# Mid 80's Bianchi Giro help please



## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

I have found a mid 80's Bianchi Giro about 15 mins from my house. He states it is Campy components but does not know which models, etc.

What can you guys/gals tell me about this model Bianchi? Is it desirable, I cannot find much on the web in my brief searches tonight. I have been wanting a classic steel Italian bike forever and this one may be the right size, but I don't want to go buy something and pay too much.

I am hoping to take a look at it tomorrow, so any help would be appreciated.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

Here is a very poor picture of the bike.


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## Nielly (Sep 21, 2009)

Unfortunately can't tell much of anything from the picture. Try a search on the Bianchi forum down below. What's the asking price?


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## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

davcruz said:


> Here is a very poor picture of the bike.


The bike should be worth buying or restoring. Per the 1987 catalog, the Giro is third from the top offering from Bianchi that year, made from Columbus SL tubing. The 87 had a full Dura Ace (non-campy) gruppo so I'll check further.

The 1986 Giro was a Columbus (unknown) framed bike with Victory components.

edit..Okay I checked further and the 1989 Giro had an SLX frame with C-Record Athena gruppo; not Record or Chorus but one of the prettiest gruppos ever made by Campy (sans the 7 speed Syncro). Definately a keeper at the right price. Checkout this site 1989 Bianchi GiroYour photos clearly show aero brakes, so I'm guessing this is the bike..


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

OSB, when you say the right price, what would you not go over to purchase this bike? Is SLX a desirable tube set? Would the entire frame be SLX or just the 3 mains?

BTW,, thank you for the information so far!


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## racerx (Jan 29, 2004)

*3 main tubes*



davcruz said:


> OSB, when you say the right price, what would you not go over to purchase this bike? Is SLX a desirable tube set? Would the entire frame be SLX or just the 3 mains?
> 
> BTW,, thank you for the information so far!


would be SLX, with sl/sp stays. 

Looks like Campy hoods and I'd guess from the year it has Campy Victory or Triumph.

If the bike doesn't need paint or repairs, and you plan on keeping it, I'd go $300.00. If it needs a lot of work, $150-200.

I rebuilt mine with modern Ultegra 9 speed and it was my main ride for several years. I miss it from time to time and keep my eyes open for a good deal.


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## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

racerx said:


> would be SLX, with sl/sp stays.
> 
> Looks like Campy hoods and I'd guess from the year it has Campy Victory or Triumph.
> 
> ...


I'm pretty sure the photo shows a bike with areo brakes which would rule out Victory/Triomphe. As I mentioned earlier the 1989 Giro was an early Athena bike which I think is a better fit, unless the bike was later ungraded to Athena areo brakes which is also not out of the question. I also somewhat agree with your pricing, but I would pay a little higher for Athena, maybe $500 for near pristine bike. 

The first photo is Triomphe and the second is Athena


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

I bought the bike, $140. I have no idea what gruppo is on it. The parts do not look like what I saw in the link you posted OSB. They are Campy though. The tubing decal does not say SLX, it says Columbus though. Made in Italy. The PO thinks he bought it in 1988 but says it could have been 1987 too...

When I get time hopefully tomorrow I will document it for you guys with some decent pictures and maybe you can help me ID it a bit better.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

Well, a bit of quick research tells me it is Victory equipped. So does that mean it is a 1986 model?

The components look just like this.


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## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

davcruz said:


> I bought the bike, $140. I have no idea what gruppo is on it. The parts do not look like what I saw in the link you posted OSB. They are Campy though. The tubing decal does not say SLX, it says Columbus though. Made in Italy. The PO thinks he bought it in 1988 but says it could have been 1987 too...
> 
> When I get time hopefully tomorrow I will document it for you guys with some decent pictures and maybe you can help me ID it a bit better.


The 1985 Victory equipped Bianchi was the Vittoria, the 86 was the Giro and the 87 was the Nuovo Alloro. All three bikes are made with Columbus double butted Chromoly similar to 4130. Not as collectable as the SL or SLX, but great riding bicycles none the less.

Here is a photo of the 86 in red; the gruppo is Victory but the brake levers are aero Athena


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

That is the bike but mine is Celeste. Still has the Look pedals and Select tires on it also. Seat has a little tear and the Celeste bar tape was replaced with hideous red/black camo pattern tape. My initial inspection shows some paint bubbling around the BB area on the bottom and a small spot of rust on the down tube. Other than that the paint looks like it will clean up nicely.

Any idea on the value of the bike. Appears to measure to a 56cm btw.


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## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

davcruz said:


> That is the bike but mine is Celeste. Still has the Look pedals and Select tires on it also. Seat has a little tear and the Celeste bar tape was replaced with hideous red/black camo pattern tape. My initial inspection shows some paint bubbling around the BB area on the bottom and a small spot of rust on the down tube. Other than that the paint looks like it will clean up nicely.
> 
> Any idea on the value of the bike. Appears to measure to a 56cm btw.


