Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Marc's 1980's Bianchi Restoration - A Classic!


1980's Bianchi - Bicycle After Restoration

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before Restoration

This is Marc's 1980's Bianchi restoration.  I haven't been able to figure out an exact year but I think it is 1984-1986 and this is definently one of the higher end models.  This is the stuff I love, and the Bianchi fits right in.  The attention to detail Bianchi had on this bike is amazing.

Marc's Bianchi definently had some years on it but there definently is a beatuiful bike in there.  The Bianchi will get a complete restoration, save the paint, new cables, cable housings, bearings, new tires, handlebar tape and an appropriete saddle.   I can't wait to test ride it!


1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Before

The frame was in good shape, not to many chips or scratches, the paint did have a lot of staining and some of it fairly deep.  I started work on cleaning the frame and then worked through all the polishing grits and wax.  The frame turned out beautiful!!  All stains removed!  The Celeste green is an all time popular color, the story on the color is pretty cool, Google it sometime.  

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Headtube

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Head Tube

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Down Tube Decal

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Top Tube

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Columbus Decal

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Seat Tube

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Bottom Bracket

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Chrome Seat Stay

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Seat Stays

1980's Bianchi - Frame Before
Rear Drop Outs

1980's Bianchi - Fork Before

1980's Bianchi - Fork Before

1980's Bianchi - Fork Before

1980's Bianchi - Fork Before
Columbus Decal

1980's Bianchi - Fork Before

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Head Tube

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Down Tube

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Columbus Decal

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Seat Tube

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Bottom Bracket

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Bottom Bracket

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Seat Stays

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Chrome Chain Stay

1980's Bianchi - Frame Polished
Rear Drop Outs

1980's Bianchi - Fork Polished

1980's Bianchi - Fork Polished

1980's Bianchi - Fork Polished

1980's Bianchi - Fork Polished

1980's Bianchi - Fork Polished

Headset and bottom bracket are always first of the components to go through the process.  Sometime in the crock pot to clean everything and then some time on the polishing wheels and everything looks great.  New bearings and grease and everything spins great!  Campagnolo makes such nice headsets and bottom brackets!

1980's Bianchi - Headset & Bottom Bracket
Before

1980's Bianchi - Headset & Bottom Bracket
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Headset Cups
Pressed

1980's Bianchi - Headset Cups
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Headset
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Headset
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Headset & Bottom Bracket
Complete

Handlebars, stem and brake levers where next.  The stem has a beautiful Bianchi pantograph in into it whichis so cool.  The stem also has a clear coat over it which makes polishing difficult and I wanted to save the cler coat for originality.  The brake levers had Crane Creek replacement hoods that just did not fit well, they where replaced later on down the line with more approproate brake lever hoods.  A good cleaning and sometime polish and everything turned out great!

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Before

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Before

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Before

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Before

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Stem
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Handlebars - Stem - Brake Levers
Complete

Crank was next.  The Campagnolo crank was in great starting shape.  Campagnolo has a factory finish on their cranks that I always want to save.  Over the years I have developed way to get the best out of that factory finish.  This crank turned out amazing!  I love it!

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Crank
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Crank
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Crank
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Crank
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Crank
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Crank
Complete

Next was the rear derailleur, this is my favorite of all Campagnolo derailleurs from a design standpoint, it is also the best funstioning of the vintage derailleurs in my opinion. A good cleaning and some delctive polishing and the derailleur is looking great.  Fresh lubrication and the derailleurs function as good as it looks!

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Complete

Front derailleur is next.  The front derailleur defently needed some freshing up.  A good cleaing and polishing of the alloy and black paint and the derailleur looks amazing.  I am really happy with the results of the front derailleur!

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleur
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Derailleurs
Complete

On to the Campagnolo brakes, in my opionio the best functioning side pull brakes before dual pivot.  The brake calipers where a little rough to start.  The caliper arms have the Campagnolo finish on them which takes a different process to get looking thier best.  Some time cleaning and polishing and the brake are looking great and functioning great!  The rubber grip on the adjustment barrels was dried and cracked, I replaced the rubber rings and photoed later on down the line.

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Brake Calipers
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Brake Calipers
Before

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Brake Calipers
Polsihed

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Brake Calipers
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Brake Calipers
Complete

Classic Campagnolo shift levers.  A good polishing and lubricating and they look great and function smooth.  These levers seem to function a smoother than most Campagnolo shift levers.

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Shift Levers
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Shift Levers
Complete

Seat post was next, a beatiful fluted seat post with the Bianchi blue, a perfect detail!  The seat post also polished nicely!

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Seat Post
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Campagnolo Seat Post
Complete

Wheels now.  The wheels where quite dirty and dull and the tires had broken free from the glue a long time ago and where shot.  The wheel hubs took a couple times through the polishing process to get them looking good.  New bearings and grease have the wheels spining great.  New Continental Giro tires and the wheels are ready for miles!  Very happy witht he results of the wheels!

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Before

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Polished


1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Polished

1980's Bianchi - Axle Parts - After

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Bearings Packed

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Bearings Packed

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Complete

1980's Bianchi - New Continetal Tires

1980's Bianchi - Wheels & Tires Complete

1980's Bianchi - Front Wheel
Complete

1980's Bianchi - Rear Wheel
Complete

Next was wiring the Bianchi, New Celeste color cable housings where installed.  I am happy with the match of the cable housings to the frame paint.  Every year the Celeste green was a slightly different color and the housing color can be a bad match to the frame color.  I am happy witht he match here!

1980's Bianchi - New Cables & Housings

1980's Bianchi - Cables & Housings
Complete

Marc found a nice blue Bianchi saddle which belongs on this bike.  The saddle has a little wear but cleaned up very nice.  The wear is history and the saddle is awesome on the Bianchi!

1980's Bianchi - Bianchi Saddle
Installed

1980's Bianchi - Saddle Complete

Here are the replacement brake lever hoods.  A better fit than the Crane Greek hoods.

1980's Bianchi - Replacement Hoods


The brake caliper adjusment barrel rubber ring before and after.  Much better!

1980's Bianchi - Old Rubber Ring

1980's Bianchi - New Rubber Ring

Marc and I chose to go with something that had a more 1980's feels with the perferations and feel.  I looked through a lot of examples of handlebar tape before I found a good match for the Celeste green.  This is the Fizik Tempo Classic was a great match!

1980's Bianchi - Handlebar Tape Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

That completes the Bianchi, Marc has some Campanolo pedals to replace the 80's Look pedals which I will install when he picks up the Bianchi.  I put ugly pedals on to test ride the Bianchi.  The test ride was so fun!  Very quick and nimble!  There is just a different feel to a Bianchi!  I love how the Bianchi turend out, the paint came back beautifully and the compoent slook great and function even better!  The Bianchi is ready for another 40 years!!

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

1980's Bianchi - Bicycle Complete

Thank You!

John Z.



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