[CR] Free! Early 60s Bianchi 'Gran Sport' with Campy Sportman r. derailleur

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Subject: [CR] Free! Early 60s Bianchi 'Gran Sport' with Campy Sportman r. derailleur
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 2005 16:53:56 -0700
Content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Thread-Topic: [CR] Free! Early 60s Bianchi 'Gran Sport' with Campy Sportman r. derailleur
Thread-Index: AcWbI+Qw8/K07K0xTLqQJHeXiab3HgAewkXg
From: "Mark Bulgier" <Mark@bulgier.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>


Free, or if that's too much, I'll take best offer. ;) It's not a gem but someone will like it I hope. You have to pick it up in Seattle, it's not worth shipping. I guess I have to describe it in detail because wife Laurie is out of town and took our only camera.

Size 56.5 cm to center, 58.5 to top, 56 top tube. A Los Angeles bike license says it expires in '67 - how long were those good for? I'm guessing the bike is '64-65. Serial number is 44532. Color is metallic red with a gold undercoat, giving the red a slightly orangey tint - not bad. I got it from a very honorable chap who knows who the original owner is, so it's not stolen.

The frame looks like a Specialissima from 10 feet away - same or real similar bulged chrome head lugs and internal headset. The headset parts are not interchangeable with a Specialissima, I tried! They are a different dimension and more cheaply made on the inside, but look nice from the outside. Chrome crown, probably the same one as on a Specialissima, just with less work done to it. Blades and stays also chrome half-way up, and a big chrome panel on the seat tube. Stamped dropouts and BB shell, no tubing decal but the bike weighs almost 30 pounds so it ain't SL. Chrome is quite rough, but not rusty, very little rust actually. Decals all there, not too bad. The stays have graceful domes on the ends, the blades are very nicely raked, the brake bridge has the extra reinforcement brazed in where the brake bolts on, the seat lug has the very thick, almost solid ears where the pinch bolt goes through - in other words, it's not a total dog.

The front derailleur is missing but it had one for sure, probably a Gran Sport pushrod? The rear derailleur is the rare (and rightly so!) Campy Sportman. This is not the "Sport" that had a single pulley, this one is two pulleys and basically a cheaper Gran Sport - a lot cheaper. Nicer looking that a Valentino though, and chrome plated. Shifters are Record as far as I can tell, chrome band and D-ring adjusters.

Here is a picture of a Sportman rear derailleur: http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Campy/Sportman_R_der.jpg

Hubs are three-piece steel hi-flange with wing nuts, Bianchi stamped on the barrels. The cheap looking steel rims are original I think; the tires are horrible Schwinn abominations. Cranks also are Bianchi branded, cottered steel, with a Cyclo (France) alpine double, 36-52 I think. Pedals are Sheffield steel racing style, pretty rusty. No toe clips. Also no drive chain. I'm too lazy to scrape the grime off and tell you what brand of freewheel - looks like a Regina though.

Rear brake and both levers are Universal 61 centerpull, front brake missing, Weinmann gum hoods on the levers. Bars and stem no-name alloy, looks original. Saddle is a Brooks B-17 narrow or maybe a B5N, the logo is pretty worn off the sides. It is distressed but nice and soft, quite comfy and rideable.

Mark Bulgier
Seattle WA USA