For Sale: Naked Bianchi

Here is a Bianchi triathlon lugless road frame & forks in Columbus EL OS.

Bianchi pantographs on the BB shell (British threading) and on the chromed front dropouts. Seat tube and top tube are 57cm CTC. 100mm/130mm OLD. Seat post diameter 27.0mm. 700c wheel clearances. Wheelbase is a lively 100cm. Brazed on gear lever bosses and front mech fitting. Internal cable routing on top tube and to rear mech. Rear dropouts are only 20 degrees off vertical so not ideal for singulating but I still managed to run it single for a year with a full link track chain.

A while back I sold this frame to a forum member but he returned it because he couldn't get the seat post out. I gave it the caustic treatment, got the post out and wrecked the paint in the process. It has been stripped to bare metal plus a few marks and streaks of original undercoat (I got tired of sanding), and home-sprayed with seven coats of automotive lacquer as a temporary measure - although you could leave it like that, personally I quite like the look.

This frame was formerly owned by an Irish national triathlete, Marcus Whitfield, who competed in the ITU Triathlon World Championships in 2004. His name was visible on the top tube before the paint was stripped.

There is a small ding on the top tube close to the seat tube. There is also a small incision on the BB shell where I over-enthusiastically cut out a stuck BB. It has no practical effect, all threads are good. There is a Stronglight headset on board, it is a bit battered but has been cleaned and greased and is running smooth.

Columbus EL OS (ie Extra Light Over Sized) is lovely lightweight steel tubing - only 1800g for a standard frame-only build, so lighter than MAX, SL, SLX, SPX or TSX. You can read about the quality of this tubing here: http://www.smartcycles.com/nemo_747.htm

It used to look like this:

£110 collected in Suffolk or £125 carefully packed and posted.

Price cut.

looks nice

do you have better pictures of the ding, the caustic damage and the bb?

being steel the ding etc can be filled with brass and all will be restored, a spray and you have a nice frame again

if only it was smaller :'(

do you have better pictures of the ding, the caustic damage and the bb?

There is no caustic damage, caustic does not affect steel, it was the original paint that was damaged. That's all gone.

Ding in original livery:

I'll take a photo of the BB later, the incision is very small. You could fill it but it is not necessary.

As requested, pic of incision on BB shell:

No takers?

Excuse the bump, but this is arguably the best road steel the Italians ever produced. Lighter than almost any other tubeset, and light years ahead of 531.

That's bloody lovely. If it was the beginning of the month and I didn't have enough projects already I'd be all over this.
Good luck with the sale.

Bargin

hello im looking to start a project (fixed gear) and was wondering if this frame would be a good start?

First dubs mate if you can post to Plymouth?

Ha...bit early... First dibs .. Damned auto correct.....

@jamestwo: not ideal as the rear dropouts don't allow a lot of adjustment. I did it but it is fiddly, you have to get your chain length just right.

@nathanr: UK post no problem.

Has this been dibbed and taken, or still a free agent?

thanks for the heads up, could you recommend a good frame to look for and wheres best to find f+f? sorry if this isnt appropriate in this thread but im new to this.

@Orko42 Nathanr has first dib, provisional, I'll hold it for him for 24 hours which is until tomorrow (Sunday) morning 8am.

@jamestwo anything with horizontal rear dropouts really, there are loads of good ones coming up on this forum. Add in lightweight tubing like Reynolds 531c, or Columbus SL, SLX, MAX, and you will have a nice project. Most important to get the size (ie seat tube length) right for you. This frame is 57cm seat tube and it is too small for me at 6'1" but everyone has their own preferences, I prefer a larger frame.

Is the bike still available? I am interested.

Keep me posted if that's cool fella.....

Just sent pm for payment..thx

Sold.