Bianchi Brava - sanity check
09-01-11, 10:17 AM
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Bianchi Brava - sanity check
Hi - Found what I hope was a bargain on CL today. I'm guessing mid 80s Bianchi Brava that I paid $50 for and included a bottle cage and zefal frame pump. Needs tubes, pedals and a couple of gallons of degreaser. Everything seems to work. Did I do okay?
Also - can anybody date this bike?
Also - can anybody date this bike?
09-01-11, 10:35 AM
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Nice bike. Using velobase.com to check the vintage of your RD, it looks like it puts you in 1987-88. At that price, you did well. Now clean it up and ride!
09-01-11, 11:48 AM
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Great score for $50.
I would also replace the chain, cables, housing, tires... if you can do all the work your self you will have a nice bike to ride or if you fix it and flip it I would expect you to get around $250 for it in my market
I would also replace the chain, cables, housing, tires... if you can do all the work your self you will have a nice bike to ride or if you fix it and flip it I would expect you to get around $250 for it in my market
09-01-11, 12:53 PM
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thx for the responses.
cool - i wasn't looking to flip it, but good to know I can put a few dollars into it and not feel like I was taken. I've already stripped it down and have the parts getting a bath. Definitely feels like a quality bike.
cool - i wasn't looking to flip it, but good to know I can put a few dollars into it and not feel like I was taken. I've already stripped it down and have the parts getting a bath. Definitely feels like a quality bike.
09-01-11, 01:03 PM
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GET IT OFF THOSE BRICKS!!!!! seriously you don't want to scratch that.
great little bike, '87 Brava, Tange Superset DB ChroMoly main frame and fork. I have the same frame on my '87 Sport SX and they ride great. I would buy all of those I could for $50
great little bike, '87 Brava, Tange Superset DB ChroMoly main frame and fork. I have the same frame on my '87 Sport SX and they ride great. I would buy all of those I could for $50
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
09-02-11, 05:26 PM
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thought i'd follow up with some after pics. Completely torn down and regreased. There was some beautiful paint under all that oxidation. Now I need to get some brake lever hoods and a new chain and she is complete.
09-02-11, 06:31 PM
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Nice cleanup. Looks very good. I like those deals where you score a nice bike that is filthy for a good price. You know there is a beauty underneath.
09-03-11, 01:33 PM
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BEAUTIFUL!! let us know how it rides
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
09-04-11, 01:18 AM
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Wow, what a lucky find. You did a great job cleaning her up, too. 
09-04-11, 10:47 AM
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thx for all the responses. I took her on a 20 mile ride yesterday. I've been riding the same friction shifted bike for 25 yrs so my first time on an index shifted road bike for any length of time. Great ride and fits me perfect, definitely a keeper. I'll bet I could another 25 yrs out of this bike.
09-07-11, 07:24 PM
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You did all that in a day? Nice work!
09-07-11, 07:25 PM
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BTW, exactly how did you go about cleaning it up? Did you tear it down? What cleaner did you use?
09-07-11, 08:53 PM
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Yes, one day, but this wasn't my first bike tear down. I tore it down to the frame - everything except for the BB. I don't have the right tools for that part. And then break down the derailleurs and hubs.
Any rusty items get an oxalic acid bath. I degrease everything using dishwashing detergent and a toothbrush or scrub brush for parts and microfiber mitt for anything painted. The paint was badly oxidized, so I used Turtle Wax medium rubbing compound followed up by Meguiar's NXT car wax. All the shiny metal bits get hit with some metal polish being extremely careful around the printed/laser etched lettering. I repacked the hubs and headset with grease. Reassembled everything and relubricated where needed.
easy...
Any rusty items get an oxalic acid bath. I degrease everything using dishwashing detergent and a toothbrush or scrub brush for parts and microfiber mitt for anything painted. The paint was badly oxidized, so I used Turtle Wax medium rubbing compound followed up by Meguiar's NXT car wax. All the shiny metal bits get hit with some metal polish being extremely careful around the printed/laser etched lettering. I repacked the hubs and headset with grease. Reassembled everything and relubricated where needed.
easy...
09-07-11, 08:59 PM
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deadend - i broke the straps on my other bike about 10 yrs ago and never got around to replacing them. I've got to be honest. I haven't once missed them. Now on my mountain bike, that's a different story.
Mods - this thread seems to have moved off the what's it worth topic. Please move it if you need to.
Mods - this thread seems to have moved off the what's it worth topic. Please move it if you need to.
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