jdawginsc 

True. Tough to replace the awesomeness that is the Bianchi Randonneur, though. I have more of a hole in my life from that than my divorce...

gmcjetpilot

I will talk to Bianchi next week. Here is my baby. Many happy miles in my "youth". I have the original toe clip pedals and both front and rear alloy racks.

jdawginsc 

Yep! That’s my bike alright...brought a tear to my eyes. 23” or 25”?

Craftsmanship on the Bianchi-Japan production bikes was top notch. Not sure who contract made them though.

gmcjetpilot

I ended up getting a NEW BIKE.... A Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Sora.


I have retired Bianchi Randonneur (my college bike some 37 yrs ago). Bye good friend., I will sell it for parts, complete minus front forks, I list the bike for sale in the Bike Forums. If interested PM me. I have the Blackburn racks front and back as well.

Crang

gmcjetpilot Can you share what type of discount Bianchi gave? I am supposed to go look at one of these Randonneurs next week and it definitely has the non-B fork. I almost wish I didnt know about the recall was excited for this bike.

etherhuffer 

New bikes, like cars and computers, usually exceed the owners’ needs. At a huge price. Save for wheels, an overhaul or rebuild will not blow a hole in your wallet if you do the work. And you could pick up a donor bike for parts too.

gmcjetpilot

I AM RESTORING IT. I found a fork to fit. As posted I give my fork back to Bianchi for a +20 yr old recall, In exchange I got a discount on another bike. I still could not throw this bike away, as it was my college bike and rode it a lot as transportation. Most important, to the rebuild equation, was I found a local gentleman who builds frames as a hobby. He has a kit of cantilever fittings on hand, of many sizes. He offered to weld on cantilever brake pivots. He is going to charge a nominal price. Besides the forks, needed new lower crown bearing race. Total there with tax and shipping about $60. I got and mounted new rubber for wheels, about $40. Seat was shot and got a used semi vintage Bianchi seat, old one was shot, leather covered plastic cracked. Seat cost about $30 w/ T & S. So the rebuild happening. I will need to wrap the handlebars and get new rubber brake (lever) hoods, old gum rubber ones disintegrated, So after it is said and done, between $160 to $180 bucks? For sure well under $200.


I am NOT going to restore to new, just R&R as needed, clean, service completely, replace parts as needed, but stick to being close to original. I will remount the Blackburn front and rear racks. The front may need a custom bracket at the lower end. Where the OEM Bianchi forks had second lug for that. The news do have two holes. I think I can fabricate a bracket, bolt that on to mount the racks lower mount. Try and make it look factory. I am sure the frame maker could weld on something.


The Bianchi BLUE? I am going to remove chrome where my frame maker is welding the cantilever pivots. I will pant the upper part of forks like original. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET A MATCH? Since it is a small amount I am likely going to have to go rattle can; I will have to scuff or etch the chrome and prime it before paint. I make some replica Bianchi stickers. I have photos of those. Again this is not going to be a collector bike. However I think it is pretty, and even if I don't ride it (but I will) I will hang it on the wall like art.

tiger1964 

No idea on color match, and it makes sense to paint to below where the (Dixon Ticonderoga?) pencil contacts and have chrome 'socks', would it look good to also leave the from crown chrome? Or are you already contemplating that?

Good luck with project. Consider mounting the handlebars a tiny bit offset, the sail area of that mirror will make the bike pull to the left.

SJX426 

@gmcjetpilot - Good for you! Restore that puppy. Speaking of front fork being unique, I picked up a Trek760 a few years ago that had a Giant unicrown fork, yuck. I went looking for a Trek760 fork which was only made a few years. Found one but it was betn.
Here is that story, Bent fork with 531c tubing - Reset to proper dimensions? - Bike Forums and the bike build,1984 Trek 760 Build - Finally - Bike Forums

jdawginsc 

Bianchi blue is a bit more subdued than cobalt, sort of Royal but darker. Good luck with that!