Hmm. just a little small but I could make it work. I have been looking for a Bianchi Victory spec'd bike for the last six months, but nothing here on the central California coast. My prices are higher than most, partially because the Medium house in this area is $700,000 (I'm not kidding, it really is). Around here that bike would go for $400-500 if it is in the shape you say it is. From the estimates I see on this site however, my guess is elsewhere about $250-$300.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

I spent a few minutes cleaning it up a tad bit this afternoon. Spooned on a set of Maxxis Columbiere take offs that I had in the parts box and new tubes as the original rubber was in...let's just say horrible condition. Just cleaned it with car soap and the hose.

All of the decals are there but the Giro nameplate on the top tube is all but gone, you can make it out with some imagination though. Still has the Shipleys sticker on it from 1986 as well. Shipleys was the only Bianchi dealer in the Richmond, VA area back in the 80s. I spent many a day there drooling on those bikes, could have very well drooled on this exact machine. I ended up saving my pennies for a Tommaso though.

After putting rubber on it I rode it just the way it was, no tuning, nothing. This bike is smooth, I mean buttery smooth. The only drawback...it is too small for me. Way too small. I could enjoy it for short spins but nothing over 15-20 miles for sure. Gosh, I had forgotten how nice these Italian lugged steel frames are though. So much more enjoyable than my Carbon bike and it shifted through all the gears very well. I have to say that the stock brake pads need some help though, wow, brakes have come a long way!

I will certainly take some pics of it tomorrow, but I need to get some white bar tape on it. Sure wish it fit me better...


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

Here are two pre-wash and tire replacement pictures...it was filthy!


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Since you only paid $140 for the bike, and it turns out the bike is way too small for you, clean it up, put on new bar tape, and then sell it for $200/$250.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

I just thought I would put a couple of photos up of my new to me 1986 Bianchi Giro with Campy Victory Gruppo and Athena aero levers. I am quite smitten with this bike even though it is too small for me and I know I will have to decide what to do with it...

I did a fairly quick soapy water wash to it and cleaned the chain and freewheel. Adjusted the brakes a bit and put on new handlebar tape and a set of Maxxis tires I had in the parts bin, I know they are far from period but they allowed me to ride it a bit. I also put some flat pedals on it for testing out since I don't have a set of Look Delta cleats anymore for the original Look pedals it came with, so the flat pedals are on it in the pictures although the Looks are in great shape.

It has a small rust spot next the RD shifter and a small spot on the top tube where a frame pump must have rubbed the paint years ago. Also has some hazed paint/cracked paint in places. No dents that I could find anywhere though and lastly the original Selle Italia saddle has 2 tears in it. This thing even has a Bianchi bottle holder on it.

I want to thank the input you guys gave me on this when I had questions. The answers really helped me out!


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## LavenderLightning (Sep 12, 2011)

Very nice clean up! That's a beautiful ride! It really needed the white bar tape.


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## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

Have you thought about trying to make the bike fit you. Consider that the current compact bike designs are based on a smaller frame with adaptive components to fit the rider. If I were you and wanted to keep the bike, I would pick up a Nitto Technomic stem which is extra long and a layed back stem (Thompson makes some good ones) and you may be able to stretch out the cockpit enough to ride it in relative comfort; of course these parts would cost more than you spent on the bike, but it is a really cool bike!


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## mike01 (May 16, 2009)

You got a very sweet deal there! That bike cleaned up beautifully and it is almost in original condition. 
Btw, the brake levers are not Athena's, they are first generation C-Record, the ones without the integrated quick-release.


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## Matt1986 (Mar 19, 2010)

Very nice ride - looks so much better for the new bar tape alone!

Question though, and not being all that familiar with the vintage market I'm probably missing something, but why would such a bike command a price of just $250-300? With the value of old Campagnolo gear on the rise, I'm sure you could get a good deal more than that if you parted everything out (not that you'd want to in this case). I've seen Victory cranks in similar condition sell for as much as $120 on eBay. 

Is $250-300 more of a reflection of a suitable buying price, as opposed to the bike's actual worth (i.e. the sum of its parts)?


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## racerx (Jan 29, 2004)

*Right but...*



onespeedbiker said:


> I'm pretty sure the photo shows a bike with areo brakes which would rule out Victory/Triomphe. As I mentioned earlier the 1989 Giro was an early Athena bike which I think is a better fit, unless the bike was later ungraded to Athena areo brakes which is also not out of the question. I also somewhat agree with your pricing, but I would pay a little higher for Athena, maybe $500 for near pristine bike.
> 
> The first photo is Triomphe and the second is Athena


towards the end of the run, Campy upgraded the levers on production to keep up with the aero market. And as you can see from the OP, it was Triumphe.


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

mike01 said:


> You got a very sweet deal there! That bike cleaned up beautifully and it is almost in original condition.
> Btw, the brake levers are not Athena's, they are first generation C-Record, the ones without the integrated quick-release.


