What do do with my museum piece?

neilo23

I have a lovely old steel Bianchi which sits in the cellar not being used. It has a 7 speed Shimano 600 groupset so I'm judging it must be at least 25 years old. I've been thinking about getting a fixie and am considering converting this old beauty into one.

However, it is a real collectors item and still in fantastic condition and feel that it would be a shame to break it up.

It is too lovely to sell. I would love to do the L'eroica one day (http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/o ... taly-retro) but am wondering if it would be sacrilege to do this on a Bianchi with Shimano components. Would it be sacrilege to change it drastically?

Do I simply convert it to a fixie so that it will at least get used? Seems a shame to have it just sitting there, alone and friendless :-)

ddraver

That Eroica looks great fun!!

I'd make it into a long term project, try and service as much of it as you can yourself and trawl ebay for new bits. (Do Retrobike have a road section?). Make it a proper labour of love, maybe get it resprayed and polish up the shiny bits so it looks the part...

neilo23

This is the same frame:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2725/406 ... 4a07b9.jpg

Apart from a new chain and a bit of cobweb removal it doesn't need much doing up. Are you suggesting that I look for new-old parts from the era? The wheels aren't too hot, part apart from that it's almost as perfect as a 25 year old bike could be.

The fixie conversation idea is confusing me: you wouldn't put new wheels on a vintage Aston Martin.

ddraver

Yep, There ll be some nuts out there who love old school parts - try retrobike to start

It ll take time, but that ll be part of the fun..

Not suggesting turning it into a fixie..

Sirius631

Yes, Shimanio is sacrilege on a period Bianchi <duck />. If you want genuine period Italian components, try these people:-

http://www.campyoldy.co.uk/

neilo23

Sirius631 wrote:

Yes, Shimanio is sacrilege on a period Bianchi <duck />. If you want genuine period Italian components, try these people:-

http://www.campyoldy.co.uk/

That guy has some pretty bits and pieces.

I'm a Campagnolo nut anyway, so getting rid of the Shimano parts would not be too much of a problem.

brakelever

instead of turning it into a fixie - use the frame as the basis of a restoration project - return it to its former glory

Monty Dog

I rode L'Eroica last year, one of the best days I've had on a bike - check out the article over on Retrobike:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/?p=1162
Riding the full L'Eroica route on fixed would be a Serious proposition, 10km of gravel roads with 20% pitches would be a leg-breaker.
Retrobike is great for advise and sales/wants too.
The price of older Campagnolo parts, particularly Super Record from the early 80s has increased significantly due to events like L'eroica. Consider other groupsets like Gran Sport or components like Gipiemme, Miche, Modolo if your budget is tight.

Monty Dog

BTW photo shows a 1990s Bianchi frame not 1980s : Unicrown fork is give-away.

neilo23

Monty Dog wrote:

I rode L'Eroica last year, one of the best days I've had on a bike - check out the article over on Retrobike:
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/?p=1162
Riding the full L'Eroica route on fixed would be a Serious proposition, 10km of gravel roads with 20% pitches would be a leg-breaker.
Retrobike is great for advise and sales/wants too.
The price of older Campagnolo parts, particularly Super Record from the early 80s has increased significantly due to events like L'eroica. Consider other groupsets like Gran Sport or components like Gipiemme, Miche, Modolo if your budget is tight.

Thanks for that. I assume, then, that the components are older than the frame. The frame is still too "new" for me to do l'eroica. Unlike its owner :-)

Monty Dog

You can ride L'eroica on a modern bike, as long as it's in the 'spirit' of the event i.e. non-aero brake levers, downtube shifters, toeclips and straps - there is no scrutineering as such. On the day you see all sorts of abominations i.e. modern carbon frames and 10 speed transmissions with DT shifters!
Riding it in the 'spirit' means 52/42 chainrings 'and a 6 speed freewheel, toeclips and straps and floppy 1980s shoes - in fact it's the shoes that maketh the man' for after 6 hours in the saddle the pain from the toeclips and straps was excruciating. The climb up to Montelcino is a monster - particularly as it had just rained and the surface was soft and the grip marginal.

MattC59

have a look on http://www.retrobike.co.uk/you might be able to get the campag stuff of the right vintage for the frame.

neilo23

Monty Dog wrote:

You can ride L'eroica on a modern bike, as long as it's in the 'spirit' of the event i.e. non-aero brake levers, downtube shifters, toeclips and straps - there is no scrutineering as such. On the day you see all sorts of abominations i.e. modern carbon frames and 10 speed transmissions with DT shifters!
Riding it in the 'spirit' means 52/42 chainrings 'and a 6 speed freewheel, toeclips and straps and floppy 1980s shoes - in fact it's the shoes that maketh the man' for after 6 hours in the saddle the pain from the toeclips and straps was excruciating. The climb up to Montelcino is a monster - particularly as it had just rained and the surface was soft and the grip marginal.

I have 3 road bikes and only the newest has a compact. The others are 52/42s.

The old heroes of the past are what attracted me to cycling, not articles about the latest carbon bits and bobs (that said, my carbon bike is a lot ´nicer" to ride than the old Merckx or Bianchi). How those guys got up those dirt tracks at all.... My uncle made a frotune as an accountant in the city and spends his money buying vintage tractory. I would like to spend my money on buying vintage dream machines which have a tractor powering them.

If you are interested in doing the Eroica next year, PM me. Would be great motivation for me.