bldec

Greetings. I am the original and only owner of a 1972 Italian 10 speed road racing bicycle which I received for my 16th birthday in 1972. Now you know how old I am. :-)

I had been planning on just giving it away, but decided to investigate first to see if it had ANY monetary value - even a little. I hope it's okay for me to post my question here. The details I can give you are:

• Mondial, made in Italy
• Suntour-Vx derailleur
• Universal center-pull brakes
• Maccari - Torino wheels
• Gnutti quick release skewer

I'm not sure what else is important to note about this bike except that all the components are original, including the seat, but the pedals are missing. :-( I have photographs in my profile.

Thank you so much for any advice you can give me. Much appreciated.

WGB 

Can you load photos on the gallery? Someone can post your photos on here.

Sounds like a decent bike. In the meantime, you can add up to 5 posts per day. Two days and you can add photos.

bldec

Hi there—
I was able to load photos in an album in my profile. Please let me know if you can see them. 🤗

randyjawa 

Welcome to the Bike Forums bldec. The bike appears to be a relatively entry level machine but do not take that in a negative sense. I learned, long ago, that a bike does not have to be the top dog to be a terrific restoration/ride project. As for value, that can vary depending on marketing skills, condition of the bike, size of the bike, where it is located and, of course, buyer interest. In some places, even time of year helps to dictate value. Were I in the market for an old road bike, I would not hesitate to pay between $100.00 and $150.00 for such a bike (if it was a good fit for me).

Your bike will clean up just fine. Ensure that you lubricate the bottom bracket, head set and wheel hubs. Chances are very good that the grease has lost some, if not all, of it lubricating ability. There is one thing that I do not like about the Mondial. The crank set is not the best. In fact it is a rotating but pain. Solid on one end and splined on the other. The splined end comes loose, wiggles around and damages the splines. Anyway, an easy repair - just get another crank set.

Here is a bit of help with your pictures...

And, if it means anything, at the moment, I am restoring a remarkably similar machine- a, more or less, entry level Torpado featuring many of the features on the TenSpeed...


My present project, a sixties something Torpado. The Torpado did not come to me nearly as clean as the Mondial the OP shared with us...

As found...


As of yesterday...


Of course, if you do intend to give the bike away, allow me to assume a place in line:-) I will be in need of another project soon.

bldec

Thank you so much for your great assessment! I really appreciate it, and also appreciate the bump with the photo.

Frankgoose98

nice

juvela

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Hello bldec and welcome to the forum!

thank you for sharing this cycle with the assembled

appears to be a contract build performed by Chiorda

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frame -

constructed with Agrati bits

the bulge-formed head is pattern "AM" and is item nr. 000.8046

the bottom bracket shell is "SPORT" pattern and is item nr. 005.8057

fork crown is "SPORT" pattern and is item nr. 026.8058
fork crown cap is Agrati item nr. 202.9110

dropouts are Agrati item nr. 000.8002

fork ends are Agrati item nr. 000.8010

both of the frame's plate style bridges are Agrati pieces

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fittings -

everything looks original save for the rear mech
original would have been Simplex Prestige model 637

headset is Agrati model 000.3071 in economy zinc finish
also offered in chrome finish

stem and bar set is 3TTT Touriste

brakeset is Universal model Sport

Thompson pattern chainset is an Agrati item
this image gives the bearings arrangement on a Thompson pattern bottom bracket assembly, although it shows a cottered version rather than the one on your machine where the spindle is permanently affixed to the right crank arm






pedals are absent in images provided
they likely would have been Sheffield model 663




wheel rims are probable to be Maccari 36 hole in size 27 X 1 1/4"

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your dating is spot on

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there have been several different & unrelated Mondial marques through the years
there is also a Mondiale marque

this outstanding post from member MauriceMoss gives a thorough exposition on them -

https://www.bikeforums.net/21857047-post3.html

hope you enjoy this machine

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bldec

Holy cow. What detail! That's terrific, and thank you so much for taking the time to reply with so much information! I am interested in the fact that the Suntour derailleur doesn't appear to be original, as I never replaced it and as I mentioned, I'm the original owner and I'm pretty sure my Dad bought the bike brand new for me in 1972. That said, it's possible the bike shop modified it prior to my father's buying it for some reason. Your pedal is exactly right. I still have one pedal; no idea where the other one went as this bike has moved with me everywhere since 1972. They used to have leather rattraps on them but I no longer have them either. I did follow the old thread you reference about Mondial -- but none of the images in the post looked quite like my bike and the logo was different. Regardless, I sent Cicli Mondial an email last week to see if they could tell me anything, but you beat them!
Thanks again for your reply. :-)

juvela

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hello again bldec,

good to read information of some help

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regarding rear mech -

the cycle's original Simplex Prestige model 637 has a large cog capacity of 28T

it looks like your Dad asked the bike shop to increase the machine's gear range at the lower end

they appear to have fitted a 32T (or so!) large cog gear block

this necessitated changing the rear mech to one of greater capacity

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pedal -

if you would wish to locate a mate for the one original pedal you could post a "wanted" notice in the forum's buy/sell/trade lists

there is sure to be a member with an unmated model 663 snoozing in a bin somewhere...

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link to the bicycle's photo album:

https://bikeforums.net/g/album/20312501

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suggestion -

one thing you could do which might advance an investigation would be to post a good closeup image of the cycle's head transfer

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EDIT:

chronology note forgot to enter earlier -

Suntour Vx model fittings launched in 1977

so if cycle purchased new in 1972 the rear mech must represent a post purchase alteration

there are three models of Vx rear mech:

Vx, VxT & VxGT


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juvela

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in the image of the complete cycle there appears to be a symbol stamped into the right side of the seat lug.

you do not give your location beyond "US."

the state of California had a licensing system for many years where each municipality which provided cycle licensing had a specific symbol they would stamp into the frame to indicate to law enforcement in what town it had been licensed.

this seat marking may be one such. the practice ended in 1977 when the state went to a statewide licensing system. in case the symbol is a six pointed star it would indicate the city of Berkeley, California.





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this picture of the driveside dropout area gives a chuckle. the chainstay stop has been mounted upside down. this is a fairly common occurance on these Chiorda built machines. one can only wonder if it is the result of oversight, whimsy or perchance a workman unhappy with his supervisor...




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in case anyone has doubt as to the cycle's Chiorda-ness this image of a Chiorda badged frame belonging to member randyjawa shows a bicycle frame identical in its metal save for a small difference in the seat lug and bottom bracket shell -




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bldec

Thanks again! Bike was bought from the Ardmore Bike Shop in Ardmore, PA in 1972. Still has decal from that store. 🤗