Bianchi Martini Racing Titanium - Finished

[ibbz]

Bianchi Martini Racing
Titanium Megatube - Reparto Corse 1997
FRM Cycle Technology and Ritchey WCS build

(After build notes: I’ve tried to stick to the spirit and period of the frame - which is an actual race frame from Italy.
The nature of the FRM components and the lack of available catalogues means It’s difficult to assess their age and period.
Only modern parts (for riding rather than for a photo shoot) will be the chain, cassette, saddle and pedals.
I’ve bought a pair of green Wildgrippers and Currently looking to source a Bianchi Martini Flite Team saddle and M952 shifters for a more (bar the FRM stuff) period correct build - for some pictures and for collection sake.)



Frame - Reparto Corse Titanium Megatube 1997
Forks - FRM Air-Way 75mm
Stem - FRM Web stem
Headset - FRM/Diatech
Bars - Ritchey WCS Prolite Champagne/Gold
Bar ends - Ritchey WCS Logic Pro
Grips - Ritchey WCS
Wheels
Rims - FRM Ritchey OCR WCS Rock rims -
Front Hub - Ritchey WCS Pro Champagne/Gold
Rear Hub - FRM Team Carbon

Cassette - Shimano XT CS-M770 9 Speed
QR Skewers - FRM Team Titanium
Tyres - Michelin Wildgripper Comp S
Tubes - Continental Race Supersonic
Chainset - FRM CU2 Evolution
Bottom Bracket - FRM Intergral
Pedals - Raceface Atlas
Seatpost - Ritchey WCS Pro Champagne/Gold
Saddle -Flite Ti Martini Racing
Seatbolt - Titanium
Brake Levers - Avid Speed Dial Ultimate Black Ops
Brakes - Avid Single Digit Ultimate Black Ops
Shifters - Shimano XTR M970
Front Derailleur - Sachs Quarz
Rear Deraiileaur - Sachs Mars 9.000
Chain - KMC X10 EL
Cables - Shimano XTR

Weight - 20 lbs


Thanks to Marco I’m now a proud owner of a Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC frame painted in the Martini Racing Team colours. Circa 1997.
This has been raced and it shows all the scars of battles won and lost. I didn’t care - I love the patina and the look.

What made me buy this? I know next to nothing about Bianchi MTB’s and what I’ve picked up so far has been since I compulsively put out a wanted ad here - was
Offered one - put in an offer and purchased this!

It arrived today and I couldn’t be happier.

I’ve always really liked the Bianchi ‘Celeste’ blue - to be honest I especially liked the Celeste-yellow of Pantani’s Mercatone race bikes. There’s something just really cool about them - just a wicked colour scheme with the coolest rider (God test his soul) ever. It was after watching more of his races and reading stuff that I was drooling over the race bikes - but I’ll never buy one as I doubt I’d ride it - I don’t like riding on the road and I’d rather spend that sort of dosh on a mountain bike I’d love and enjoy and ride - so that’s what turned me to a knee jerk decision to look for a Bianchi MTB - retro of course.

I decided to stick with mainly sort of period-ish parts but with more modern (but still not recent modern) mechs and shifters with a 9 speed modernist cassette.

 

[mk one]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

love the colour of these too.

What forks are you thinking of using?

 

[ibbz]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

More sneak
Peaks


I decided on some boutique Italian FRM parts with some Ritchey WCS Pro.
So managed to bag these from RBers in Italy and France

FRM forks
FRM stem
FRM Seatpost
FRM CU2 Chainset

Ritchey WCS Pro hub / FRM hub - Ritchey WCS Rock rims wheel set (With a Ritchey
QRs

 

[mk one]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

Some very nice parts you have there

 

[scant]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

1 of these bikes was brought into my old bike shop once around 1999. the owner claimed it was 19lb, that was with m950 xtr, sid sls & crossmax, i didnt believe him until I picked it up!

that FRM seatpost looks a lot like an older american classic in design.

 

[Magpiegifts]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

Jeez!

Verging on bike porn again.

Real nice, bet your glad now you hit the button and bought it.

Those forks.. Wow...

I have a frm chainset stashed away.

Lucky guy, I wonder what it would look like raw titanium finish?

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

I wonder what it would look like raw titanium finish?

Come everyone let's burn the Heretic :!: :!: :!:

 

[ibbz]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

1 of these bikes was brought into my old bike shop once around 1999. the owner claimed it was 19lb, that was with m950 xtr, sid sls & crossmax, i didnt believe him until I picked it up!

that FRM seatpost looks a lot like an older american classic in design.

Wow - I would like a bantamweight like that but I think this will be a bit heavier with the Parts
The Seatpost is quite old I think - and probably
More road than MTB and a tad short but I’m pretty short so I think it’ll be ok
It was either this or a Ti FRM for double the price

 

[ibbz]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

Some very nice parts you have there

Thanks
- more on the way too.
I’m unsure about my choice of Mech and shifters (M960 FD/RD and M970 shifters) .. my head says stick
with it - my heart says go M95x or even 8 speed Sachs Quarz F and D with Plasma shifters.

 

[ibbz]

Re: Bianchi Reparto Corse Titanium Martini Racing XC

Jeez!

Verging on bike porn again.

Real nice, bet your glad now you hit the button and bought it.

Those forks.. Wow...

I have a frm chainset stashed away.

Lucky guy, I wonder what it would look like raw titanium finish?

Thanks man - it’s a gamble with the parts but I’ll be able to see when I’m ok enough to put it together
Hmmm what chainset is that? I’ve seen some really funky looking ones - the ones I have are relatively plain.
Raw Ti???! Nooooo - not on a Bianchi Martini racing