Yes, Walt is the expert. Razesa was a high end Spanish framebuilder with a close connection to Zeus, rather like the relationship of Waterford and Schwinn, I think. The Zeus distributers in the US in the 80's sold all-Zeus equipped top models marked as Razesas.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Houston, TX
Espana)
> Hi friends! Trying here to help us move from "macro" considerations back
> to the "micro", where my heart lieth. I love it when we wax lyrical
> rather than nip at each others heels, so today I am offering the
> following tidbit to bring out the helpful sides of you all:
>
> I recently bought a Nuovo Record-equipped Spanish bicycle which had been
> advertised as "Razetta". If the seller is here on the list, I must say,
> I'm grateful to you for our cordial dealings. I'm delighted with the
> bike, but I guess I am now convinced it is in fact a Razesa--a marque I
> regret to say I was and remain rather ignorant of. I suppose in some
> parts of Spain you'd more or less say "Razetha", so the seller may not
> have been as wide of the mark as it might seem ;-). It has obviously been
> resprayed, but in a praiseworthy way--a very creditable job. It's decaled
> (okay...stickered) with the chainwheel-and-"R" motif on the headtube,
> "Romagna" on the downtube and seat-tube, and has a "Vuelta A Espana"
> grayhound sticker on the right side of the top tube, indicating the model
> designation, I feel certain. The NR rear derailleur is "Patent-71", and
> the bike has no braze-ons--a look I love. Wrap around
> seatstays...long-point lugs. The rear triangle is chromed, but only
> something less than 1/3rd the length of the stays--closer to 1/4th--shows
> chrome rather than paint. Gives it a sort-of "can-do", pugnacious look to
> complement its overall grace. A complete set of 531 decals is in
> evidence.
>
> I would love to hear more about Razesa, and it would seem to be an
> underexposed brand. I'm sure it's likely to have been discussed here
> before, but might bear repeating. One curiosity might be: what is the
> earliest personal recollection anyone on this list has of seeing one? I
> wonder when a Razesa first appeared outside of Spain?
>
> This particular bike showed up with Zeus shifters, but Campagnolo NR
> chainset, derailleurs and QR skewers, Atom pedals and freewheel, and
> definitely incorrect 700C clincher wheels (Sunshine hubs / Super Champion
> Competition rims). Tubulars are in order here! Stem is a Pivo requiring a
> 7mm allen key, as do TTTs of yore. Weinmann 500 sidepulls are featured
> but are very likely not original spec. I detect a spacer that might
> indicate centrepulls. I note that while some of these parts may have been
> changed, the NR components all seem to match in terms of the (slight)
> patina. Wishful thinking? Hard to tell at this point whether the bike was
> built with the majority of these parts yesterday or 30 years ago. It's
> not of paramount importance to me, but one does like to know.
>
> Anyone have memories of how these were marketed, i.e., as frameset only,
> etc., etc.? Anyone have magazine ads or catalog listings for turn of the
> decade / early '70s Razesa? Anyone on our list residing in Spain, or have
> we driven you away with our puzzling tendency toward contentiousness?
>
> Someone here (was that Walt in Pennsylvania?) was offering a Razesa patch
> recently, so I know there's some interest in these bikes. What about the
> company itself? What's known? I laugh to think that I "googled" Razetta,
> turning up nothing (surprise, surprise)--but haven't done the same with
> Razesa, the correct name. Just thought we needed to distract ourselves
> with detail again after an emotionally draining weekend on the list. I
> have at least distracted myself, to the tune of staying up way too late
> composing these words!
>
> Love to all,
>
> Tom Ward
> One mile north of WTC, where a doppler-shifting jet overhead still jolts
> the nerves a little, at odd hours like 9 am, or 2 am (NYC)