JC PENNY 10 SPEED MADE IN ITALY

[Thomas Weverstad]

I WAS WONDERING OF ANY ONE HAD ANY INFO ON THIS BIKE YEAR. MANUFACTURER ECT. . I HAVE NOT SEEN OR HEARD OF ONE MADE IN ITALY. IT HAS A LUGGED FRAME AND IT HAS MADE IN ITALY ON THE SEAT TUBE, STEM SAYS MADE IN ITALY, HAS PIRELLI TIRES, SIMPLEX DERAILLEURS, BILALLA BRAKES. -- ANY THOUGHTS.

 

[GTs58]

I have one almost identical to yours in a Gray. Same tires and I wish I could save them. A good friend gave it to me, he purchased it new, and I have never checked it out to see who the manufacturer was or when it was made. I would take a guess by knowing this friend since 1982 that the bike is probably a late 70's model. His wife's 10 speed is also a JC Penny but it looks like a Murray built model.

 

[bikemonkey]

Very interesting bike - makes me wonder about the backstory for their choice of suppliers/and intent that year.

Perhaps it was the (one) year that Antonio the accountant sourced bikes for Penney's through a family connection back in the old country.

"...you remember that time Tony ordered those 10 speeds? As if we wanted to sell real bikes instead of toys? Haw Haw haw ..anyway..."

BTW - that rear derailleur guard seems it would be quite effective.

 

[dweenk]

I think that the tower rising through the logo on the seat tube decal may be your best clue. Maybe someone could recognize the serial number format as well. In any case it looks like a low end bike boom model from the early 1970's.

 

[bulldog1935]

we'll get @juvela over here - Roger will know something about the components, at least

I WAS WONDERING OF ANY ONE HAD ANY INFO ON THIS BIKE YEAR. MANUFACTURER ECT. . I HAVE NOT SEEN OR HEARD OF ONE MADE IN ITALY. IT HAS A LUGGED FRAME AND IT HAS MADE IN ITALY ON THE SEAT TUBE, STEM SAYS MADE IN ITALY, HAS PIRELLI TIRES, SIMPLEX DERAILLEURS, BILALLA BRAKES. -- ANY THOUGHTS.

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no question it's bike-boom era
I'll add this - velobase dates the Balilla Tipo Corsa 61 brakes (block letters) to "late 70s"
User comments to the listing says they could be "60s or 70s"
Earlier version of Balilla Tipo Corsa 61 with the brand stamp in script began production in 1961.

http://www.wishbookweb.com/the-catalogs/
this website has JC Penney Christmas catalogs, 1967, 1970 1976, 1977, 1980 - go get 'em

 

[juvela]

-----

Hello Thomas,

thank you for the good job with the pictures.

cycle produced by Chiorda right near to 1970.

the tower with C symbol seen in centre of seat tube transfer is one of their marks.

features such as bulge-formed head, plate style bridges, five-piece solid axle steel hubs, zinc plated headset and absence of chrome mark this as the very lowest model.

frame -

constructed with Agrati lugset of pattern "AM" ART. 000.8040/U.

bulge-formed head is item nr. 000.8046.

seat lug is item nr. 022.8049.

bottom bracket shell item nr. 000.8507.

dropouts are item nr. 000.8002

fork ends are item nr. 000.8010.

fittings -

chainset is OMG. arms and bottom bracket cups unmarked. centre section of spindle may be marked either OMG in an oval recess or with a simple letter C. zinc plated wedgebolts are Agrati nr. 000.2061. also offered in chrome at greater cost.

zinc plated headset is Agrati nr. 000.3071. also offered in chrome at greater cost.

36 hole five-piece steel solid axle hubs are Agrati Sport nr. 000.9011.

stem & bar set is 3TTT Touriste.

cycle's serrated 36 hole wheel rims are likely Maccari.

machine's Juy model 637 Prestige rear gear mech launched in late 1970 or early 1971 so is a helpful dating aid. the backside of its inner cage plate is likely to be marked with a date:

forum has had two other Chiorda threads you may wish to view:

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1970s-juventus-road-bike.106157/

https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/chiorda-road-bike-made-in-italy.106112/

Chiorda sponsored a pro racing team at one time. one of their stars was Felice Gimondi. they were purchased by Bianchi in 1966 and their facility was employed to produce many of the lower model Bianchi cycles of the late 1960's and early 1970's. most of the company's production capacity went into private labelling/contract builds rather than being sold under their own name.

bicycles were done for other U.S. based chain stores as well: Sears, Montgomery Ward, Kmart. the bright yellow Kmart AllPro bicycles of the early 1970's were done by the company. BTW - Penney's launched a discount house chain which operated for a brief period in about the late '70's - early '80's. it was called The Treasury - they probably had some house brand bicycles but do not know the name/manufacturer.

hope this has assisted a bit.

-----

 

[Crazyc123]

What are these bikes worth ?
This is a Chiorda as well

 

[anders1]

Pretty cool, I’ve been thinking about getting something like this just to ride.

 

[Crazyc123]

Pretty cool, I’ve been thinking about getting something like this just to ride.

Want to buy this one lol ???

 

[anders1]

Want to buy this one lol ???

I like a taller frame actually, but thanks!