[CR]eBay Specialissima - Reply from Owner

(Example: Production Builders:LeJeune)

From: "Eric Elman" <tr4play@cox.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <122.199df9a4.2aeebff7@aol.com>
Subject: [CR]eBay Specialissima - Reply from Owner
Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2002 12:08:43 -0500

I contacted Alex Foster and here is his reply:

Hi. The decals are reproductions which were taken from originals. A graphic artist recreated the artwork which were then printed at a noteworthy shop that only produces bicycle decals. They are identical to the originals. A group of Bianchi collectors got together an reproduced most of the old sets like Specialissima, Competizione, Campione del Mondo, Paris-Roubaix, and Tour de France and believe me, they were picky. I had two of these bikes. They were team bikes in Italy. I got them from an old pro shop who bought them from an Italian guy who said they were. I have seen pictures of these bikes back then and they are the same. The frame is the same as the Specialissmas that say Specialissima, no difference only that, as I said, they didn't use too much chrome for maintenance reasons and the decal scheme is the same as the Bianchi track bikes of that time. By the way, the restoration was by Brian Baylis, a very noteworthy painter/builder. Thanks, Alex
>===== Original Message From tr4play@cox.net =====
>Hi Alex,
>
>I've bought from you before. Could you advise if the decals are exactly as original? If not, please advise where/how they are different. Also, any background on the "team" aspect of the bike. Was it actually a Team bike? If not, other than the
>lack of chrome, how is it different then a non Team Specialissima? Thank you in advance for your detailed reply, Eric Elman
>--------------------

Eric Elman
Somers, CT