School me on Bianchis?

[earlfoss]

I've been keeping an eye out for a cool steel bike from the early to mid 90's... basically something I ogled as a kid but couldn't afford at the time.

The more I scan, the more I realize I don't know anything about Bianchis. What are the most desirable steel framesets they made in this era? What were the pros on? What tube sets in the build are preferable? I'm probably overthinking it but I just can't tell what's a low-grade boat anchor, and what's a real race bike from the time.

[Cicli]

I have one. (For sale). Not sure of the steel as far as grade but it’s all original and rides great. Came stock with a full Record group so it likely was not crap.

[RonW87]

Superleggera is desirable. Look for SL, SLX or SP for tubing. If full bike, look for Super Record, Nuovo Record or C-Record (or even Croce d'Aune) components.

Edit: Sorry, reread your post. Above is more for 80's vintage. For 90's it gets more complicated. I'd still look for Record or Chorus on full bikes. For tubing, TSX, EL, EL-OS and Genius. Nemo, Neuron, not too bad. Brain starts to get mid-range. Cromor and Tretubi are lower end. Anything not Italian is likely not high end (for Bianchis, not necessarily generally).

[Spaghetti Legs]

Now is a good time if you’re in the market for an 80’s steel racing bike because prices have dropped in the past couple of years.

Bianchi is always a challenge because they made and make a wide range of bikes from entry level cheap-os to quality racers. I have an ‘89 in Columbus SLX that is very nice. You’ll want to look for Columbus SL, SP and SLX in the 80’s models. SBX and TSX were used late 80’s and early 90’s. You will see tubesets with Bianchi logo and Formula and I ink Superset which were second tier but not junk. For Model names look for Speciallisima, X4, Superleggera, Mondiale. I’m not as familiar with the 90’s Bianchi.

There is a nice Mondiale frameset SLX for a good price on eBay right now.

[John H.]

I would say stick to SLX, TSX, or any of the newer tubists like EL or ELOS-
Reparto Corse (race shop) frames.

[glepore]

+1. Add TSX, lighter slx and pinnacle of early 90's.

[GregL]

IIRC, Bianchi's top steel production framesets in the mid-90s were the EL/OS and TSX Ultralight. The pros were riding custom steel and titanium. By '98, pros such as Pantani were riding aluminum. I too lusted after the EL/OS and TSX frames, but they were out of my price range. I'd definitely be happy to find a good example of either model today.

Greg

[fmradio516]

Proto

[mhespenheide]

Bianchi is always a challenge because they made and make a wide range of bikes from entry level cheap-os to quality racers. I have an ‘89 in Columbus SLX that is very nice. You’ll want to look for Columbus SL, SP and SLX in the 80’s models. SBX and TSX were used late 80’s and early 90’s. You will see tubesets with Bianchi logo and Formula and I ink Superset which were second tier but not junk.


For the late 80's, "superset" and "Formula 1" were a mixture of SL-thickness tubes in most of the frame and SP-thickness tubes in the downtube and chainstays. Not as nice as TSX or MS, but plenty fine for a generation or more of racers from the 70's through the mid-80's.

[fignon's barber]

IIRC, Bianchi's top steel production framesets in the mid-90s were the EL/OS and TSX Ultralight. The pros were riding custom steel and titanium. By '98, pros such as Pantani were riding aluminum. I too lusted after the EL/OS and TSX frames, but they were out of my price range. I'd definitely be happy to find a good example of either model today.

Greg


This.

[earlfoss]

Guys, thanks a ton. That's all really solid info and I appreciate it. It's crazy how many different models Bianchi has put out over the years and I've never really paid attention to what's good and what isn't.

I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for a TSX or SLX (or even one of the Proto frames made from Max tubing).

[91Bear]

IIRC, Bianchi's top steel production framesets in the mid-90s were the EL/OS and TSX Ultralight. The pros were riding custom steel and titanium. By '98, pros such as Pantani were riding aluminum. I too lusted after the EL/OS and TSX frames, but they were out of my price range. I'd definitely be happy to find a good example of either model today.

I picked up an ELOS about a year ago for $250. I thought it was a steel (ha).

The guy didn't know what he had. He advertised an EL but it was the more desirable ELOS.

[tbike4]

IIRC, Bianchi's top steel production framesets in the mid-90s were the EL/OS and TSX Ultralight.

+1 on this as well. I had a Celeste EL-OS that was 1 size too small and the ride was awfully nice as a lot of the EL-OS bikes tend to be. I will take a DeRosa Primato please.

[Jmaxwel8]

Keep us posted on what you end up with

[mastaliu]

I have been looking for several years for a Bianchi EL OS, TSX, or MAX in 55. Interesting that so few of these ever pop up in the classified sections.

[froze]

Most Bianchi bikes mid range on up are really nice bikes, not any better than other Italian bikes but not any worse either. Heck Bianchi is making a brand new "vintage" bike that looks really nice, it's sort of expensive but it's a work of art; http://www.bianchiusa.com/bikes/road/vintage/eroica/

[PSJoyce]

1 had a 1985 Reparto Corse, C Record, probably the nicest bike I've owned. Raced a '86 Formula 1 team bike then. The thing felt so dead I almost got off and walked home after 10 miles the first time I rode it. But, it turned out to be a good, basic race bike in the day.

[froze]

1 had a 1985 Reparto Corse, C Record, probably the nicest bike I've owned. Raced a '86 Formula 1 team bike then. The thing felt so dead I almost got off and walked home after 10 miles the first time I rode it. But, it turned out to be a good, basic race bike in the day.

The deadest non responsive bike and the most noodly bike I ever rode was a Peugeot Py10 and a PX10, and they both sucked, thank God I didn't buy one of them for racing.