# crusty cool bianchi



## kccomet (Aug 5, 2020)

just picked this up yesterday, thanks to caber friendofthedevil for the contact. it looks like its sat for awhile and like my old buddy used to say its sweaty. I believe it's a folgore model. I had a cambio bike years ago, so I saw this one, and well I'm drawn to sweaty bikes. I'm not much on fenders but these are pretty cool, celeste color on sides,


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## Freqman1 (Aug 5, 2020)

Sweet bike Jim. Looks a lot like mine. What pedals are on yours? Mine was repainted but I've started to refinish it because I think the color was too dark and it wasn't painted correctly. Hard to see in this pic of the bottom bracket but mine is dated '47. This is a pic of when I first got it. I have since got correct bars/stem, changed to Universal Model 39 brakes (need a set of adjusters), correct Bianchi seat, took the guard off, a correct set of Nisi tubular rims, and got a correct set of decals from @Gus. Thanks for sharing. V/r Shawn


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## kccomet (Aug 5, 2020)

I believe they are Sheffield pedals


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## non-fixie (Aug 6, 2020)

Beautiful bike. Love those _parafanghi_!


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Aug 6, 2020)

cool. what years are those bikes.??


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## wrongway (Aug 6, 2020)

Ok, how does that shifting mechanism work?? I understand the one lever, but the one that appears to disappear into the axle.......? Neat bikes!


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## 1motime (Aug 6, 2020)

Original poster's bike is fantastic!  Not that crusty!  Should clean nicely


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## Freqman1 (Aug 6, 2020)

wrongway said:


> Ok, how does that shifting mechanism work?? I understand the one lever, but the one that appears to disappear into the axle.......? Neat bikes!



The dropout has ‘teeth’ which keeps the axle centered when you release the top lever which allows the hub to come loose. Next you pedal backwards while moving the lower lever which steers the chain onto one of four cogs. Before pedaling forward you lock the top lever back in. All of this should happen in about a second. You can YouTube “Cambio Corsa” and should be able to find a video of this. V/r Shawn


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## wrongway (Aug 6, 2020)

Freqman1 said:


> The dropout has ‘teeth’ which keeps the axle centered when you release the top lever which allows the hub to come loose. Next you pedal backwards while moving the lower lever which steers the chain onto one of four cogs. Before pedaling forward you lock the top lever back in. All of this should happen in about a second. You can YouTube “Cambio Corsa” and should be able to find a video of this. V/r Shawn



Just watched the video. Wow! No way could I pull that off. Very fascinating bike, though!


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## Freqman1 (Aug 6, 2020)

wrongway said:


> Just watched the video. Wow! No way could I pull that off. Very fascinating bike, though!



It takes practice and I still jump the chain sometimes which happens if you don’t get the hub locked before pedaling forward again! V/r Shawn


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## kccomet (Aug 7, 2020)

I'm no authority but I believe this model was produced from 1940 to 1949


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## juvela (Aug 8, 2020)

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Congratulations on this wonderful new arrival.

What a find to be in complete and all original condition with no damage.

One could either leave it alone as a delightful "wall piece" or embark upon some measure of rebuild/restoration.

Should you select the latter you will have no end of enjoyment going through it.

Thank you for sharing it with the forum.

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frame -

assembled of Agrati bits.  lug pattern is Agrati "SPORT" nr. 000.8050/U.  the bulge-formed head is item nr. 000.8056 (stock number for version not for integral headset).  seat lug is item nr. 023.8059 (stock number for version without binder).  seat lugs with this topmount binder seem to end in roughly the early 1950's.  shell not shown well enough in images provided for an identification.  it is most likely an Agrati model.  shell width note: while odds strongly favour that shell will be a typical 70mm in width when one gets back into Bianchi cycles of this era and prior there is the possiblity to encounter a machine exhibiting a 74mm shell.  enthusiasts understandably associate this dimension with Cinelli but it was employed to a limited extent by other makers as well.

if fork ends of unmarked stamped sheet they are probably Agrati item nr. 000.8010.

cannot recall seeing before a "SPORT" pattern bulge-formed head made for an integral headset.  one thing it is good to be aware of with bulge-formed heads is that the wall thickness at the ends of the head is much thinner than it is with a traditional three-piece head.  it seems adequate 99% of the time but have seen failures.  not something one would want on a cyclo-cross or truck application machine.

as you probably know already the Bianchi proprietary headset design exhibits U-shaped races and takes 1/8" balls.  this is the same for both the integral and non-integral versions.  do not recognize the specific maker of this example; there are about five or six possibilities.

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pedal -

there was a query anent this above.  this model is included in the Speedplay pedal museum where it is identified as Bianchi / Noli-Cattaneo and is shown with a date of 1950.  this date likely refers to the date of the cycle on which it was found rather than a launch date for the model.  here is the photo from the museum:





unfortunately the listing includes no model number.
when one examines the latticework of the cage plate a letter B can be discerned, backwards on one side and frontwards on the other.

pedals badged as Noli-Cattaneo and as Sheffield were manufactured by a firm called Industria Meccanica Di Precisione Noli-Cattaneo & C.  which was founded on 27 December 1922 in the city of Pavia.  rights to the Sheffield name for bicycle pedals were there from the outset:






			INDUSTRIA MECCANICA DI PRECISIONE NOLI CATTANEO & C.
		


from what have been able to determine use of the Noli-Cattaneo name as a pedal brand ended in about the early 1960's.  here is an advert from 1961:





carton -





Noli-Cattaneo track model Nr. 618 -





there is a flickr album here illustrating two Noli-Cattaneo models including the number 632 -









						Noli & Cattaneo pedals
					

These rare pedals were made in Italy in the 1950's, possibly into the 60's. I have 2 of them but they are not a pair. Have read of the descriptions and if you can help me make a pair I would be delighted to hear from you.




					www.flickr.com
				




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chainset -

curious as to the bolt circle diameter here.  wondering if it might be the 86mm?  perhaps you could take a measurement when convenient.  it is somewhat unusual in cottered chainsets.  the arms exhibit flutes on their inner faces.  possible manufacturers may include Fratelli Brivio and Way-Assauto.  there appears to be a marking on the head of the arms but it may be simply Bianchi.  are there any markings on the inner face of the arms?  what are the markings, if any, on the bottom bracket fittings?

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hubs -

whilst badged as Campag the responsible party is Fratelli Brivio

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stem & bar set -

while marked Bianchi appears to be Ambrosio

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mudguards -

am suspicious that the manufacturer of these got a good deal on this extrusion pattern from a bauxite foundry.  note how little the sides curve downwards.  the extrusion may have been produced for another application and there was an overrun or the client was unable to pay for the order when the work was complted so the mudguard manufacturer got this stock at a good price.

one possible manufacturer for the mudguards is Mazzucchelli -





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this is about all i have for the cycle.  it is somewhat before my "core period."  hope it has helped a bit.

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## non-fixie (Aug 8, 2020)

Italian mudguards have a habit of being flat - flatter than British or French examples - and sitting somewhat more proud of the tires.

For some reason the site won't let me upload pictures of a couple of examples today ...


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## non-fixie (Aug 8, 2020)

Try again ...


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## non-fixie (Aug 8, 2020)

And the second a example, also a rather tasty Bianchi:


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## juvela (Aug 9, 2020)

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arrestors -

the images do not provide any clear views of these

if, perchance, they are Fratelli Pietra products suspect they may be Sport series models such as nrs. 130 & 131:








a measurement of the reaches should indicate the models

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