Is there a marking on them some place that I can look for to know this for sure, because I am told Athena, Triumphe and now C-Record...it is soooo confusing.


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## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

editing


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

Wow, seems like a lot of tribal knowledge...like most things I guess. Now to try and remember it all...


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## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

davcruz said:


> Wow, seems like a lot of tribal knowledge...like most things I guess. Now to try and remember it all...


There are no markings on the pre-1990's Campy components that identify the model, so identifying model and date is really an art form. There are catalogs you can look at and various web sites, but in some cases, such as yours, there are some off catalog parts. From your original photo, I could see you did not have Victory brake levers, since Victory levers were drilled like the old (Nuovo Record era) Super Record and yous were not. I also saw they were aero, so I assumed they were the next component up the Campy food chain which did have aero brakes, which are Athena. With your better pictures, mike01 pointed out that the levers were not Athena, as the Athena brakes had a hole in the levers and a caliper QR that your levers did not; he than identified the brakes as early C-Record. While they may appear to be early C-Record, they are not, as the early C-record had a very low lever pivot point, which levers do not. In the final analysis you have to go back to racerx who said the levers were Triomphe which had been converted to aero. I had forgotten how easily this could be done with a small metal plate that came with the earlier aero levers that allowed a conversion to aero. Why they did not convert Victory levers I don't know, but the fact that they used an aero Triomphe lever with a Victory gruppo confused me.


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## mike01 (May 16, 2009)

QUOTE=onespeedbiker;3555019]... While they may appear to be early C-Record, they are not, as the early C-record had a very low lever pivot point, which levers do not. In the final analysis you have to go back to racerx who said the levers were Triomphe which had been converted to aero. I had forgotten how easily this could be done with a small metal plate that came with the earlier aero levers that allowed a conversion to aero. Why they did not convert Victory levers I don't know, but the fact that they used an aero Triomphe lever with a Victory gruppo confused me. [/QUOTE]

I´m sorry onespeedbiker, I beg to differ. I think this catalog side from 86 speak for itself.
Here you have C-Record/Victory/Triomphe brakesets from top to bottom. Substituting the normal Victory/Triomphe brake levers for the more 'aero' C-record was quite common in those days.


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## mike01 (May 16, 2009)

onespeedbiker said:


> . With your better pictures, mike01 pointed out that the levers were not Athena, as the Athena brakes had a hole in the levers and a caliper QR that your levers did not; he than identified the brakes as early C-Record. While they may appear to be early C-Record, they are not, as the early C-record had a very low lever pivot point, which levers do not. In the final analysis you have to go back to racerx who said the levers were Triomphe which had been converted to aero. I had forgotten how easily this could be done with a small metal plate that came with the earlier aero levers that allowed a conversion to aero. Why they did not convert Victory levers I don't know, but the fact that they used an aero Triomphe lever with a Victory gruppo confused me.


I´m sorry onespeedbiker, I beg to differ. This catalog page from 86 speak for itself, from top to bottom we have C-Record,Victory and Triomphe.


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## onespeedbiker (May 28, 2007)

mike01 said:


> I´m sorry onespeedbiker, I beg to differ. This catalog page from 86 speak for itself, from top to bottom we have C-Record,Victory and Triomphe.


mike01, it looks like you are right. I have photos of the 1 st generation C-Record that look different than those. I also completely fazed out on the fact that Triomphe does not have any scoring on the front of the lever either. I'll have to file all this away somewhere. :thumbsup:


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## mapleleafs-13 (Oct 13, 2011)

mMmMmMm celeste


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## rusty70242 (Sep 24, 2012)

*1986-7 Mondiale Not For Sale*

I am the original owner of a Bianchi Mondiale Also purchased at Wayne Shipley's shop. Perhaps comparing notes might be interesting. I moved to Richmond Sept 86 and I don't know if I ordered the bike From 86 or 87 catalog.


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## nick.m.rose (Dec 5, 2011)

Great looking bike!


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## Chombi (Jun 23, 2012)

SLX tubing was mentioned in this thread. I don't think there's any SLX tubing in that frameset as SLX was usually used only on the top most models that bike companies sold. The Giro does not seem to be a top model judging from the grouppo installed on the bike. More like a highish mid-level model from Bianchi back then, The tubing might be more similar to the Columbus Tenax tubing that Schwinn used on their mid 80's bikes.

Chombi


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## davcruz (Oct 9, 2007)

Chombi said:


> SLX tubing was mentioned in this thread. I don't think there's any SLX tubing in that frameset as SLX was usually used only on the top most models that bike companies sold. The Giro does not seem to be a top model judging from the grouppo installed on the bike. More like a highish mid-level model from Bianchi back then, The tubing might be more similar to the Columbus Tenax tubing that Schwinn used on their mid 80's bikes.
> 
> Chombi


You are correct, and it was discussed in the thread several times.


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