SamSpade1941 

Hi can anyone tell me what they think this bike is worth . Its a Bianchi Portofino touring bike ( an 86 I believe) , Sorry for the blurry pic of the whole bike, but it appears to be in really nice condition. not sure on the frame size but I think its around a 54 or 56cm .

SewardRum

I think that it should be worth about $400

T-Mar

Covid-19 effects have complicated pricing. In an average pre-pandemic market, I would have said $300 US. It's a decent mid-1980s GT model and appears to be in good condition but it's lower range tubing and components.

SewardRum

That makes good sense. Is the Portofino the made-in-japan Bianchi touring bike that was preceded by the earlier Randonneur?

Bianchigirll 

Based on what? This post is almost three years old so putting an arbitrary price of $400 on a dusty bike in need of service seems very odd.

T-Mar

I don't believe anybody has ever reported a Portofino serial number, so I can't definitively say they were Japanese, though based on the tubeset and components they're almost certainly Asian manufactured, if not Japanese. I've always considered the Portofino to be the successor to the Randonneur, though I don't have a 1985 catalogue, so there may have been some other touring model (or a year's gap) between them. Bianchigirll?

SewardRum

Odd indeed! Please forgive me for that quick assessment. I'm brand new to the Bike Forum, and in my eagerness to get started and meet the 1st-timer requirement for 10 posts before I can add photos I just offered up that assessment without any supporting info. And in my haste I also failed to notice that the original post was almost 3 years old. In the future I'll be more careful to provide support for any statements or responses.

My quick assessment was based on a previous post in the C&V forum that reported sale of a 1986-87 Bianchi Portofino for $400 in 2018. But I agree that assessed value is highly variable, dependent on seasons and local markets, and difficult to assess particularly from blurry photos.

I also have what appears to be a similar Bianchi Portofino, which I believe to have been manufactured in 1986-87. I just took some photos of the Serial Number so we can add that to the discussion and see if we can ID the actual date.

SewardRum

I can provide a Serial Number for an older Bianchi Portofino touring bike!

My Bianchi Portofino is stamped on the bottom bracket with SN:KS548272 and another single number below (7). I think that this bike was manufactured in 1987. It has a Made In Japan sticker on the seat tube, another sticker (TANGE 900 / Cr-Mo Double Butted Tubes) on the top of the seat tube, and another sticker (TANGE Cr-MoSteel Fork Blade) on the fork blade.

Here are a few photos to show the bike, SN, and tube stickers. Let me know if you you'd like any other photos of the frame or components.



Bianchi Portofino touring bike, believed to be about 1987


Bianchi Portofino touring bike, manufactured in Japan in about 1987


Bianchi Portofino SN: KS548272 / 7


Bianchi Portofino, manfactured in Japan with TANGE 900 Cr-Mo Double-Butted Tubes


Bianchi Portofino, with TANGE Cr-Mo Steel Fork Blades

T-Mar

Thank-you. The serial number format is that of Bianchi's prime Japanese source during the 1980s and indicates November 1985 manufacture, making it a 1986 model.

SewardRum

Thanks for that date!

Travbraz

I bought a mountain bike in a little shop a few blocks from the train station in Florence, Italy. It’s not painted, just clear coat over frame. It has decals “G. Bianchi” I got it in summer of 2000. I can’t find another one anywhere.
Trying to get to 10 posts.