biking brewer

Hi all, an acquaintance proudly showed me a used Bianchi Campione he got from a local bike salvaging organization. The first thing I noticed was that the Bianchi decals on the downtube feature letters that don't have crisp edges but are sort of blurred (as if up-ressed). One of the Campione decals on the top tube is also suspiciously crooked. It does have the proper head tube shield, a "Made in Italy" sticker, etc. It is steel with a carbon fork (Bianchi-branded) and the down tube is triangular.

The blurry and crooked decals make me think it's a fake but that seems like a fair amount of trouble to pawn this off as a Bianchi. (On the other hand, he paid $250 for a bike that if generic would be worth a fair amount less). Are there any other details I should look for? The bike isn't in my vicinity or I'd post a pic. Thanks!

livedarklions

Seriously, leave this alone. All you can get out of it is a disappointed friend.

CliffordK

Upload some photos to your album page, including details of the lugs:

https://www.bikeforums.net/g/user/513215

Are you sure the frame is steel? Shaped tubes are more common with aluminum frames.

One of the first things to look at is the shape of of the dropouts. Quality bikes will have forged steel with a 3-D look, and an integrated derailleur hanger. Cheap bikes will have a much flatter looking pressed steel and a "claw" derailleur hanger.

The orientation of the rear dropouts and whether the bike has both dowtube and seattube water bottle bosses can help date a frame.

Vintage Schwinn

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bianchi-Spo...T/202861724824

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bianchi-Dec...i/112995636826

https://www.ebay.com/itm/01142-Eddy-...s/332232951534

https://www.ebay.com/itm/0620-Peugeo...s/232346694393


These are just a few folks who make reproduction decals. If you search long enough, you can find most of the popular and collectable vintage models in an
assortment of sometimes great repro decals or the not ready for prime time ones that are not close to accurate.
There are a number of USA based folks who make and sell certain reproduction decals too.
As you can see, one can, if they wish to do so, can transform their run of the mill, department store bicycle into something that the idiot spandex jockey
will "respect" from 60 feet away, because it has that name decal instead on it instead of Vista, Free Spirit, AMF, Columbia, Huffy, Murray, Kent, Ross, Maurishi, or whatever it was before you gave it an upgrade with just new different decals!
Bigger idiot cycle fools that only recognize the name but know very little other than that, fall into the same possible pitfall traps that the big idiot guitar fools and big idiot "time-piece" newcomers run into. These wannabee exclusive bicyclists that desire only bicycles from the proper marque, often do not bother to learn anything about the bikes that they desire so much and are open to possibly getting fooled because they are like Sgt Schultz.
Now most people won't try to cheat or swindle someone else by attempting to pass off something that they may have re-decalled and badge upgraded just for the heck of doing so. Hey, often you see this with musicians that play in bands on a local and regional touring circuit. They place the proper Fender , Stratocaster decal on the headstock of either a no-name elcheapo or some offbrand or frankenstein parts build. It is the same thing with folks and the bogus Canal Street "Rolex" watches. Here is where these upgraded, rebadged bicycles or guitars, etc can become a problem for the future buying public.............typically the owner who built this rebadge-upgrade cycle will likely give it away the bike to a friend, or donate it to Salvation Army or Goodwill, or sell it at their garage sale for $20.............................often the person re-selling it down the line knows nothing about bikes or guitars or whatever the item is, and they see the Name Badge and they price it out based on what they think the mkt will bear for the "Name" item based on a 3 minute Google Search. You then have some nice person that is an IDIOT newfound cycling afficianado that only recognizes BIANCHI as being highly desirable..........well you can see what could occur in rare instances...
You hate to see someone get ripped-off, but remember Caveat Emptor, and before considering purchasing it, please have a qualified person examine the item to determine that it is in good condition and authentic any time that the asking price of said item is in the range usually associated with the real-thing.
Cheap no-name musical instruments and low end inexpensive bicycles can be acceptable but it is highly adviseable that you have someone qualified to inspect them and determine if they would be acceptable (playable-rideable) for you. Sadly, far too many folks are just too cool to be seen with something bearing a low-rent badge as there are more than a few decent cheapies although some are not decent enough. There is no shame in not knowing enough, just have a qualified expert check it and educate you before you buy it. You will learn as much as you want to know about the bike brands that you love. If you just want to ride, and don't want to know technical details, that is okay. You can leave that and service & adjustments to your qualified expert professional or your local bike shop.
If you do wish to decal upgrade something in your fleet, have fun with it, and ride it proudly------but, make sure that if and when you decide to sell or donate the thing, provide full disclosure and price it accordingly as the low value-tribute bicycle that it is.

sdmc530

just walk away...no run

livedarklions

Again, why would you want to prove this? To make your friend feel bad? Having a forged $250 bike and thinking it's real isn't doing him any harm.

CliffordK

One of the reasons for repro decals, of course, is so that a person can take a legitimate bike, repaint, and put the original brand decals back on.

Unfortunately, for one reason or another, some people will put either the wrong model decals on a bike, or wrong brand decals.

The person may just do it just for personal use, then the bike works its way into general market.

If you post photos, people on this board will help confirm what you have.

dedhed

Bike values are generally not high enough to "counterfeit" something that's not high end. Generally older bikes are worth more parted out.

Does it look like this?
https://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/...spx?item=39229

biking brewer

I'm not planning on saying anything about the bike's provenance to my acquaintance but I'd like to know if the organization he bought the bike from is reputable. I know it's either fake or poorly refinished but I'll post a pic when I get a chance. Poorly refinished won't damage my opinion of the organization that sold him the bike but selling counterfeits would. The people at this place should know the difference (at least talk like they should).

biking brewer

@dedhed, yes, it looks like that but with crappy decals and greener Bianchi celeste. The logo on the fork is certainly real, and the seat post even says Bianchi. The hardware is all Mirage. It would be a lot of trouble to go through to fake an old Bianchi but the finish is off; the paint is a bit wrong and the decals crooked and/or blurry. I can't tell from the photo in the link you posted if the downtube is cylindrical or triangular.

Thanks for that lead, though.

dedhed

Looks triangular to me. that alone isn't something commonly seen, particularly on a low end bike. Paint fades, humans install decals crooked and they sit in the sun. personally I don't know someone would go through the trouble to counterfeit a bike worth <$500, especially when paint & decals alone will set you back $100.
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...r-celeste.html

Bianchigirll should chime in.

Wilfred Laurier

From your description, it sounds like a Bianchi Campione. It is possible that it was shabbily repainted and re-decaled by a previous owner. THis would be a problem to a collector, but that bike was not meant to be balanced on a plinth in a museum, it was meant to be ridden.

Even if it were a lesser bike painted as a Bianchi, is very unlikely that a non-profit 'bike salvaging org' had anything to do with that. Such organizations are usually bike-rich and manpower-poor - nobody would divert precious resources from whatever the primary mission of the organization is to fake a mid-level mass-manufactured bike.

livedarklions

I can't wrap my head around the idea that someone would go to that much trouble for that level of bike. That's a lot of work for little payoff.

CliffordK

@Bianchigirll

We still need some detail photos.

As far as a bike recycler being reputable. They may not really know the fine details about a bike ID, or care about restoration to new condition. If it was a donated bike, they likely simply tuned it up and sent it on its way.

alcjphil

+ 1 or more
Why bother?