I wonder if you got some blue enamel, white enamel and mixed in a small mason jar, you get match it and brush on?

gmcjetpilot

This is outside.... The true color is visable. Funny blue painters tape on forks to map out where the chrome will be removed for welding is close. I am going to bring it to a car body shop, have them scan it and give me color code.

The Fork is not off at a frame maker, who is going to weld on the centiliter brake pivots and lugs at the bottom for rack. I rode it for a minute for the first time in 20 years. LOVE IT. Like I remember. I did not ride it more than 1 minute.. It has no front brakes and chain was dirty and dry, but throw a bit of oil on it.. I am going to tear town the rear hub and crank and re-lube, and clean and lube chain and lube all cables before I ride her, after I get the fork back. I still have to cut the fork steerer down once I get it all sorted out. The front and rear racks are just mocked up. I have to get proper hardware and fork lugs welded on.

jdawginsc 

It was a great little bike. One of my regrets, letting it go.

I am very glad to see one get a restoration and some love.

gmcjetpilot

Need a check list of what to do to restore my Randonneur. Advice appreciated. I started with fork replacement requiring welding, new tires/tubes/strip, seat., and to do handlebar tape, brake lever bracket hoods/covers.

Need advice on following:

• Crank: I want to take apart clean re-lube - APEX is brand - What tools do I need and grease. Youtube Vids? Do I need to teardown after 40 yrs? (equivalent 10-15 yrs of casual use)

• Rear hub, cassette freewheel - What tools do i need and grease. Recommend any Youtube Vds? (Same question as crank, should I tear down and lube or leave alon)

• Cables - Best way to lube -- x2 brake, x2 shift (on down tube with exposed section) - On my dirt motorcycles yeas ago there were cable lube tools that clamped on end and aerosol pushed lube in. Replace new")
• Chain - is dry and dirty - I will need a chain breaker and master link (if one is not on already). This is my amateur plan: Take off, tooth brush clean with diesel, air compressor blow, soak in motor oil, let drip dry, wipe off.. - Have bike dry lube, muck off. Chain not rusty just dusty and dry as bone. Replace new? .
• Other, MIsc, -
  • Derailleurs front and back will needs some love. May be some lube at pivots?
  • Brake pads are not worn but 40 yrs old. Guessing replacing might be good. Yes?

jdawginsc 

Tools
Crank extractor (good tool to have in the box. Ebay used usually has decent ones...you want the regular one. Park or
https://www.amazon.com/Skylety-Remov...g%2C131&sr=1-9

Rear wheel should have a suntour freewheel I am guessing
https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-FR-...g%2C116&sr=1-4

Cables- replace. Jagwire sets on ebay can be pretty reasonable.
Jagwire cable set


Chain - if stretched, replace, otherwise clean well and lube with some tri-flow
https://www.parktool.com/en-us/blog/...%20replacement.

Replacement chains (KMC are really good reasonable ones)
https://www.amazon.com/KMC-Z7-Chain-.../dp/B07NRFH81R

Clean derailleurs lube joints yes.

Brake pads might be a good investment
Kool Stop salmon for cantis (several choices) Contact @Mad Honk

Tires if they need replacement...I can't remember if they are 27" or 700C. If 27" Panaracer Paselas come in that size. Although a good pair of gravel friendly tires might be good. I like Vittoria wide Rubinos, Zaffiros and Terrenos, but I think only the Zaffiros come in 27".
https://www.amazon.com/Vittoria-Zaff...V98?th=1&psc=1

gmcjetpilot

Thank you got it. I will be ordering tools and parts. I found a few good YouTube tutorials. I replaced the rubber, tires, tubes, strip already.. Yes 27 x 1-1/4" w/ presta valves, bargain at under for $30 including tax and shipping for both tires, tubes and strips, KENDA brand. I can see your suggestion, Vittoria, is higher quality. Next time I'll get good rubber.

