Bianchi Denali RC

So one of my unicorns has been an early 90s Bianchi Grizzly and then I found this in Vancouver. Reparto Corse, made in Italy from nivachrome with some very cool features. I just picked it up today and I'm pretty stoked about it. I have a nice, light Tange fork that will probably be a good fit. Otherwise, I'll build it with a mix of XT, XC-Pro and Ritchey while I look for Campy and other European parts. I'm going to build it to ride and then, in the future strip it and paint it celeste.

Anyone know what year it is? I looked through all the old catalogues I could find and it wasn't in them.

That's mega!

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Built up and rideable! The fork steer tube had a crack from the stem being too high on my previous bike so I cut it off, bored out the crown, machined a bearing race and brazed it up.

I used a cool Stronglight headset that allows tool-free adjustment but won't allow a brake cable hanger - but I can't get over how ugly the fork-mounted hanger is. Options are to use a different headset and a proper headset hanger or braze a threaded insert into the back of the fork crown so at least I can get rid of the ugly hex nut and curved washer. Or find a nice stem with a hanger.

I picked up the shifters from Rivendell and they are the best shifters I have ever used, smoother than XC pros and XT thumbies, although I love those shifters too.

I still can't find a catalogue with this frame in it, anybody know what year it is? I heard that it was sold as a complete bike, not a frameset.

Frame: Super-Lugged Columbus Nivachrome EL - 1870 grams
Fork: Tange

Headset: Stronglight JD X2
Stem: Ritchey
Handlebar: NOS Taperlite II
Grips:new Ritchey
Brakesriginal Dia Compe 987
Brake Levers: NOS Suntour XC
Shifters: IRD ratchet friction
Front Derailleur: NOS XT
Rear Derailleur: Suntour XC Pro
Cassette: 7 sp Hyperglide
Cranks: Ritchey
Chainrings: Ritchey 46, 36, 26
Bottom Bracket: basic Shimano
Pedals: WTB
Clips: NOS Specialized large
Hub Skewers: Shimano
Rimsriginal Mavic 231 rear, 217 front
Hubs: NOS XT front, DX rear
Tyres: NOS Continental Atlanta
Saddle: Flite
Seatpost: Ritchey


Weight:approximately 23 lb 14 oz - 10.82 kg - so light!

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I like that a lot. You didn't waste any time getting that built up!

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I'm glad to see that bianchi went to a good home

Looks great!

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Finally painted the fork so I can call this bike complete, although I still don't know what year it was made. Went for my first trail ride in Ontario today, lots of trilliums blooming.

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looks great!

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Great job! It's a stunner.

1995 - nice bike

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Good to know, thanks.