Vintage Italian Made Folding Bike
 

Does Anyone Have A Bike Like This??
Please contact me.
Sorry the site would not allow me to post a URL Picture Of the Bike, I could EMail You a Picture.

Below is what I have Found out from a Ebay Member that deals in these bikes In Italy Hello, the Graziella is the oldest and most famous Italian bike. To date it is no longer produced under the name of Graziella, but some brands have changed their names and produce it in a similar way (Fiorella for example).
You have a really amazing bike in hand, which today is also true in the United States. Here are a few lines that explain better than what we are talking about:

La Graziella was a folding bicycle designed by Rinaldo Donzelli and produced starting in 1964 from the Teodoro Carnielli factory in Vittorio Veneto named Bottecchia [1].
It became very popular in Italy, placing itself among the icons of the made in Italy of the sixties. The marketing of Graziella, advertised as "the Rolls-Royce of Brigitte Bardot", contributed decisively to revolutionize the common perception of the bicycle, which until the fifties was considered only as sports equipment or as a means of "poor" transport, and which in the years of the economic boom became instead a status symbol of the new wealthy youth. It was structured without horizontal barrel, with central zip, small wheels, removable saddle and handlebars.
In 1971 it underwent a restyling in which the diameter of the wheels was increased and details such as the matching roof rack were added.

Graziella was produced until the late eighties. The original models are collectors and modernists.

In the picture, my collectible graziellaYour previous messageWhat is the Italian definition of the word (GRAZIELLA) the reason I ask is that I bought one of this bikes from an Older Couple and the wife said her parents brought this bike to the USA when they immigrated from. Can you help identify what this bike is. Thanks

Graziella is a girl's/woman's name. From babynames.com: The meaning of the name Graziella is Lovely And With Grace

Here's a Catalog Page from 1978. It came from here: Folding Bikes - The Folding Cyclist. More specifically, there is a history on the brand. Graziella folding bike
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9a65dec66e.jpg

I saw one of these just today here in Vicenza. It was a yellow model and well used. I took a few moment to admire it's features...looks to fold quickly and into a tidy package. I really liked the integrated and sturdy rear rack. Would post a pic but my post count is too low.

@MoeStoner's album:
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/user/494468
https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/12767653

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ecfe729d40.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...165b068a86.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2db678eb4d.jpg

They are great bikes for older folks to start riding again because of the coaster brakes and low stand over. I find them for about $25. Of course on ebay they have "vintage" prices like $300

At the Westminster, MD swap meet last weekend I sold off a Yugoslavian folder that was the identical design (those bikes seem to all be identical and somewhere between the mid-70's and early 80's). Originally I had built it for my wife to give us a pair of bikes to ride around St. Augustine, FL for our honeymoon four years ago (I was riding a Raleigh Twenty that I still have). To give her a bit extra, I built a new rear wheel around a Sturmei-Archer two speed kick-back hub.

For the ten days in St. Augustine, the bike proved to be quite functional. Biggest weakness of the design is the hinge: With the nut tightened down to the point that you've got the ability to release it by hand and easily fold it, you're going to get some flex in the frame. Which can be disconcerting at first, and a constant reminder that this isn't a bike where you stomp on the pedals and accelerate away. The flex can be done away with by adding a wrench to the nut and tightening it down more, but at that point you can no longer release the lever by simple hand pressure.

Not a great bike (I've done fifty mile rides on Raleigh Twenties, wouldn't consider it for one of these), but it does work within the constraints of the design. Say, a two mile ride from the train station to your office, etc. No, they're not worth much money. I got $50.00 for mine, and it was in mint, rideable, put it in the trunk of your car and use it for commuting Monday morning condition. Plus the two speed conversion. But they work. The realization that everyone you find is somewhere between 30-45 years old says that the design is obsolete, and has been improved up by everyone from a first generation Dahon up.

Worth keeping though, assuming you haven't had to pay much for it.

We had an orange one, purchased by my father in the 1970's. It was sold by a store called 'Alexanders' and the name of the bike was 'Alexfold'. It was made in Italy, the quick releases on the seat and handlebars said something like "Brevetto??' or something. We gave it away around 2005. I'd like to think it is still being used somewhere in SW Florida.

Everyone who rode the bike loved it. For some reason, it had the right gear ratio and ride quality for the flat area in which it was ridden. Always an easy ride. Always comfortable. I sometimes rode with the hinge open, like a swing-bike.

It had some quirks. It came with 1 black tire and 1 white tire. The stem, handlebars **AND** brake levers were one piece. The brake levers were welded to the handlebar. My father cut one off with a hacksaw to replace it. It was a single speed, freewheel, with dual handbrakes and no coaster brake. The chainguard wrapped quite far around the front chainrings, but did not cover the whole chain. Was larger folded than unfolded.

I almost forgot. You can get a similar style folder brand new, from Worksman.
https://www.worksmancycles.com/fmb.html

The older version of the worksman folder is a bit more curvy, like the Italian one.

