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Yes, another Bianchi ID thread

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Yes, another Bianchi ID thread

Old 01-15-22, 10:41 PM
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Yes, another Bianchi ID thread

Needing something to do on a cold weekend, I bought an old Bianchi yesterday. Frame and fork weigh 8.7 lbs. Campagnolo Valentino Extra FD and RD. San Remo rims. Otherwise a mishmash and lots of unbranded parts. In fact, as I took it apart I wasn't convinced it was a Bianchi or even Italian. The decal remnants I scraped off were definitely the 60's Bianchi style, but no model name left a trace. SN on the head tube is either 2E85861 or 2F85861.


It was a fairly downmarket bike, I realize, but it seems so odd to me to fix up an old bike without even knowing how it started life. Seems to be a consistent Bianchi thing (or Peugeot for that matter), and there are very few catalog scans to match up to even if you did have an educated guess. Seems crazy that so little material exists around such a passionately loved brand.

Nonetheless, if someone knows what this beast was or wants to be, I'd appreciate the feedback. I may put it all back together (clean and working, of course) and make this my brewery-run bike for a while, or turn it into a single speed and send it to school with a nephew.

Pics to follow ...
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Old 01-15-22, 10:54 PM
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These pics are mostly after a first cleaning.

Stem came out later.





Bars and seatpost are unbranded.

Sheffield pedals

ttt stem

Enormous Shimano levers and Balilla center pull brakes

Valentinos. That FD is kind of neat and loosened up with just a bit of lubrication. Japanese pump pegs.

Pretty steel rims, San Remo.

Totally unbranded crank and rings with a chain guard.



Regina freewheel. The Park FR-2 doesn't quite fit the gaps on this. It only needs to come off because the dork disk is warped and has a metal spider at its base. Spins beautifully as is.
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Old 01-15-22, 10:56 PM
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Is that an E or an F or an Egyptian heiroglyph? Regardless, surprisingly sloppy.

I sait it was downmarket, right? it has a kickstand mount.

Cool bullet shaped seat stay ends.

Unmarked here and on the forks.
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Old 01-16-22, 12:13 AM
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I think that the Valentino gear points to a mid-1970's production time. Toss the Shimano levers!

I've ground down the lugs on a Suntour freewheel tool to fit many a European freewheel.
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Old 01-16-22, 08:57 AM
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It's a 1972 model. Back in the day, entry level bicycles with dropped handlebars and wired-on wheelsets were generally called recreational-touring, often abbreviated R/T. The only boom era Bianchi R/T model I'm famliar with is the Strada. They were virtually identical to the subject bicycle, though they typically came with a Simplex Prestige derailleur ensemble. Typically, Italian manufacturers used Prestige on their bottom of the line R/T model and Valentino Extra on the next model up. So, it might be a different model (Strada Deluxe?). However, 1972 was also the worst year for component shortages, so I wouldn't rule out a Strada with factory derailleur substitutions, especially when you consider that the closest extant Bianchi catalogue (1974) shows the Strada as the only R/T model.

Some memebers might suggest Bianchi's club racer Rekord 71 with a wheelset change/rebuild from the OEM tubulars, as this was quite common after owner's became frustrated the with tubular tyres. However, there are some differences in frame characteristics that rule out a Rekord 71 club racer, notably the use of top tube cable stops, as opposed to clips.
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Old 01-19-22, 08:42 PM
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Thanks for all the feedback! As always, C&V is a deep well. Looking around for 1972 Stradas, that's definitely the answer. It is awfully similar to the Rekord but for the cable stops. And Bianchi was using the decals the remnants of which I had to scrape off. I'd be tempted to order replacements but it's probably not a bike that needs $50 decals shipped from Australia! After a good bit of polishing and carnauba, it looks awfully good. So I'll just finish cleaning/lubing parts and put it back the way God intended, with new cables and tires, and a set of Dia Compe brakes and levers I have.

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Old 01-19-22, 09:00 PM
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That’s a really nice looking blue on the bike, amazing it’s held up so well. Hope that you’ll keep updating as you progress with the build. Those Valentino derailleurs aren’t so bad as some suppose. I actually enjoyed them, on my ‘72 Bottecchia Special.

Enjoy the time doing the refit.

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Old 01-19-22, 09:10 PM
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That is the lowest end Bianchi that I have ever seen. I did not even know they made bikes that low end.
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Old 01-19-22, 09:23 PM
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Originally Posted by grant40
That is the lowest end Bianchi that I have ever seen. I did not even know they made bikes that low end.
Don't fat shame my Italian amica! Rubbing on her getting me through some cold nights here on the edge of the prairie.
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Old 01-20-22, 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by grant40
That is the lowest end Bianchi that I have ever seen. I did not even know they made bikes that low end.
Bianchi was a full range manufacturer, though the full product line was never imported. If you look at some European catalogues you'll see single speed city bicycles, folding bicycles, BMX and even sidewalk bicycles with training wheels. Starting in the early 1980s, the North American division started designing and sourcing the entry level models form Asia (first Japan and later Taiwan). The bottom of the line models of these Asian built Bianchi were on par with the entry level models from other major brands and arguably only a step above department store bicycles.

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Old 01-20-22, 07:29 AM
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I fixed up a 73 Raleigh Grand Prix last year, and I'd say the materials and workmanship on this bike are comparable and it'll surely be lighter. It'll make someone a nice, theft-resistant campus bike when I'm ready to pass it on.
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Old 01-20-22, 10:57 AM
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Originally Posted by grant40
That is the lowest end Bianchi that I have ever seen. I did not even know they made bikes that low end.
You should have seen my 1962 Bianchi Corsa, whose frameset greatly resembled that one. Huret Allvit deraillerus, steel Universal sidepull brake calipers, steel 26" rims, cottered steel crankset, fork crown identical to the one shown, single piece head tube and head lugs, $55 new at Wheel World, Culver City CA, in November/December 1962. Completely low end, but rode much better than it deserved to, particularly after I upgraded to 27" wheels. This is the machine that really got me into serious bicycling, so "entry level" is an apt description in my case. This one looks like a 10-year-newer revision of mine.
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Old 01-20-22, 10:59 AM
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Originally Posted by dbhouston
Don't fat shame my Italian amica! Rubbing on her getting me through some cold nights here on the edge of the prairie.
True. As I mentioned, my first Bianchi, far out of my current Bianchi's league, was a better machine than it had any right to be. There is something magic about Italian frame geometry.
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Old 01-22-22, 11:15 PM
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Once I decided to just put this thing back as it wants to be, it's been much easier. DIa-Compe levers and center pulls on there, though I may put the Ballilas back on just for consistency. Filing down the Park FR-2 was a breeze and worked great. Easy to replace when needed. Cotter pins had been abused in the past, so waiting on replacements. New Schwalbes/strips/tubes to put on when I get the wheels true. New cables after that, then off to a brewery for a test ride on the first patio weather day! I'll post once more when she's done and ridden. Thanks.
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Old 02-07-22, 08:18 PM
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Change of direction, and done!

I vacillated between stock and mod, and ended up with what I think will be a fine campus bike in Norman, Oklahoma. It was a pain all the way through - had to change to some Rigida wheels when the original rear was declared beyond saving by the LBS. But it'll be a tank, stylish but not a theft magnet. Plus, it took more in money and time than it could ever be worth, so I'm happy to keep it in the family.





p.s Anyone want to buy some snazzy Valentino Extra derailleurs?
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Old 02-07-22, 08:53 PM
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Was I the only one that felt compelled to research McNellie's Beer from the first set of pictures?
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