Bianchi Gold Race Special

dinsdale81

Evening,
You may think me mad but I recently did a swap deal with a mate which saw me hand over my '09' Specialized Langster for a steel frame Bianchi Gold Race Special. My thinking was to refurbish it and get it to top running order so that I could use it as a commute and winter trainer. That, and I have always wanted a steel framed bike.

My mate brought it from a guy from work and he brought it from a guy down the pub so I have nothing in the form of paperwork, invoices, receipts. Anyway, I have trawled the internet and libraries trying to find information on year, equipment spec etc etc so that I can get a direction for the refurb but I can't find squat. I'm hoping one of you bike afficiado's can help me out or at least point me in the right direction.

It has a bit of rust in a few places so I'm looking at getting Argos Cycles to clean up the frame and forks and then give a respray (green me thinks) but I want to start getting the parts required and don't know where to start.

I have attached a few photo's in the hope that someone recognises the bike or can at least give me some direction as to where I can f find out some information.

Please Help.

Dinsdale

dinsdale81

Someones going to have to explain to me how to do photos properly cos i sure can't!

stickman

Don't know, but you could just do them as links.

lae

The address you're IMGing is a website, not the image itself. Right click on the image and select 'view image' and it'll give you the actual image.

Here








Handsome bike! What a mahoosive stem though! I suppose the stiffness helps with sprinting out of the saddle

dinsdale81

Cheers frinkmakesyouthink. Been trying to figure out how to get those photo's on for ages.

I think it is a nice looking bike which is why i don't feel to bad about the swap. I'd just like to know more about the bike so that i can do it just on the refurb.

Cheers

Monty Dog

The bike probably dates from the late 90s - I helped out with a Bianchi dealer and we sold them. Bianchi was still riding high from Pantani's Giro/Tour victories at the time - unfortunately the quality quite often didn't quite match up with the brand reputation. I don't believe the frame was from the Reparto Corse range so don't attribute any intrinsic value to it though - it's mid-range chrome-moly steel. Reparto Corse models were made from Columbus tubing.

Danky

Hey DInsdale, did you find out any more about the bike? By shear coincidence I also purchased one of these from the LBS about six weeks ago and like yourself have been massively frustrated by the lack of information available on this model!

In fact, the only info that I have managed to glean is that the bike (well mine anyway) is actually only about seven years old.

However, it's a gorgeous bike to ride is it not?

I assume that yours is running Sora shifters, front and rear mech with some no-mark 52/42 chainset? I'm thinking about upgrading to Campag Veloce at some point some, well before the Winter!

If I find any more information out, I'll post it up here.

Cheers

Danky

salsarider79

Rule One: You cannot run Shimano
Rule Two: You must obey all the euro cyclists rules
Rule Three: Previous rules apply at all times.

Seriously, a nice start to the bike. I've done the same kind of thing. I'm swapping a Roubaix and Langster for mine, with full new campag groupset and money in the pot for some upgrades, and/or a bike so the girlfriend can come out with me. Hopefully. Well stranger things have happened....

Danky

OK, just recently carried out the Campag transplant, and I'm very happy with it!

Now running Veloce rear mech and shifters, Centaur front mech, Ambrosio Shimano to Campag cassette (wasn't going to change the wheels) and Miche Team Evo Max chainset (bargain, came with BB and cups!).

However, had my rear spokes tensioned at the LBS just before the upgrade, and it, ahem, illustrated the weakness in the rims with them coming away at the spoke rim junction! Never seen anything like it!

Luckily a mate had some Alex rims from a Spez which he didn't want, so am using those until I can source an alternative!

Runs beautifully now, much happier with Campag on board...

Will post some pics up soon.

Danky