zerran

Hi,

New to the forum. Since I'm new I can't post any images of my frame. So, I'll to describe my dilema. Found what I was told was a Reparto Corse frame sans fork.
After researching the frame, I found some discrepancies. My frame does not have chrome seat or chain stays. Does not have internal cable routing to the rear deraillure.
Color is royal blue. Thronic tube sticker on the seat tube. Has Reparto Corse stickers on seat stays. Bottom bracket has 63m 1198c stamped.

Hope this helps.
Message me, I can send images.

Perry

T-Mar

Welcome to the forums. Here's a link to the album containing the photos of the subject frame: https://www.bikeforums.net/g/user/534893
Looks to be circa 1994, which should make it either a Giro (with Campagnolo Stratos) or Veloce (with Campagnolo Veloce). That year Bianchi had nine models above these two, using 3 different Columbus tubesets ( Genius, EL and SBX). By this time time the Reparto Corse decal was pretty much a marketing tool and no longer meant that the bicycles were built by the racing department.

gkamieneski

Unless you misspoke, Reparto Corse decals were in my experience always on the chainstays and not the seatstays. I've gone through many Bianchi Reparto Corse frames and that has always been the case with Made in Italy somewhere else, such as the head tube. These frames were indeed produced at the Racing Department in Treviglio.

Can't go by the chrome seat or chain stays or chrome forks as these treatments varied through the years.

zerran

Sorry, I meant the chain stays. The sticker on the set tube, is it accurate, the Thronic tubes. Any reference I've found has the Veloce and Giro models being made with Reynolds tubes.

Is this a high end frame?

Thanks

T-Mar

Columbus Thron is correct for 1994. Thron was basicaally the mid-1990s replacement for Columbus SL. Given the era, I'd consider this frame to be mid-range

gkamieneski

I do not recall Bianchi ever using Reynolds tubing. Columbus usually and sometimes Dedacai. I don't think of Thron being up there with SL or SLX/SBX as it's more like regular Columbus CroMo. Still it can be used to make a good frame. Funny, but because the frame is not Celeste, I would agree that it would have been in their midrange.

T-Mar

SL/SP was Columbus' standard CrMo alloy for most of it's life. It didn't receive the Cyclex alloy upgrade until the 1988 model year, when it was nearing the end of its run. Thron used the same alloy as those classic early and mid-1980s SL frames.

gkamieneski

Thron was primarily used for midrange frames. It had shorter butting and didn't have the internal rifling that SLX/SPX/SBX did. Yes, it was a newer product than SL but the level of frames that had used SL or SLX had moved on to newer tubesets, TSX, EL, Genius, etc.