Yes Suntour gear. Thanks. Looks like a learning experience. Not that it's unreasonable the local fancy bike shop want $300 to go though drive train, plus parts as needed. So tools is going to be a bargain. Want to do it myself, Appreciate the detailed reply with links. Cheers

jdawginsc 

If I were to suggest a new user tool kit
Crank extractor
Good quality pedal wrench
Good cable cutters
Set of decent cone wrenches
Free wheel and cassette removal tools
Good chain breaker
Good tire levers
Metric combo wrenches
Metric Allen wrenches

That will cost much less than a visit or two to the bike shop.

Ebay is your friend.

gmcjetpilot

• I got my forks back from modification and it is FANTASTIC. The brake pivots were brazed on and lugs for rack were brazed on. I just cut the threaded steerer to proper length and it came out great.
• Went to Bike Paint Department at Lowes and bought four cans of blue. I had searched the web for blue spray paint. The winner from the web search was SAIL BLUE, Rust-Oleum. And sure enough it turned out to be the winner on the forks. I put down some different primers, white, grey and silver. The SAIL Blue is good but the Bianchi Blue has small metal flake metallic. However over all good enough match at 20 mph or 20 yards. The other colors was Cobalt Blue, Dark Blue (Rust-Oleum), Gloss True Blue (Krylon), and Gloss Blue (Project Source Lowes house brand), The Lowes brand was a fairly good color match but did not flow and had poor surface finish. Still the clear winner Sail Blue.
• The bike is complete except it has to be blown apart and serviced service crank, freewheel, chain, cables cleaned, lubed, and handlebars need complete resto (tape, hoods which I have ready to go).,

jdawginsc 

Looking great! Just FYI, I did a lot of touring on it in my early to mid teens. It is super stable yet moves well even under load.

The SunTour ARX is nuclear bomb proof and the wheels were always easy to true up with 36 spokes.

It was Ishiwata Magny tubing if I recall and really vibration damping. Long time ago but I think it had Suzue hubs and Ukai or Araya rims...never broke a spoke.

Japanese frame craftsmanship was second to none for a mass produced bike.

gmcjetpilot

IT IS DONE! Well almost but THANK YOU BIKE FORUM and everyone who encouraged me. It rides like a dream. It's like I'm 23.again. Ha ha.I like it better than "modern" bikes in many way. It just feels and rides better. There is something about it. I lost count of the restoration cost, under $200. I did all the work except the mods to fork (braze cantilever brake pivots on and lower lugs for rack). I still need to find original pedals and bottle cage in a box someplace. I cleaned and lubed the chain on bike. I want to go through it and clean lube the bike, but it is working perfect. Even the derailleurs are adjusted and smooth as is.. May be I will do that tour of Europe by bike as I dreamed of once long ago? Ha ha. It was totally worth it. Thanks again Bike Forum and members. Great community. PS the rear view was stock and love having a big rearview mirror. I could delete it but I left it.

bear_a_bug 

IDK about "...over all good enough match at 20 mph or 20 yards". That looks like a dead-on match from your photos. Well done! That bike is definitely ready for someone, maybe you, to take it on an adventure.

Piff 

Wonderful job! If you're looking for a more svelte bike mirror, this is the one of the best around for the price.

eBay link

gmcjetpilot

"svelte" Hey I gained a few pounds but.... Oh the mirror. Ha ha. That is a strange but interesting mirror. The one on it is original and works well, very adjustable and wide field of view. The brake cable is cut to size to incorporate the mirror. Plus it looks like new bar tape which I just did. No need to change. It is pretty clever how they did it back in 1983 when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Ha ha. There are many rear view mirror schemes out there but many are compromises to be small and svelte. Sometimes size matters. If you drop the bike it folds out of the way. If it were to break it would be the plastic mirror not the brake. If it does bye bye, I would likely delete it and go with something else.

For now original and vintage, no floppy paddle or electronic shifters, hydraulic disk brakes, hidden in frame cables, carbon fiber frame or hidden mirror in handle bar... Steel (actually Mangalloy) frame, down tube shifters that require a real man to manipulate and a big fat rear view mirror. Ha ha.

jdawginsc 

Great job. Warms my heart!

circle23

cool