fork assembly operation.

The Bianchi Randonneur that surface are typically Japanese manufactured models, circa 1983-1984. The 1984 model was spec'd with SunTour MounTech, while the 1983 version was spec'd with Sun Tour ARx, so the subject bicycle should be a 1984 model. However, the serial number will indicate the exact frame manufacture date and confirm the year.

The MounTech was a very good performing wide range rear derailleur. The problem was that they suffered from premature failure of the seal for the pivot at the jockey pulley. However, this was more of an issue in off-road applications, on early ATBs. They have a much better survival rate on touring bicycles.

randyjawa 

I purposely chose aero levers for my early eighties Bianchi Touring. Glad I did not as they are, for me, very comfortable and easy to pull. I can live with the appearance since appearance, on my Bianchi is of no importance. I built this one to be as comfortable to ride and as easy to use as I could...

Bianchigirll 

There is nothing wrong with changing things to make a bike better suite your personality and riding style. As much as we like to think our bikes are only valuable when left original fact is few bikes increase in value dispite original equipment or even NOS status.

While Bianchi owners love the Volpe for its versatility I thought making my Sizzling Peach '86 mine would make it a much better and more enjoyable ride. Almost everything is change except the seatpost and cantilever brakes and I may upgrade those next summer but I may have to change brake levers yet again to do that.



This is a seller's pic the Volpe stock as far as I can tell.


This is cleaned up and in service. Great rider but not quite right.


Added shorty fenders and skinwalls getting there.


I don't know if this is the final version but as you can see it is very different from how I got it.


Upgraded RD and crankset and swapped shorties for full Celeste fenders and rack.

scale

oh...that is one nice Velope. I am still kicking myself for passing up a frameset in my size last winter at a swap. The frame seemed quite heavy and i was $10 short. The buyer wouldnt come down so i had to waik away. The heaveiness is kind of pointless as these are touring frames and i bet they ride great.

TMAR....i am probably going to switch out the rear mech on my bianchi from the Mountech to an ARx i have laying here. I figure that one is probablly less prone to failure.

Thanks for the info everyone.

Slightspeed

I recently picked up this '78 Peugeot. It had some kind of Dia Compe brake levers along the top of the handlebar. Being a "riding on the hoods guy", I had some old Campy aero levers laying around, so I put them on. I'm debating switching to bar end shifters, so I haven't re-taped the bars. It made a great improvement for me. I had these on my '64 Legnano years ago, but Eroica used to require top exit cables, so I put the original Universal levers back and took off the Campy Aeros. Aero levers are now allowed in Eroica. Go figure.

Aubergine 

The Golden Boy 

Two thoughts...


I think you'll be shocked at how heavy that SP-KC seatpost is compared to something even a few years newer. I reluctantly swapped out the SP-KC with an XC Pro and was really really surprised by the weight difference.


2nd thought...

​​​​​​​HYDRATION!!!

Bianchigirll 

But the Sp-KC post is so cool

jonwvara 

I just picked up a Randonneur as well--pearlescent white paint and in generally very good shape, though dirty. I probably won't get to it cleaning it up until this winter. Mine has an Ishiwata Magny sticker, which I am guessing makes it later than yours by a year or two--I'll have to check the serial number against T-Mar's data base one of these days.

The Golden Boy 

Hence the "reluctantly."

The Golden Boy 

Here's a question- in a "tube set," is the steerer always a part of the tube set? The fork blade sticker is usually declaring the "fork blades" are of the make and composition of the declared metal. In reality- the steerer is a separate component- it's not a fork blade, stay or frame tube.

rossiny

Seems to be an old post buy I just picked up an orange Volpe that looks exactly like the ones posted. .. It will be a touring bike for me . It was a local bike shop that had it in their basement. Love all the mounts and cantilever brakes. It has full racks also. I paid $350. Did I do ok?. I will post pics when I pick it up...

scale

I would say so. Id love t find a Volpe in my size.

gugie 

jeirvine 

Just a quick note that some Bianchi Randonneurs had a recall on the fork:
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...934-story.html

Bianchigirll 

Orange? Or perhaps Sizzling Peach

rossiny

yes sizzling, will post a pic, picking up tommorow

rossiny

rossiny

Just picked up this Bianchi Volpe. Please tell me ok for a guys color. My girl saying looks like girls color???

Aubergine 

rossiny

Thanks. I am keeping and doing some touring..🤓🤞