Send me a picture
 

Send me a picture.

Leib9999@gmail.com

Phil

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QUOTE=MoeStoner;20785069]Does Anyone Have A Bike Like This??
Please contact me.
Sorry the site would not allow me to post a URL Picture Of the Bike, I could EMail You a Picture.

Below is what I have Found out from a Ebay Member that deals in these bikes In Italy Hello, the Graziella is the oldest and most famous Italian bike. To date it is no longer produced under the name of Graziella, but some brands have changed their names and produce it in a similar way (Fiorella for example).
You have a really amazing bike in hand, which today is also true in the United States. Here are a few lines that explain better than what we are talking about:

La Graziella was a folding bicycle designed by Rinaldo Donzelli and produced starting in 1964 from the Teodoro Carnielli factory in Vittorio Veneto named Bottecchia [1].
It became very popular in Italy, placing itself among the icons of the made in Italy of the sixties. The marketing of Graziella, advertised as "the Rolls-Royce of Brigitte Bardot", contributed decisively to revolutionize the common perception of the bicycle, which until the fifties was considered only as sports equipment or as a means of "poor" transport, and which in the years of the economic boom became instead a status symbol of the new wealthy youth. It was structured without horizontal barrel, with central zip, small wheels, removable saddle and handlebars.
In 1971 it underwent a restyling in which the diameter of the wheels was increased and details such as the matching roof rack were added.

Graziella was produced until the late eighties. The original models are collectors and modernists.

In the picture, my collectible graziellaYour previous messageWhat is the Italian definition of the word (GRAZIELLA) the reason I ask is that I bought one of this bikes from an Older Couple and the wife said her parents brought this bike to the USA when they immigrated from. Can you help identify what this bike is. Thanks[/QUOTE]

I have one vintage Italian folder in Chicago. Mostly original parts! Wheels have been changed, the headlamp broke some years ago. I have rewired it with a neat Danish magnetic lighting system. It's my neighborhood grocery-getter! Such a delightful lil ride!
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...143d13b8b6.jpg

I just picked up this Carnielli Bottecchia folder here in Canada. Saw it on Facebook Marketplace for a reasonable sum. Since I ride a Bottecchia Special and since I have a 13 year old daughter...thought it might be fun to ride with her on Bottecchias. And it is...she's taken to the new bike. Problem is I can't keep up with her.

This one is really original and untouched. Paint is near perfect, Decals are near perfect. Sadly chrome has been neglected and it's a bit pitted/rusty on fenders and wheels.
It still has all the complete chain covers etc which I think cool.

On Italian Amazon and Italian Ebay, I see lots of new Inox fenders, tires, LED Headlights, etc etc for very reasonable prices. But, they don't ship here.
And, if they do, it's extremely expensive. Any suggestions?

Find someone who is going to Italy and actually understands enough about what you want? ;)

Sometimes you can find a whole bunch of stuff from one seller, so they might do a deal on shipping. Fenders are bulky, and a lot can be packed in with them.

However, you can usually get something to fit locally to wherever you are (locally, as not in another country), especially in the way of fenders, tires and lighting.

I made a major effort to post pics with my above post. Spent over an hour and no matter what I tried (hosting on IMGUR and uploading to the forum) the forum would not let me do it. Not entirely sure why that rather inflexible rule exists but what can you do.

Can anyone tell me...when you upload the pics to the forum, it allows 10 only. I mistakenly did 12. So it wouldn't let me post...I tried and tried to delete the excess but can see no way of doing so.
Is there a way?

Also, kept getting the warning that you have to have 10 posts before you can post pics, although it let me upload them.

I used agents when buying in Japan and China. I suppose such services must exist for other countries. In my case the extra costs were making sense when the base purchase price was $50+. I also had friends agree to accumulate my purchases and then ship them to me in bulk.

Heed the warning - go post comments on other people's threads until your post count is 10 or more, it is anyway a great way of getting people to come and check your thread. As to posting 12 pictures you must ask yourself - who is going to be interested enough to see that many at once? It is much better to select a few, write something relevant about them, and then a few days later upload some more.

I've had a few, great bikes. I snap them up and re-home them. Great for us older folk with their low step-over height.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1d876de1f1.jpg
Had a couple of them. Bought these for $25 each. One went to a college student other went to a 70 yo friend who was getting back to cycling.

Wow...$25 each? That worthless eh?

Now over 10 posts! Here goes nothing.

https://i.imgur.com/jN0KJgd.jpg

It was brought in by Bloor Cycle. Not surprisingly.

https://i.imgur.com/KgoL8PL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Acq4k6o.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BTpq7B5.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9PDAgqk.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hTKPtvA.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ygFqajT.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gIU1L7L.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/oocWVyZ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Ve9k5Qh.jpg

She's absolutely beautiful!!! :love:

I saw it on Facebook Marketplace for $170 CAD. I just about sprained my fingers saying I'd take it!