Mondonico lust is taking hold, oh my....

[cmg]

just came across this beauty. reminds me when i had a Torelli. Any info.? do they come from same factory/maker as Torelli? would the tubeset be columbus SL/slx? Cinelli BB bracket, what year would it be? 126 or 130mm rear? I know, heavy, but how flexy? had a Cinelli supercourse, torelli countach, several serotta steels, lemond steels, curtlo steel, prolitariat steel, meech steel, raleigh steels (late 90s), carrera steel. let me know.

i posted this in the classified section but is really a general question.

[Lanternrouge]

I recall Mondonici was the actual builder and was know for using pins in the lugs. Torelli frames were made by someone for Torelli, but I’m not sure who the builder was. This makes me think about a Mondonico El OS. If only I could travel back to the 1990s with some money. . . .

[sales guy]

Higher end Torelli frames- Nitro, Nitro Express, they were made by Antonio and Mauro Mondonico. Mauro took over after Antonio retired.

They sold Mondonico under their own name thru Torelli Imports.

That model is older. Early to mid 90's. But they did use the name later on as well. You can tell it's older by the downtube mounts and the external housing guides. As well as more mid-level due to the external housing guides.
Columbus SLX or TSX tubeset. Depends on the year.
It's 70mm Italian threaded BB.
1" threaded steerer.
Braze on front derailleur tab.
130mm spacing rear.
100mm spacing front.
27.2mm seatpost.
fastback seatstays.

It's not horribly heavy. Average like most frames of the day. I am betting it is a bit fatigued tho. And probably has some rust going on inside given the age. At least this doesn't have internal rear brake routing. That would make it rust faster.

Is it(Mondonico's) worth the money, yeah. They usually are. But personally I would pass given the age and possible rusting.

Here's a cool link about Mondonico and their history:

http://www.smartcycles.com/about_mondonico.htm

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Lanternrouge

I recall Mondonici was the actual builder and was know for using pins in the lugs. Torelli frames were made by someone for Torelli, but I’m not sure who the builder was. This makes me think about a Mondonico El OS. If only I could travel back to the 1990s with some money. . . .

Higher end Torelli actually made by Antonio..the pictured one is an Antonio build. Nice frames, sold a bunch..the pictured one probably SLX and 130mm spacing.

Sorry, didn't read the post right above..I had a Neuron Mondonico..one of the last bunch made by Antonio before he retired. One of the 3 best riding bikes I have ever owned(MXLeader, 1985 Ciocc SL). BUT it broke at the RH seatstay/dropout. Bill McGann's 'service'(then owner of Torelli) was so poor I not only asked for my $ back but also dropped Torelli stuff...

YMMV..nice frames, all..the ones with US paint far more durable, paint-wise.

[sales guy]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Higher end Torelli actually made by Antonio..the pictured one is an Antonio build. Nice frames, sold a bunch..the pictured one probably SLX and 130mm spacing.

Sorry, didn't read the post right above..I had a Neuron Mondonico..one of the last bunch made by Antonio before he retired. One of the 3 best riding bikes I have ever owned(MXLeader, 1985 Ciocc SL). BUT it broke at the RH seatstay/dropout. Bill McGann's 'service'(then owner of Torelli) was so poor I not only asked for my $ back but also dropped Torelli stuff...

YMMV..nice frames, all..the ones with US paint far more durable, paint-wise.

Agreed on many things.
The paint on US frames is much better and more durable. But that's pretty common on Italian painted frames. Especially race ones.

Yes on the Antonio frames being pinned. The one above would've been pinned. The one above could be a SLX or TSX depending on the year made.

And yeah, excellent riding bikes. I bet Mauro's frames are just as nice(Il Massimo). But my Nitro and Anniversario are excellent .

If it was the last year for Mondonico at Torelli, it's probably when Bill was having health issues. Which could've been the problem with customer service. They were always nice people to deal with and I didn't have many issues. Never had a frame fail. Surprised you had one.

[choke]

Originally Posted by sales guy

I am betting it is a bit fatigued tho.

Given that there are thousands of bikes in use much older than this one, fatigue is pretty much at the end of the list IMO.

And probably has some rust going on inside given the age. At least this doesn't have internal rear brake routing. That would make it rust faster.

Is it(Mondonico's) worth the money, yeah. They usually are. But personally I would pass given the age and possible rusting.

Certainly any steel bike can rust, but unless it was treated poorly or was kept near salt air then IME it's not an issue. Perhaps I've been lucky but I've purchased several vintage bikes over the last few years and none had any significant rust inside the tubes....just a bit of surface rust here and there.

[sales guy]

Originally Posted by choke

Given that there are thousands of bikes in use much older than this one, fatigue is pretty much at the end of the list IMO.

Certainly any steel bike can rust, but unless it was treated poorly or was kept near salt air then IME it's not an issue. Perhaps I've been lucky but I've purchased several vintage bikes over the last few years and none had any significant rust inside the tubes....just a bit of surface rust here and there.

We have no idea how it was ridden. So it could be like new or rusted out and fatigued. But for me, those would be two things to look at.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by sales guy

Agreed on many things.
The paint on US frames is much better and more durable. But that's pretty common on Italian painted frames. Especially race ones.

Yes on the Antonio frames being pinned. The one above would've been pinned. The one above could be a SLX or TSX depending on the year made.

And yeah, excellent riding bikes. I bet Mauro's frames are just as nice(Il Massimo). But my Nitro and Anniversario are excellent .

If it was the last year for Mondonico at Torelli, it's probably when Bill was having health issues. Which could've been the problem with customer service. They were always nice people to deal with and I didn't have many issues. Never had a frame fail. Surprised you had one.

Bill did have a bout of shingles but I'm not sure it had anything to do with this gig. I think a lot had to do with him just being tired of the whole gig..

His response during first, 'it broke' call...'those crappy dropouts'..even tho the seat stay actually broke. But rather than just sending me a new frame from his inventory, he insisted he repair the broken one locally..then get it chromed again('the chrome place burned down!')..it stretched into 3 months..plus phone calls started to go down hill...so...

I never had a Torelli product fail either but as a dealer, as his dealer network shrank, I would have thought he would have been more eager to make this right..oh well..bike biz..

[sales guy]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Bill did have a bought of shingles but I'm not sure it had anything to do with this gig. I think a lot had to do with him just being tired of the whole gig..

His response during first, 'it broke' call...'those crappy dropouts'..even tho the seat stay actually broke. But rather than just sending me a new frame from his inventory, he insisted he repair the broken one locally..then get it chromed again('the chrome place burned down!')..it stretched into 3 months..plus phone calls started to go down hill...so...

I never had a Torelli product fail either but as a dealer, as his dealer network shrank, I would have thought he would have been more eager to make this right..oh well..bike biz..

Wild. And yeah, it happens. Sadly. And much more commonplace than not. Super surprised the frame failed.

[rallizes]

Nice deal in Seattle?

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/b...360559641.html

[cmg]

a complete bike for $700 is a good deal. It has Centaur components, The Veloce hubs are a loose ball bearing set, non-bearing cartridge type.