Re:
Heres a few details on the Pantani Bianchi:
Started off with a used Bianchi Mega Pro L in 56 (wanted an xl but being 6`3" and 85 kilo an xl would snap in two...). As I intended to ride it hard I stripped it back to bare metal which, as expected, showed up a couple of cracks in the ally around the headtube, had them tig welded back up and strengthened. The bottom bracket was F**cked and totally welded in place (elotrolytic corrosion) so had to have it drilled out and the thread re cut.
Frame was then prepped and painted - not an easy task as late `90`s italian paint on a Bianchi is primer, base coat Bianchi Blue, base coat yellow fade, semi transulcent pearlecent lacquer, then you allow it harden, applie the decals then clear lacquer, then it looks like this:
Then the fun starts, having spent months sourcing the parts on goes the Campag Super Record Titanium groupset (53/34 12/25 cassette), iconic ITM Big One stem (not yet snapped in two...) in 130mm, ITM 260 Pro handlebars, deda seat post (I needed extra height due to me being a lanky Brit rather than stubby Italian), super cool Il Pirata Selle Italia saddle and some stunning Amdrosio Excellight rims (yep, should be period Campag Tubs but I`ve got Tubulars on the Pinarello and one bikes enough for those...) shod with yellow michelins (if anyone has any good all yellow tyres let me know).
Gear changing.... thought long and hard about this (not really, I new there was only ever one way to set this bike up).... Period Campag ergo levers with the left hand one hollowed out and single downtube shifter put in place - suprisingly easy to get used to.
How does it ride? Best fun you can ever have on a bike, full stop. Its super stiff, very fast - though if you sit up its a dog, imagine an angry Italian DS shouting at you to get lower and peddle faster - it demands you get very low, flat back and then full gas everywhere - make sure your clipped in because if you hit a bump it throws you off the saddle. Oddly, it really does prefer an out of the saddle on the drops climbing style, you can maintain that position for some time when climbing. KOM`s follow quickly for the committed Pantani!
Heres a few details on the Pantani Bianchi:
Started off with a used Bianchi Mega Pro L in 56 (wanted an xl but being 6`3" and 85 kilo an xl would snap in two...). As I intended to ride it hard I stripped it back to bare metal which, as expected, showed up a couple of cracks in the ally around the headtube, had them tig welded back up and strengthened. The bottom bracket was F**cked and totally welded in place (elotrolytic corrosion) so had to have it drilled out and the thread re cut.
Frame was then prepped and painted - not an easy task as late `90`s italian paint on a Bianchi is primer, base coat Bianchi Blue, base coat yellow fade, semi transulcent pearlecent lacquer, then you allow it harden, applie the decals then clear lacquer, then it looks like this:
Then the fun starts, having spent months sourcing the parts on goes the Campag Super Record Titanium groupset (53/34 12/25 cassette), iconic ITM Big One stem (not yet snapped in two...) in 130mm, ITM 260 Pro handlebars, deda seat post (I needed extra height due to me being a lanky Brit rather than stubby Italian), super cool Il Pirata Selle Italia saddle and some stunning Amdrosio Excellight rims (yep, should be period Campag Tubs but I`ve got Tubulars on the Pinarello and one bikes enough for those...) shod with yellow michelins (if anyone has any good all yellow tyres let me know).
Gear changing.... thought long and hard about this (not really, I new there was only ever one way to set this bike up).... Period Campag ergo levers with the left hand one hollowed out and single downtube shifter put in place - suprisingly easy to get used to.
How does it ride? Best fun you can ever have on a bike, full stop. Its super stiff, very fast - though if you sit up its a dog, imagine an angry Italian DS shouting at you to get lower and peddle faster - it demands you get very low, flat back and then full gas everywhere - make sure your clipped in because if you hit a bump it throws you off the saddle. Oddly, it really does prefer an out of the saddle on the drops climbing style, you can maintain that position for some time when climbing. KOM`s follow quickly for the committed Pantani!
