Help with my BENOTTO 850
#1
The Recycled Cycler
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,399
Bikes: Real Steel. Really. Ti is cool, too !
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Help with my BENOTTO 850
Hi all.
I have a BENOTTO 850 with Columbus Zeta frame. Is this frame steel? I think it's a 1980-ish vintage or somewhere around there. Full Campy SR - everything. Really.
Does anyone know if that frame is steel or **********
Does anyone know about these 850 models? Were they a high-end model? I am guessing they were, given the top-of-line parts.
Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I have a BENOTTO 850 with Columbus Zeta frame. Is this frame steel? I think it's a 1980-ish vintage or somewhere around there. Full Campy SR - everything. Really.
Does anyone know if that frame is steel or **********
Does anyone know about these 850 models? Were they a high-end model? I am guessing they were, given the top-of-line parts.
Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
#2
Knows Bigfoot's Momma
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,540
Bikes: yeah; got a couple...
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I think ZETA tubing wasn't around in the earlier part of the '80s. The Columbus commonly used then would have been Aelle on the less costly frames, and SL or SP on the better models. Mid '80s was when SLX was popular. I really don't know when ZETA came along. BTW- if it's steel a magnet will stick...
The Super Record group was no longer popular after the mid '80s, so it's a little surprising to find it on a frame made of ZETA.
The Super Record group was no longer popular after the mid '80s, so it's a little surprising to find it on a frame made of ZETA.
Last edited by TheOtherGuy; 02-24-05 at 10:24 PM.
#3
My '82 Romani (a pic of it in the "Show Your Resto" thread) was built with Zeta tubing and yes, it's steel. There's not much info around about it and some weeks ago I started a thread about it with 0 replies. What I've gathered after corresponding with the factory and people from the business is that it was a "cold drawn, high quality tubing", according to Columbus. It was carbon-manganese like Aelle -which came later- with plaing gauge, 1mm wall thickness (Aelle was 0.8). A frame builder described it as "sturdy, dependable and club-racing quality, but not high tech"
What I know for sure after all these years of use is that it's not the lightest tubing around but you can build a 23.5lb bike with it. Sturdy it is. In '85, I crashed the bike and bent the top and down tubes. These were straightened and the frame brought back to its natural geometry. I've been riding the bike ever since without a single issue.
BTW, it would be nice to have a pic of the tubing decal. I repainted my frame and used a generic Columbus one.
What I know for sure after all these years of use is that it's not the lightest tubing around but you can build a 23.5lb bike with it. Sturdy it is. In '85, I crashed the bike and bent the top and down tubes. These were straightened and the frame brought back to its natural geometry. I've been riding the bike ever since without a single issue.
BTW, it would be nice to have a pic of the tubing decal. I repainted my frame and used a generic Columbus one.
Last edited by clayface; 02-25-05 at 06:39 AM.
#4
Senior Member
The Benotto 850 used Columbus Zeta tubing from 1984-1986. Prior to that it used Ishiwata 019. I have no records of this model for 1987. Clayface's comments on the tubing composition, guage and type are correct.
The full name is the Benotto 850 Paris-Roubaix. Basically, it was marketed as club/entry level racing bicycle. The original price varied from $400-$450 US, depending on the year.
The 1984 model originally came with SunTour Vx derailleurs, SR crankset, Cherry brakes and Miche hubs laced to Ambrosio Elite rims. Interestingly, the frame was also available with optional, Tange #1 tubing for $50 extra!
The 1985 model used Campagnolo 980 derailleurs, Nervar crankset, Modolo Corsa brakes and the Ambrosio Elite rims.
The 1986 model used Campagnolo 980 derailleurs, SR crankset, Modolo Flash brakes and Miche hubs laced to Nisi tubular rims.
So, the model appears to have been in quite some flux, but the Super Record components you have are obviously replacements and well above the original components. Normally, Super record components would be found on a frame using Columbus SL or SLX tubing.
The full name is the Benotto 850 Paris-Roubaix. Basically, it was marketed as club/entry level racing bicycle. The original price varied from $400-$450 US, depending on the year.
The 1984 model originally came with SunTour Vx derailleurs, SR crankset, Cherry brakes and Miche hubs laced to Ambrosio Elite rims. Interestingly, the frame was also available with optional, Tange #1 tubing for $50 extra!
The 1985 model used Campagnolo 980 derailleurs, Nervar crankset, Modolo Corsa brakes and the Ambrosio Elite rims.
The 1986 model used Campagnolo 980 derailleurs, SR crankset, Modolo Flash brakes and Miche hubs laced to Nisi tubular rims.
So, the model appears to have been in quite some flux, but the Super Record components you have are obviously replacements and well above the original components. Normally, Super record components would be found on a frame using Columbus SL or SLX tubing.
#6
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Denmark
Posts: 9
Bikes: Oldschool Benotto
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The Benotto 850 used Columbus Zeta tubing from 1984-1986. Prior to that it used Ishiwata 019. I have no records of this model for 1987. Clayface's comments on the tubing composition, guage and type are correct.
The full name is the Benotto 850 Paris-Roubaix. Basically, it was marketed as club/entry level racing bicycle. The original price varied from $400-$450 US, depending on the year.
