Help me ID a Bianchi and a Norco
12-22-23, 09:47 PM
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Help me ID a Bianchi and a Norco
Hello there,
Was recommended this forum by my bike enthusiast friends, hoping to learn more about these 2 bikes that have come into my possession.
The Bianchi I just bought today from a guy who bought it in 1982-3, rode it for a couple months, then stored it in a basement for 40 years. He took it to a bike store and said it wasn't one of the crazy collectible models, but it still seems like a fun piece of history in great condition. I have the serial code on the bottom bracket - LS285936. Looks like it is made in Japan.
The Norco was owned by my partner's dad and has been slowly rusting under the balcony for who knows how long, probably also bought in the 80s. It's in rougher shape but I want to restore it as a little piece of history. Serial code on the bottom bracket - SK014287.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Looks like I can't post photo until 10 posts, any thread where I should do that?
Was recommended this forum by my bike enthusiast friends, hoping to learn more about these 2 bikes that have come into my possession.
The Bianchi I just bought today from a guy who bought it in 1982-3, rode it for a couple months, then stored it in a basement for 40 years. He took it to a bike store and said it wasn't one of the crazy collectible models, but it still seems like a fun piece of history in great condition. I have the serial code on the bottom bracket - LS285936. Looks like it is made in Japan.
The Norco was owned by my partner's dad and has been slowly rusting under the balcony for who knows how long, probably also bought in the 80s. It's in rougher shape but I want to restore it as a little piece of history. Serial code on the bottom bracket - SK014287.
Thanks in advance for your help!
Looks like I can't post photo until 10 posts, any thread where I should do that?
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12-24-23, 11:15 AM
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Welcome to the forum, I'm local to your area. I just restored an identical Bianchi in red for my nephew, it's a Piaggio era model which dates to about 1983 and came with the usual Dia-Compe parts. Mine was also stored for 40 years and even had the original Bianchi branded tires. Anyway, these are heavy but good bikes, made in Japan from Ishiwata tubing, you can find the name on the steer tube inside the fork. As for the Norco, I would consign that one to the scrap heap.
12-24-23, 01:02 PM
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Thank you CO_Hoya, appreciate it.
Sounds like we are twinning VtwinVince. Any pictures of your red bike? Thanks for all the info! Do you know how much these are valued at? I got the feeling this wasn't a super-collector model, but a decently valuable vintage bike. I think the seller said he paid $800 for it new back in the day.
Was there any particular areas to pay attention to in your restoration? I'm wanting to do a proper job of it so it can survive in good condition for the long run. Do you happen to know the part details for the plastic bit that covers the brake levers? I think my friend called it a brake hood. This one is quite discoloured and cracking.
I took it for a little lap around my hood and it was a very different ride than the hybrid commuter bike I'm used to - will take a while to adjust. Needs to get a proper service now.
Sounds like we are twinning VtwinVince. Any pictures of your red bike? Thanks for all the info! Do you know how much these are valued at? I got the feeling this wasn't a super-collector model, but a decently valuable vintage bike. I think the seller said he paid $800 for it new back in the day.
Was there any particular areas to pay attention to in your restoration? I'm wanting to do a proper job of it so it can survive in good condition for the long run. Do you happen to know the part details for the plastic bit that covers the brake levers? I think my friend called it a brake hood. This one is quite discoloured and cracking.
I took it for a little lap around my hood and it was a very different ride than the hybrid commuter bike I'm used to - will take a while to adjust. Needs to get a proper service now.
12-24-23, 03:38 PM
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Hello HomesBesidePark,
welcome to the form and thank-you for posting information about your bicycles.
From the Bianchi serial number the frame was manufactured in 1982 by the Oji Bicycle Factory in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.
From the Norco serial number the frame was manufactured in 1980 but I do not know the manufacturer.
welcome to the form and thank-you for posting information about your bicycles.
From the Bianchi serial number the frame was manufactured in 1982 by the Oji Bicycle Factory in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.
From the Norco serial number the frame was manufactured in 1980 but I do not know the manufacturer.
12-25-23, 11:48 AM
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Sorry, I didn't bother to photograph it as it was 'just' a Japanese Bianchi, and I'm more interested in the Columbus-framed examples. But they are worthy bikes in their own right. The brake hoods tend to degenerate with time, the ones on my project looked like something out of a Dali painting. I found some NOS hoods at my local bike wrecker, everything else was in unused condition, so just in need of bearing repacking.
