Fwd: [CR]Picchio Special and their lugs

(Example: Bike Shops:R.E.W. Reynolds)

Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2005 10:58:59 -0600
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: Brook Watts <brook.watts@comcast.net>
Subject: Fwd: [CR]Picchio Special and their lugs


Sheldon has my old Picchio tandem that has these lugs and a beautiful fork. Maybe he'll post the link to it.

Wm. Lewis brought the tandems and these purple Specials into the US while I was working for him briefly in 1983 . Angelo's work was truly artisan. I understand he did a lot of sub-contract work for others. We also had Picchio work stands and a crude trainer (rear wheel mounted on a roller). When I went over to Campy USA I recommended the Picchio workstands for the LA Olympic games for each of the team cabins at the velodrome--that order of 60 stands must have been a shock to Picchio!

Brook Watts Longmont Colo USA
>
>
>I've been wondering the same things about these lugs for a looong
>time, as well. It appears that they were used by Angelo from the
>late 70's to at least the mid 80's but only on selected frames or
>special orders.
>
>I've got a '79 with these lugs and over the BB routing, and an '85
>with under the BB routing. They both have the cool star and heart
>cutouts. Indeed, they are pretty rare as this is only the 5th
>example of Picchio's that I've seen with this lugwork. Listmember
>Art Yow has one. My '85 frame's was ordered by a friend of Art's in
>SF, and was ordered directly from Angelo while in Torino.
>
>The premier example (IMHO) is on the listmeister's CR webpage.
>
>Of all of these examples, Dale's is the only one that I've seen with
>the panto'd Olympic rings in the fork crown. All of the other
>examples have semi sloping fork crowns with no panto similar to the
>current ebay listing.
>
>Indeed, any further info would be welcome.
>
>Too bad this one is too large.
>
>Rick Robbins
>Gainesville, FL
>
>>
>>http://ebay.com/<blah>
>> B:SS:US:1
>>
>> Picchio's are pretty special bikes in my opinion. They are definitely quick
>> steering rascals. But even cooler is the extra handwork & filing for a
>> distinctly different personality.
>> The photos on this auction bring up a question I have had for a long time..
>> Maybe one of our master builders on the list recognize those
>>lugs.. They really
>> don't look like worked-over DuBois to me. The shape & profiles just look
>> different.. Yet they are pretty chunky forgings unlike anything
>>that I recall
>> seeing on other Italian bikes. Anyone shed any light on these?
>>
>> Dale Brown
>> Greensboro, NC USA