1970's Diamant

[Flandria]

Hello,

Some days ago I was looking for a beater to do my commuting in the city. I found an ad on a local 2nd hand website that looked appealing and picked up this bike yesterday for 65 pounds. The shady pictures on the website weren't clear, but it turned out to be a good deal: a 1970's Diamant with a full Galli group, some good Vittoria Rally tubes and a beautifull Brooks flyer. To me, almost to nice to use as a beater since I can't stall it inside my flat during the nights... But anyway, I'm gonna give it a good clean, lots of TLC, new cables and some fresh bar tape (brown cotton tape?). I'll keep the topic up to date with fresh pictures!

Can anyone provide me with more info about Diamant bikes? I've found out that there were 2 'Diamant' brands. One Belgian, one german. But is there an Italian too? The frame I have has Italian flags in the seattube/headtube decals... The frame is made from 531 and has campagnolo dropouts. There is no serial number on the bottom bracket, except and ugly engraved 'U-99'. Anyone an idea about the origins of this bike?

And what about Galli? I know the 70's era was dominated by campagnolo/shimano, but how does this group performs in comparison with the deities?

Comments and advice more than welcome!

 

[Johnsqual]

I'd say you got a bargain there, the group alone is probably worth more than you paid, if it's in good nick.

Galli was an Italian brand that produced what were more or less copies of Campagnolo's stuff. Will probably
perform about as well as Campag stuff from the same era, but interesting because it's quite unusual.

As for the frame, looks like a Belgian Diamant to me. Most people in Belgium over about 25 seem to get quite nostalgic
about Diamant - I think it was a bit like Raleigh, the sort of bikes most people would have owned at some point.
If it's Reynold's 531 it's good stuff. Better bikes had the whole frame and fork made from 531, cheaper ones
just the main tubes (head tube, seat tube, down tube).

Diamant doesn't have quite the sex appeal of the more famous brands, certainly not outside Belgium. But I've had
a couple of their bikes (a road and a cyclocross) and they've both been good.

You could do it up for the Retro Ronde Van Vlaanderen, or you could make it into a single speed for commuting
and sell the groupset.

Johnny

 

[Johnsqual]

Looking at that sticker on the seat tube again, I can just make out the word 'forks', so it's probably a model
with full Reynolds 531 tubes. Makes it a better quality model.

Good find. I'm slightly jealous

 

[Midlife]

Nice neat frame, Prugnat / Bocama lugs and campag dropouts, I've got that (Cinelli) semi-sloping fork crown on my 70's Falcon San-Remo

Nothing at all wrong with Galli stuff, like Zeus it sort of suffered being in the shadow of the big boys.

I'd ride it

Shaun

 

[Flandria]

Galli was an Italian brand that produced what were more or less copies of Campagnolo's stuff. Will probably
perform about as well as Campag stuff from the same era, but interesting because it's quite unusual.

As for the frame, looks like a Belgian Diamant to me. Most people in Belgium over about 25 seem to get quite nostalgic
about Diamant - I think it was a bit like Raleigh, the sort of bikes most people would have owned at some point.
If it's Reynold's 531 it's good stuff. Better bikes had the whole frame and fork made from 531, cheaper ones
just the main tubes (head tube, seat tube, down tube)

Nice neat frame, Prugnat / Bocama lugs and campag dropouts, I've got that (Cinelli) semi-sloping fork crown on my 70's Falcon San-Remo

Nothing at all wrong with Galli stuff, like Zeus it sort of suffered being in the shadow of the big boys.

I'd ride it

Nice reactions! I'll keep the bike original as it is, it's nice to give some attention to less familiar brands/groups than buying together the next one-in-a million super record group on ebay . And budgetwise, this also helps a hand

About Diamant: to me it looks like Johnsqual stated. Diamant is more or less for Belgians what Raleigh is for UK-people: it's nostalgic, it's well-known and wide-spread. I just want to make sure in one way whether this is a Belgian, German or Italian frame...

 

[Midlife]

Just as a comparison, back when I left the bike shop 1978 Campag SR brakes were £70, Shimano Dura Ace £40 and Galli £30 (give or take a few quid).

Weinman 500's about £12

Shaun

 

[torqueless]

Some of the Galli stuff on this bike looks like a later, and perhaps more budget-conscious iteration of the Galli stuff I remember from 1976 or so. The original Galli cranks were 144bcd... these are not the same ones. Have a look at the Galli Criterium stuff over at velobase. More or less Campag. copies, as almost eveything was back then.. valued for shaving a few grammes off here and there, and as Midlife says, saving a bit of money as well.. Apart from that, this looks like a nice enough quality frame to carry any components you wish to throw it's way. A shame to leave it in the rain!

 

[Johnsqual]

Some of the Galli stuff on this bike looks like a later, and perhaps more budget-conscious iteration of the Galli stuff I remember from 1976 or so. The original Galli cranks were 144bcd... these are not the same ones. Have a look at the Galli Criterium stuff over at velobase. More or less Campag. copies, as almost eveything was back then.. valued for shaving a few grammes off here and there, and as Midlife says, saving a bit of money as well.. Apart from that, this looks like a nice enough quality frame to carry any components you wish to throw it's way. A shame to leave it in the rain!

Torqueless is right. The group is probably Galli Sport, which was a less expensive effort from them.
Probably equivalent to Campagnolo Nuovo Gran Sport, i.e. similar to the top end stuff but cheaper finishing and not as light. Still an unusual and interesting groupset.

Johnny

 

[Old Ned]

Nice find and great price. I reckon it's the Belgian brand as well. I had a CX frame once, it was fine. Your frame looks really good.

I don't think the frame fixing bolt on the rear mech is the original though, have a look here -

http://velobase.com/ViewComponent.aspx? ... 8&AbsPos=2

 

[Johnsqual]

But also look at Disraeli Gears: Galli produced a lower end 'sport' model with a hex head hanger bolt, rather than an Allen key. I think that's what's on Flandria's bike.

http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Gal ... le%29.html

Johnny