malcala622

I was fortunate enough to pick this up from a fellow BFer near me and even better created a great friendship.

I had 2 Bottecchia at one point but decided they both needed new homes. The Sprinter was gifted to my father in law for his retirement and the SL frameset never really took off so it was sold to finish other projects. I was happy to see his reaction when i presented him the Botty. Well worth it.

I havent done extensive research on this bicycle just yet. Only what was mentioned by aprieto while we chatted over the past few weeks.

I'm considering doing a full Campagnolo Chorus rebuild but if someone can enlighten me on groupset this Botty currently has and its riding quality. Ive yet to ride it but will tonight and compare to comments from fellow BFers.

Here are some pics and tonight will take more with detail.

Thanks again in advance for any info or suggestions.

Barrettscv 

The Group on the bike is Triomphe: VeloBase.com - View Group

It's mechanically similar to Record, a little heavier. The crank has a special BCD and takes propriatary chainrings. If you like the performance of Record friction-shifting systems, you would probably like Triomphe.

I have a Simoncini with CROMAR and it's one of my favorite rides. The CHROMAR is a little heavier gauge steel, like SP, in some of the tubes. It's smooth and responsive, like my SPX Serotta. My Simoncini also has Chorus 10-speed and it's also very nice. Stick with your plan and you will be happy.

T-Mar

The subject bicycle is a 1989 model, as it bears the Carnielli 80th anniversary decal. The crankset, derailleurs and brakes are the later version of Campagnolo Triomphe, known as Nuovo Triomphe. It appears to have been owner built from a frameset. Cromor was Columbus's economical mid-range tubeset, drawn from a seamed billet. 1st generation Chorus would be chronologically appropriate for this frame and I even have a 1988 spec sheet for a Bottecchia Cromor Chorus at $1300 US.

malcala622

malcala622

@Barrettscv @T-Mar

Thank you both for the helpful info.

I do have SR/Record on my Tommasini and really like friction so ill looking forward to the similaritaries

I took a few laps aroud the parking lot at my work. First impression was it had a quick jump from the start but brakes poorly. Likely pads needs replacing.

Freewheel gearing is super tiny at 13-18 I believe but have yet to count. If I'm to keep the setup replacing the FW will happen.

Bonus image






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thinktubes 

jamesdak 

Exactly, both Cromor bikes I have are great rides. The Bottecchia looks plenty sweet!

So does that fastback Mustang, hubba hubba!

Lascauxcaveman 

I agree!

But I have no love for that gruppo; Campagnolo was really mailing it in on Triomphe; most 'meh' Campy ever. (Well, until the brifter era) Replacing with Chorus (or anything) is a great idea.

T-Mar

Well, at least the previous owner was smart enough to not install Syncro, which would have taken things to an even lower level.

malcala622

Ive spent the afternoon tearing down the Botty and gave it quick cleaning with Grease Monkey wipes. A few blemishes and rashes here and there but later will buff those out.

The frame will likely get the upgrade treatment.

Will update pics soon

notenoughdaylig 

Great score, should be a nice rider! Looking at the pics I believe most of the parts are Victory century/graphite. The brake calipers are GranSport and the levers might be later Chorus as they're aero. All nice upgrades.

Clean it, ride it, love it!

malcala622

Thanks to everyone for the comments. She rode nicely but felt she needed an upgrade from the mish mash parts.

Let me get this straight....

Brake levers are Chorus
Brake Calipers are Gran Sport
Shifters are Victory
Crankset is Triomphe
Front and rear derailleurs are Triomphe???

malcala622

Did Bottechia frames have different styles of downtube braze on bosses. This isnt my frameset but i came across it for sale. Looks different.

Chombi1 

Never saw shifter bosses like that on any bike. The pivot shafts might have either broken off (Highly unlikely), or more likely, they might have been shaved off when the bike might have been put into fixie or single speed duty.

Stormy Archer

Would you be so kind as to weigh the bare frame? Have always wondered about some of these nicer Cromor bikes

malcala622

No problem..tonight i can weight it without headset and bottom bracket...let you know

dunrobin

I have a cromor that's fun to ride...yours looks like some special care was put into the build. However you build it I'm sure you'll enjoy...:-)

mattcalifornia

Sorry to revive an old thread, but I just happened across this. I had that exact frame, but with a white painted fork. Built up with all Campy Record parts and Mavic MA-40 rims. I bought it in 1987 and rode the hell out of it until around 2001, when I converted it into a fixie. I didn't really ride it much after that, though, and there was a fair amount of rust, so I sold it about 10 years ago. It was such a cool bike when I got it. However, I wished that I had saved up a little more and bought the stronger Columbus SL version. The Cromor was fine when I was in college and weighed under 150 lbs, but as I put on some pounds, I noticed a lot of flex. Still a cool bike, and yours looks super nice.

Edit: when I first got it, I rode with toe clips and cleats, which seems pretty crazy now. In around 1989, I bought Shimano clipless pedals, which at that time used the Look Delta cleats (pre SPD-SL). The thing that seems hard to believe is that the gearing was 52-42 in front and something like 13-21 in the rear. I have no idea how I managed to make it up some of the hills I rode. LOL

DMC707

yes - that was back when 12-23 for a 7 speed cluster was considered "recreational cyclist" gearing

Sheesh ---

SurferRosa

Disagree. Love Triomphe. Great crankset, bb, and shifters. Hubs, aero seatpost and headset are just like Victory or Chorus. And the brakeset works as well as old Record. The bcd allows for a small 35t ring. Only the rd should be considered "meh."

rku615

Lascauxcaveman 

Hah! Response to a two year old comment. I should have couched my sneering smear in more specifics terms. I meant that Triomphe group is just pain boring looking and ugly, especially in regards to the Campy groups preceding and following it. It's all kinda flat and plain-jane. Like your sister's dumb boyfriend's ugly Volvo or something; makes you wonder what they were thinking. I have no idea how that group performs installed on a bike. I'll take your word that it's just fine. But it's still kind of ugly.

SurferRosa

Huh. I think it's ******* hot.





Like their precision machined chainrings. They're not stamped like most '80s stuff I see folks swooning over.

T-Mar

A Cromor frame will be stiffer than an SL frame, assuming they were identically built. Stiffness essentially boils down to the thickness of the tubes, as the outside diameters are standard and there is very little difference in the stiffness of the alloys. Cromor uses thicker tubes than SL, with the exception of the seat and head tubes, which are the same thickness. Consequently, Cromor is stiffer and will build into a frame with less flex than SL.

mattcalifornia

Interesting. I was always under the impression that Cromor was less stiff because it was not seamless tubing.