Two 1950's Bianchi 3 speeds

[usarnie1]

I have been looking to purchase a mid century Bianchi 3 speed for quite a long time. Two weeks ago a 1957 Bianchi 3 speed apeared in Craigslist Long Beach, CA. I purchased that bike. I had to change both rims, as they were rusted beyond help! Then, a week later a 1958 Bianchi 3 speed apeared in Craigslist Ventura, CA. That bike has remained disassembled for the past 30 years! I purchased that bike and spent the next 3 days cleaning all the parts and re-assembling the bike. All that was missing were the handlebar mounted hand brake controls. I added a pair of generic hand brake controls to complete the bike. Now I have 2 functioning Bianchi 3 speed bikes. Both have the early Sturmey Archer SW hub and Aprilia generator light kit. The 1957 is a faded red and the 1958 is painted a metalic maroon. Almost every part on the 1958 maroon bike has Bianchi stamped on its' parts. The 1958 bike has a "Champions of the World" (written in Italian) decal on the top of the seat tube. I am presuming that was to honor Fausto Coppi, who won the 1953 Tour De France on a Bianchi bike.

I am going to keep both bikes. However, the 1958 is my definately my favorite! To each bike I added a new Brooks leather saddle, new tires, tubes, brake shoes, cables and stainless steel cap nuts for the tops of the fender stays.

 

[dnc1]

I have been looking to purchase a mid century Bianchi 3 speed for quite a long time. Two weeks ago a 1957 Bianchi 3 speed apeared in Craigslist Long Beach, CA. I purchased that bike. I had to change both rims, as they were rusted beyond help! Then, a week later a 1958 Bianchi 3 speed apeared in Craigslist Ventura, CA. That bike has remained disassembled for the past 30 years! I purchased that bike and spent the next 3 days cleaning all the parts and re-assembling the bike. All that was missing were the handlebar mounted hand brake controls. I added a pair of generic hand brake controls to complete the bike. Now I have 2 functioning Bianchi 3 speed bikes. Both have the early Sturmey Archer SW hub and Aprilia generator light kit. The 1957 is a faded red and the 1958 is painted a metalic maroon. Almost every part on the 1958 maroon bike has Bianchi stamped on its' parts. The 1958 bike has a "Champions of the World" (written in Italian) decal on the top of the seat tube. I am presuming that was to honor Fausto Coppi, who won the 1953 Tour De France on a Bianchi bike.

I am going to keep both bikes. However, the 1958 is my definately my favorite! To each bike I added a new Brooks leather saddle, new tires, tubes, brake shoes, cables and stainless steel cap nuts for the tops of the fender stays.

View attachment 685881

View attachment 685883

View attachment 685884

Really nice! I particularly like the cream tyred one.

 

[juvela]

-----

Thank you for sharing these two finds.

Very nice work you have done with them.

The red example is slightly unusual for the time in that it does not have the Bianchi integral headset.

Its frame is made with Agrati lugs of the "AM'" pattern. The head is bulge-formed as is item nr. 000.8046. The seat lug is item nr. 022.8049. Likely that the bottom bracket shell and ends set are Agrati as well but cannot view them clearly enough for an identification.

Is the pedal set on the red machine Way-Assauto? In one image it wears white rubber pedals and in the other black.

Are there any markings on its frame pump? Are the its brake calipers Universal Mignon perhaps?

-----

 

[usarnie1]

-----

Thank you for sharing these two finds.

Very nice work you have done with them.

The red example is slightly unusual for the time in that it does not have the Bianchi integral headset.

Its frame is made with Agrati lugs of the "AM'" pattern. The head is bulge-formed as is item nr. 000.8046. The seat lug is item nr. 022.8049. Likely that the bottom bracket shell and ends set are Agrati as well but cannot view them clearly enough for an identification.

Is the pedal set on the red machine Way-Assauto? In one image it wears white rubber pedals and in the other black.

Are there any markings on its frame pump? Are the its brake calipers Universal Mignon perhaps?

-----

After I acquired the red bianchi, I changed the pedals to Way-Assauto, as the pedals that came with the bike were Hafa and the left pedal was frozen onto the stock crank arm. I had to dissamble that pedal and mount that pedal shaft in my shop vise and use a Rigid pipe wrench and a cheater bar to break it free from its' crank arm. Eventually, I also had to change the left crank arm as the inside diameter hole was larger on the inside than the outside and it wobbled. Fortunately, I had a matching replacement crank arm in my spare parts. The black pedals in the above photo were Raleigh pedals that I temporaly used until I found and mounted the Way-Assauto white pedals. The brake calipers are both Universal, with no model number. The air pump that came with the red bianchi has the Bianchi bird pressed onto its' aluminum housing. I repainted the air pump to match the bikes red color.