The 1984 model originally came with SunTour Vx derailleurs, SR crankset, Cherry brakes and Miche hubs laced to Ambrosio Elite rims. Interestingly, the frame was also available with optional, Tange #1 tubing for $50 extra!
The 1985 model used Campagnolo 980 derailleurs, Nervar crankset, Modolo Corsa brakes and the Ambrosio Elite rims.
The 1986 model used Campagnolo 980 derailleurs, SR crankset, Modolo Flash brakes and Miche hubs laced to Nisi tubular rims.
So, the model appears to have been in quite some flux, but the Super Record components you have are obviously replacements and well above the original components. Normally, Super record components would be found on a frame using Columbus SL or SLX tubing.
The full name is the Benotto 850 Paris-Roubaix. Basically, it was marketed as club/entry level racing bicycle. The original price varied from $400-$450 US, depending on the year.
The 1984 model originally came with SunTour Vx derailleurs, SR crankset, Cherry brakes and Miche hubs laced to Ambrosio Elite rims. Interestingly, the frame was also available with optional, Tange #1 tubing for $50 extra!
The 1985 model used Campagnolo 980 derailleurs, Nervar crankset, Modolo Corsa brakes and the Ambrosio Elite rims.
The 1986 model used Campagnolo 980 derailleurs, SR crankset, Modolo Flash brakes and Miche hubs laced to Nisi tubular rims.
So, the model appears to have been in quite some flux, but the Super Record components you have are obviously replacements and well above the original components. Normally, Super record components would be found on a frame using Columbus SL or SLX tubing.
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i just replied to your zero reply thread 7 years later-at least you got one. I had been hunting for info too. the columbus "site" goes into a lot of detail on all their tubing even zeta
[PDF] [h=3]TUBI SPECIALI PER BICICLETÏE SPEGIALI[/h]www.os2.dhs.org/~john/catalogs/Columbus-tubes.pdf
You +1'd this publicly. Undo
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
costituiscono la serie ZETA. Le serie COLUMBUS' AELLE e ZETA vengcno fornite in tre iunghezze di tubi. difierenti: Composizicne A per teiai fino ai 57 ...
[PDF] [h=3]TUBI SPECIALI PER BICICLETÏE SPEGIALI[/h]www.os2.dhs.org/~john/catalogs/Columbus-tubes.pdf
You +1'd this publicly. Undo
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
costituiscono la serie ZETA. Le serie COLUMBUS' AELLE e ZETA vengcno fornite in tre iunghezze di tubi. difierenti: Composizicne A per teiai fino ai 57 ...
My '82 Romani (a pic of it in the "Show Your Resto" thread) was built with Zeta tubing and yes, it's steel. There's not much info around about it and some weeks ago I started a thread about it with 0 replies. What I've gathered after corresponding with the factory and people from the business is that it was a "cold drawn, high quality tubing", according to Columbus. It was carbon-manganese like Aelle -which came later- with plaing gauge, 1mm wall thickness (Aelle was 0.8). A frame builder described it as "sturdy, dependable and club-racing quality, but not high tech"
What I know for sure after all these years of use is that it's not the lightest tubing around but you can build a 23.5lb bike with it. Sturdy it is. In '85, I crashed the bike and bent the top and down tubes. These were straightened and the frame brought back to its natural geometry. I've been riding the bike ever since without a single issue.
BTW, it would be nice to have a pic of the tubing decal. I repainted my frame and used a generic Columbus one.
What I know for sure after all these years of use is that it's not the lightest tubing around but you can build a 23.5lb bike with it. Sturdy it is. In '85, I crashed the bike and bent the top and down tubes. These were straightened and the frame brought back to its natural geometry. I've been riding the bike ever since without a single issue.
BTW, it would be nice to have a pic of the tubing decal. I repainted my frame and used a generic Columbus one.
#8
Junior Member
T-Mar sorry for necro-ing this thread but an 850 I just acquired has Shimano 600 Arabesque (non-indexed). Any info on that?
wondering if the owner or LBS in Ontario changed out the campy that should’ve come with it. It does have Zeta tubing, Modolo Flash brakes and levers. Cranks and chainring are 600.
wondering if the owner or LBS in Ontario changed out the campy that should’ve come with it. It does have Zeta tubing, Modolo Flash brakes and levers. Cranks and chainring are 600.
#9
Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
T-Mar sorry for necro-ing this thread but an 850 I just acquired has Shimano 600 Arabesque (non-indexed). Any info on that?
wondering if the owner or LBS in Ontario changed out the campy that should’ve come with it. It does have Zeta tubing, Modolo Flash brakes and levers. Cranks and chainring are 600.
wondering if the owner or LBS in Ontario changed out the campy that should’ve come with it. It does have Zeta tubing, Modolo Flash brakes and levers. Cranks and chainring are 600.
#10
Newbie
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I’ve just picked up this Benotto and for the life of me can’t find out which model it is. It has all the Paris components but has no bb cut outs and a visible seam in the seat tube and a seamed bb. For some bizarre reason I’m not allowed to post any photos of the bike to get an opinion because I’m new