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bill.burcham@gmail.com

Have a look at the After images to see the restoration take shape.

This is a Japanese-made Bianchi Sport SS. Magny (Ishiwata manganese-molybdenum alloy) fork and frame according to stickers. Originally purchased in Bozeman, MT according to sticker. The inimitable Sheldon Brown says:

While Bianchi is best known as an Italian brand, it was having bicycles built in Japan to its specifications for several years in the late 1980s. These were particularly nice bikes, with better workmanship than the Italian models.

Frame serial number: A431305

Also from Sheldon Brown's site, some insight into Ishiwata tubing:

From a rec.bicycles.tech posting by Andrew Muzi:

I am intimately familiar with Ishiwata and their products, having been in the factory a few times, spec'd many bikes with their steel and built with it. I still use Ishiwata tube for frame repair.

The material [022] is virtually identical to Columbus SP/SL/SLX. The top range of tubes were seamless double-butted and the finish quality [as delivered to the builder] was much higher than Columbus. The tubing gauge of the 022 is 0.9/0.6 mm, exactly the same as Columbus SP. It's called "022" because the frame tube set weighs 2.2 kilos. The same material drawn thinner to 0.8/0.5 mm is called "019" because it weighs 1.9 kilos, just like Columbus SL. Many builders, then and now, mix gauges so a small frame might be all 019 but a 56 would have 022 chainstays and downtube for example.

Trek in the late '70s built three racing frames, one with Ishiwata, one Reynolds 531 and one Columbus. Geometry and weight were identical. The prices were unreasonably different because of the cachet of Italian tubing, making the Ishiwata frame the best value. Marketing took over later as the Ishiwata was dropped completely. With the advent of aluminum, the currency crash and the Japanese depression, Ishiwata closed the doors in the early '90s.

Some images from 1981-1986 Bianchi brochures http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/ And here are some catalog reprints: http://www.velo-retro.com/list.html

Here is a touching story about one man's Bianchi Sport SS http://www.bicycling.com/news/featured-stories/bike-meant-everything?page=0,0

Year Model Identification

Here is a discussion of what the owner claims is a Bianchi Sport SS purchased new in 1982. It looks almost exactly like my bike: http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-402893.html Here is the bike from that post:

On this thread, a writer asserts that Piaggio stickers place a bike in the early 80's and that the Magny tubes were introduced in "83 or 84".

VeloBase says that the Shimano Golden Arrow group was manufactured between 1983 and 1986: http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx?ID=c519b68e-0989-4857-aedf-689dc718cbcb

Based on the fact that the owner above remembers his bike being purchased in '82 and the fact that others think the Golden Arrow groupset wasn't manufactured until '83, and based on the similarities between my bike and the one pictured above I'm going to call the bike above and my bike: 1983 bikes. I'm assuming either that guy's memory was off by a year or he purchased an '83 model in '82.

Groupset Identification

Rear derailleur reads Shimano RD-A105 and carries the golden arrow graphic (silver parallelogram), indicating Shimano 105 "Golden Arrow". Manufactured between 1983 and 1986 according to VeloBase.

Here is the 105 "Golden Arrow" group on VeloBase http://www.velobase.com/ViewGroup.aspx?GroupID=a34ae6a0-52cd-4bca-9586-cfb2798a796b

1983 Shimano Brochure: http://www.yellowjersey.org/sh83.html

Stem and Headset

Head tube measures 21.22mm id and 26.33 od. Stem measures 22.26mm od. According to Sheldon Brown this is a British size. This is about 7/8".

I don't think the Parktool crown race puller CRP-1 (and setting system CRS-1) will work because it only goes down to 1". Maybe this will work (Ice Toolz crown race remover): http://www.dotbike.com/p/5925. Oh never mind! The Parktools will work because it is a 1" headset (26.33mm = 1").

Seat Tube/Post

Seat tube 25.59mm id. Seat post 26.5mm od. Actually it says 26.6mm on the seat tube. Prolly need replacement. Can use a #5 stopper to plug it if I need to for de-rustification.

Bottom Bracket

33.62mm id, 40.62mm od.

Hub Identification

Freewheel (not a free hub). Six speed. Shimano with no markings other than "VG" on freewheel.

Might be "first-generation low-flange Shimano 600/DuraAce" according to http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-707836.html

Pedals

SP-150

Rims

These are Shimano hubs with Araya (polished aluminum) rims. The rims are the "straight-side" variety so I'll be limited to about 90 PSI in the tires. I think Pasela Panaracers will work well since I think they are rated about 95 PSI for the 27x1-1/4" size. Saint Sheldon says:

This is the size that was used on most older 10- and 12-speed road bikes made for the U.S. or British market from the 1960s through the early '80s.

Note on tire/rim compatibility: Traditional 630 mm (27 inch) rims were straight side design, but in the late '70s they evolved to a "hook edge" design which would permit the use of higher pressures.

These days, many 630 mm (27 inch) tires are marked "For hook edge rims only" (some companies use the term "crochet type" instead of "hook edge"...this is the result of poor translation. "Crochet" is French for "hook.")

Modern 630 mm (27 inch) tires will work on older straight-side rims, but they won't handle as much pressure as with hook edge rims.

Generally, the "rule of thumb" for traditional 630 mm (27 inch) tires is that they should be inflated to 70-75 psi. This shouldn't be a problem with any tire, despite whatever disclaimer the manufacturer puts on the sidewall. However, if you're restricted to this pressure range, you probably shouldn't be running tires narrower than 1 1/8", or preferably 1 1/4" wide, unless you're a very lightweight rider.

Before Images

Broken Frame

I just noticed, August 16, that the weld connecting the right seat stay to the seat tube is broken. As a result, if I want to use the bike I have to get it welded. And that means I'll almost certainly have to have it painted. Oh boy.