Chuckk

Billato has done OEM frame building for many makes, and did a good job of it!
They still exist, but seem to have focused on being a made to order shop.
The Billato web site has been neglected.
But they do have a Facebook page, complete with the son's history of Billato.

Why not show the bikes they built? Here's mine:

1985 Guercoitti Victory (TSD)


1989 Masi Nuova Strada (Torelli)


1992 Tommaso TSX (TSD)


2000 Marin Argenta

jamesdak 

^ All beautiful and I expect they ride great!

jamesdak 

And I've posted these before but here's my 4 Billato built rides.

Giordana Antares:





Giordana XL Super:





Greg Lemond Ventoux:





Greg Lemond Maillot Jaune:

rjhammett

'92 (I think) Tommaso TSX.

unworthy1

I can add something actually branded with [something that I believed is] the Billato logo [but this has NOT been confirmed]: this chrome fork that will live a second (or maybe 3rd) life on a Bianchi-built Puch Mistral SLX.
It's sort of a mixed-up mash-up but for such a diversified builder of other brands it's kind of poetic justice...or something...anyhow, a nice fork from very skilled builders.
[if anybody recognizes this "B" pantograph please chime in!]

calamarichris

Yowza. Beauties!

My Lemond has a special feel to it compared to my other bikes--slightly truckish and more stable when bombing down sillystring roads, but still feels lively and "springy" somehow, especially when standing to climb. It hung, overpriced at Bicisport in Laguna Hills (Marcel's shop) for 7 years while I obsessed. Finally made myself a deal: If I ride down there and back (turned out to be over 90 miles) with the cash in my jersey pocket and it's still there (it'd been 7 years since I'd seen it), I'd get it. It was still there.

jamesdak 

Tell us more please. I've never seen that logo tied to Billato before. Curious to hear more, what bike it came off, etc...

unworthy1

Know what? I could be wrong about this being a Billato fork, I can find more modern B for Billato logos that are quite different so maybe my memory is not trustworthy...I will do more research and confirm or correct this.

EDIT: All my research has come to this: I apparently ID'd some other frame with the same fork crown panto as a Billato mark, but provided nothing as confirmation. Haven't been able to find anything else to back up my assertion so I have to say this is not corraborated evidence. I'll leave the pic up in case someone comes along later who can ID this, but the KNOWN Billato "B" is nothing like this.

jamesdak 

Just added a bit more color to the Giordana Antares so thought I'd repost a shot. Pink tires courtesy of a mention by Tyler Fred.

unworthy1

Just to take this in a *slight* hi-jack, it's interesting to read the very brief history of the firm from the Son's Facebook page, wherein he mentions *some* of the brands that Billato has been associated with (by building their frames):
"Vicini , Legnano, Coppi, Boeris ,Bianchi , Scapin, Ganna, Piave, Berma...

Detto Pietro , Alan Looyd, Butler , Brewo, Bikecology , Cicli Masi Inc., Ten Speed Drive USA, Nichinao Sochai-JPN, IKO-DE, Le Taureau-DE, and others...

big companies like Concorde- Marin- Greg LeMond, Look, Fondriest gave us the production of their team custom frames... "

BUT, I'm sure there were others that he doesn't mention, some would be rumors but what about brands like:
CIOCC, Battaglin, Pinarello (which was news to me), and "Fill-in-the-blank". Funny that Tommaso and Giordana aren't even mentioned (by name anyway).

I'm curious if there's more "meat to this story" that some of us can contribute...or at least spread some more unfounded rumors!

jamesdak 

Well I can flesh out the Giordana angle a bit. The geometry of the Giordana bikes was a collaboration of Dario Pegoretti with the owner of Gita. As told to me directly by Gita and confirmed in an email response from Dario when I asked him. Then according to a response from Billato to my inquiry they did build the frames but they were painted by someone stateside. I've never found out who painted them.

MauriceMoss

That's a Bottecchia pantograph (most had the cursive "B" but some had pantographs like the one on your fork):











More here and here.

jamesdak 

Well, I got my GL Maillot Jaune out this week finally. Bought it this winter and was waiting for clean roads before I took it out. The most distinct thing I noticed is how well it accelerates and carries speed. I ran a series of sharp turns one day at over 20 mph and it was a true joy on this bike. Stable, predictable, and with wonderful grip.

When the chipseal roads turned really bad this bike was not as compliant over it as some of my other bikes, it rode a bit rough. But on decent to good surfaces it's a dream.

unworthy1

My hat is off to you Maurice! Many thanks for correcting my mistake and adding to the database of pantographs! Maybe in a year or so I will actually remember this and can refer to it when the next "mystery B" mark comes up.
Thanks again!
Now back to the original topic: Billato bicycles...

rccardr 

Boom.

Wildwood 

Sorry, no picture. Even misplaced my catalog.

I owned a 1999 Marin Vicenza. Blue and Yellow paint. Veloce 9sp triple group. Shaped tubing. Columbus Brain (I think). 1" quill stem. I remember it being very much stiffer than my 1984 Tange #2 Centurion. A large frame, 61cm, it had 180 cranks that I didn't really favor. Sale price was $999 with no modifications for long cranks, wide hbars, not even the saddle.

A move necessitated a reduction in bicycles and this one had a buyer willing to pay my asking. Except for the intriquing paint job, I don't really miss it.

3alarmer 

..

jamesdak 

^ Very nice!

3alarmer 

.
...thanks. I don't know much about the history, because the kid who sold it to me was not the first owner. But it's obviously little used from the paint condition, and except for the original Campy brake levers (which are vexatious from that era) it cleaned up pretty nice.

I think it's one of these 1985 9000 Super Record bikes, but in the blue and yellow colorway.

jamesdak 

^ How's it ride?

3alarmer 

...it's quite fast as built up. Those Krylion tyres are not the most expensive ones, but on sale, and relatively light for clinchers. I checked the alignment, which was fine except for the derailleur hanger, which I fixed. The wheels are solid, MA40 rims with the spokes pulled up pretty tight.

It's quicker in handling than a lot of older Italian bikes, but about what you'd expect for a Crit bike from 1985. I've always been fond of Super Record in terms of shifting, if you use a decent chain like a KMC X 8.93.

I think maybe I wouldn't want to ride it farther than 40 miles at one time, but it's no fault of the bike.

I have not met all that many better steel bicycles that didn't have some good quality of ride, if the frame is aligned and you put good wheels and tyres on them. Maybe I'm just not all that sensitive, but it seems to me that after a few rides at speed, I adapt to the handling characteristics.

jetboy 

late to the game: just picked it up and still in process of cleaning and fitting it (maybe) to me. its small but I have a plan...

jamesdak 

^

jamesdak 

I guess I can add my fifth Billato bike since this has been revived.

Although, since the update I've not been able to post pic from a URL... Anyone know why?

cyclotoine

Former bike I owned. 2000 Marin Treviso rebuilt with modern (at the time) parts.



Later I picked up this 2002 Marin Treviso frame on ebay and swapped the parts over.