amirinisrael

I am rebuilding, re-chroming & rehabilitating some 3-piece Campy G.S. hubs.
see https://www.flickr.com/photos/grande...7648665284563/


Along the way I found out that F.B. made those hubs not only for Campagnolo, but for anybody who asked.

A short list includes:

Atala √
Bartali
Bianchi √
Bob's Bikes (Bob Berghino NYC) √
Campagnolo
C.B.
Ciclo Piave
Frejus
Ganna
Legnano
Lygie
Olmo
Maino
Pinarello
Simplex √
Taurus
Umberto Dei
Viscontea
Willier
Wolsit

If anybody has photos of those branded hubs, please send them to me or post here.

Thanks

unworthy1

BTW: usually this (FB) is commonly said to be a contraction of the full name of the firm: Fratelli Brivio, of Brescia, Italia and they advertised their marque as "La Grande Marca Italiana", so pretty proud of their "Italianess"

BUT your pics show a French-language box with "Brivio Freres" in which case I reckon the initials should have been "B.F."

Did they (FB) have any manufacturing in France (either their own plant or under contract from a French Companie)?

I HAD some with Legnano branding but didn't take any pics, I'm afraid....but will post any that I find, if I find any.

amirinisrael

F.B. (Fratelli Brivio S.A.) had offices and a factory at 9, Viale Italia, Brescia, Italy
Brivio Frères (S.A.R.L.) had a sales office, and possibly an assembly plant, in Magnin, Pont-d'Hyeres which it shared with Campagnolo for a time. Details are hard to come by.

iab

Viscontea

FB Hubs 02 by iabisdb, on Flickr

FB Hubs 03 by iabisdb, on Flickr

FB Hubs 04 by iabisdb, on Flickr

FB Hubs 05 by iabisdb, on Flickr

FB Hubs 06 by iabisdb, on Flickr

iab

Umberto Dei

paramanubrio: Umberto Dei "Superleggera" 1949

iab

Campagnolo with first gen QR branded FB

Skærmbillede 2012-12-06 kl. 11.16.30 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Skærmbillede 2012-12-06 kl. 11.07.44 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Skærmbillede 2012-12-06 kl. 11.08.43 by iabisdb, on Flickr

amirinisrael

Thanks for the photos. Very helpful. Posted them at https://www.flickr.com/photos/grande...7648665284563/

Great flickr collection, BTW: https://www.flickr.com/photos/68123172@N03/sets/

amirinisrael

good response so far:

Atala √
Bartali √
Berga √
Bianchi √
Bob's Bikes (Bob Berghino NYC) √
Campagnolo √
C.B.
Ciclo Piave
Frejus √
Ganna
Legnano
Lygie
Olmo √
Maino
Pinarello
Simplex √
Stella Veneta √
Taurus √
Umberto Dei √
Viscontea √
Willier
Wolsit

qd-s

Are you sure those Atala hubs shown in your flickr album (link above, pics 1 and 2) were made by FB?

I have two of those which I bought in Italy last year. One Atala-branded (see pics below) and another identical hub without any markings (both are rear hubs and both came without skewer).



Apart from the above engraving no markings inside and out.
Because I never heard of Atala as a manufacturer of hubs I tried to find out more.

At first glance my impression was - and still is - that they might not have been made by FB, despite some superficial similarities (three piece high flange hubs with round holes, steel center - aluminium flanges).

FB hubs are lighter, have much nicer finish and smoother run, better bearing quality (I have some FB hubs to compare). The hubs in question something of a low-budget version of real FBs.

I disassembled both 'Atala' hubs for service and did not find 'FB'-markings on the cones as with genuine FBs (at least with mine).

A while ago, I had the same inquiry in a German C&V forum and vague suggestions, besides from FB, were Gnutti and Chater Lea.

amirinisrael

At the bottom of my list I include a caveat:

"60+ years later, the only way to be sure that a hub was made by FB is to take the hubs apart and take very accurate measurements.
If everything is the same except for the engraving then there's a very good chance that they were made by F.B."

Eventually I will take a few accurate F.B hub measurements and post them ... that way, others can measure against those numbers.

And, you are probably right when you hinted that Gnutti made similar hubs and may have made OEM's as well.
I have a Gnutti branded 3-piece hubs and the measurements clearly differ from F.B. Will eventually post those measurements as well.

Thanks for the heads-up.

juvela

does anyone have knowledge of CIDNEO hubs? they have a similar appearance to FB but with one big difference. the barrels are too small in diameter to accept hollow axles. have always assumed them to be made by another firm but have no hard information. thank you.

VeloBase.com - Component: Cidneo Extra (FB)

edit -

just did a spot of checking and discovered that Cidneo is a place name in Brescia, Italy - home of F.B.

juvela

hello amir,

one additional vintage italian hub you may wish to look into is a brand called siamt. there is currently a set on italian ebay:

Old Hubs Super Siamt Torino Years 30 40 Aluminium RARE Flip Flop | eBay





wiki italy has some information on this firm:

SIAMT - Wikipedia

juvela

1930's Wolsit marked rear hub -



currently on ebay:

Mozzo Posteriore Wolsit Scatto Fisso Bici Bianchi Bacchetta Bicicletta | eBay

iab

Gloria/FB on ebay

Mozzo FB Gloria Bici Corsa Eroica Bike Epoca Vintage Ruota Bianchi Legnano | eBay

juvela

juvela

Lygie -



Ideor Asso -



Taurus Lautal -



Maino -



Bianchi -




body of rear appears it may have been bent in f/w removal attempt; or it may be a photographic effect...

juvela

Legnano marked hubset -

this set was listed on ebay. seller states marked Legnano, however stamping is difficult to read. appear to pre-date F.B. but readers who enjoy vintage Italian hubs might like to see them:




Gnutti - Frejus hubset -

from an ebay listing:

velofiks

Yes, you should also add the brand "Cidneo" (it seems to be a brand not only manufactured, but also made by Fratelli Brivio in the 1930s)..same goes with the brand "Brixia".

markk900

Older thread but didn't know about it previously: some additional pictures - PAFF:





Both are stamped the same way: winged wheel, "FB", then "PAFF". These are from 1952 based on the cones.

iab

While I don't have a picture, I was looking at an FB - Cinelli hub at the Madison swap this year.

juvela

Ahhhh, to be within the aura of bivalence!

iab

Not bivalence. Just old. Like this.

juvela

Ah, thank you iab!

Very much appreciated here.

juvela

FB Amerio -




FB Amerio mozzo in acciaio bici vintage rear hub condorino sport bike Brivio | eBay

juvela

FB high/low pista -



from this ebay listing:

RARE Vintage FB High Low Flange 3 Piece Rear Track Hub Campagnolo | eBay