1948 (?) Galletti with Cambio Corsa

[Kevinwulf]

New guy here. Thought I should introduce myself by showing a bike. It was sold to me as a 1948 with a bunch of incorrect parts on it. I've got it about as period-correct as I want it right now. One day I might get the last few bits...

Spec

Magistroni headset
Cinelli 15 bars
Gaslo bar plugs
Cinelli 1 stem
Reg bottle cage
Beborex levers (might not have been released until 1950?)
Universal 39 brakes (I took the period-correct pads off cos this is a rider)
Gnutti crankset
Sheffield pedals w/ Christophe clips and Binda straps
Regina 4 speed
Campag spoke protector
Campag Cambio Corsa gear changer
Campag hubs
Unknown original spokes
Super Champion rims (from the 70s. It came with original rims but they weren't fit for riding. I'm fine with incorrect rims and pads and stuff on a rider - safety first, kids!)
Unknown steel seatpin
Brooks B17 narrow

I love this bike. Rides like a champ! Shifting isn't that hard so long as you don't try it on a downhill. I rode it in the Melburn-Roobaix in my town last year: 80km+ with a dozen sections of cobblestones. It held up well with my heavy butt over the rough stuff, though I did drop the chain a few times.

It occasionally gets clipless pedals and gets used on the commute. Shifting with a backpack on is pretty crappy, though.

 

[paininthe]

That's excellent, thanks for showing. Sounds odd, but that bike has atmosphere, great patina. I hope you ride it in period gear!

 

[Kevinwulf]

That's excellent, thanks for showing. Sounds odd, but that bike has atmosphere, great patina. I hope you ride it in period gear!

Thanks!
I always ride in wool jerseys and sometimes pull out a pair of shoes with slotted cleats, so I'm kinda close. But I guess helmets always throw the look out a bit. Here's a pic of me after the Melburn-Roobaix (photo credit: fyxomatosis.com). Note my fly had fallen down - very bumpy on the cobblestones

 

[Citoyen du monde]

New guy here. Thought I should introduce myself by showing a bike. It was sold to me as a 1948 with a bunch of incorrect parts on it. I've got it about as period-correct as I want it right now. One day I might get the last few bits...

Spec

Magistroni headset
Cinelli 15 bars
Gaslo bar plugs
Cinelli 1 stem
Reg bottle cage
Beborex levers (might not have been released until 1950?)
Universal 39 brakes (I took the period-correct pads off cos this is a rider)
Gnutti crankset
Sheffield pedals w/ Christophe clips and Binda straps
Regina 4 speed
Campag spoke protector
Campag Cambio Corsa gear changer
Campag hubs
Unknown original spokes
Super Champion rims (from the 70s. It came with original rims but they weren't fit for riding. I'm fine with incorrect rims and pads and stuff on a rider - safety first, kids!)
Unknown steel seatpin
Brooks B17 narrow

Quite impressive and I can well appreciate where you have substituted newer parts. Virtually all of these bikes of the late 40's and earlier 50's were switched over to "civilian" use in the 50's and few if any remained with the original bars, brake levers and cranks. Likewise the leather saddles, pedals and reasonable soft alloy rims rarely survived.

If you show the spoke head marking, perhaps we can help identify the brand of spokes.

PS: does it have 17 or 19 teeth on the drop-outs? Do you have any photos of the drop-outs without hub fitted?

 

[Jonny69]

Wow, loving this! Talk me through the gear change...

I take it the longer lever moves the wheel back and forth. Is it a freewheel or fixed gear block?

 

[Kevinwulf]

If you show the spoke head marking, perhaps we can help identify the brand of spokes.

Just a dot on the spoke heads. Like so:

PS: does it have 17 or 19 teeth on the drop-outs? Do you have any photos of the drop-outs without hub fitted?

It has 17, so I guess that generally dates it to pre 1950-ish, unless people had old stock they wanted to get rid of. I bought a Torpado last year with 19 tooth dropouts to fit my Campag Paris-Roubaix shifter in. Unfortunately, there was a big crack in the fork crown and one of the chainstays had a peculiar shape to it like it had been badly repaired. Unfortunately the frame arrived a couple of days after my first child was born and I didn't closely inspect it for a few months.... $300 down the drain. Anyway, here's the Galletti dropout:

 

[Kevinwulf]

Wow, loving this! Talk me through the gear change...

I take it the longer lever moves the wheel back and forth. Is it a freewheel or fixed gear block?

The longer lever is the quick release, the shorter one is the gear selector. Oh, and it's a freewheel.

Here's the steps:
1. Open quick release. (Your weight causes the wheel to push backwards. DO NOT pedal forwards while the quick release is open or it will shoot forward out of the dropout)
2. Pedal backwards, while using the smaller lever to move the chain to the right gear.
3. Close the quick release. But just before closing it, do a SMALL pedal forward to get just a bit of slack in the chain.

There was some great little videos on wooljersey.com of Aldo Ross shifting up and down but that whole site isn't working for me right now (has it closed down?). I'll see if I can find them somewhere.

 

[daccordimark]

I'm loving these old sky blue Italian frames like this and the recent rBoTM Masi. I tell you what though, I'm glad some enlightened soul invented the modern derailleur!

Mark.

 

[Citoyen du monde]

It has 17, so I guess that generally dates it to pre 1950-ish, unless people had old stock they wanted to get rid of. I bought a Torpado last year with 19 tooth dropouts to fit my Campag Paris-Roubaix shifter in. Unfortunately, there was a big crack in the fork crown and one of the chainstays had a peculiar shape to it like it had been badly repaired. Unfortunately the frame arrived a couple of days after my first child was born and I didn't closely inspect it for a few months.... $300 down the drain. Anyway, here's the Galletti dropout:

It does indeed look like it is pre-1950 with that Campagnolo marking around the curve and the 17 teeth. BTW, if the Torpado frame is damaged beyond repair, you can always retrieve the drop-outs alone and offer them up for sale. Perhaps they won't make you whole for the complete $300 but they will bring in at least $100-150 as best as I can tell...

 

[Rich34]

That is absolutely fantastic... When men were men, eh? Next time I find myself wishing I'd started a climb in a different gear on my indexed-geared 1997 road bike I'll spare a thought for you mate.