As I sit writing this blog, the taste of ground steel in my mouth, I can't help but think I will eventually incur the wrath of some vintage road bike fanatic saying, "How could you take those beautiful, old, Italian road bikes...and, and, and...do THAT to them!?" The
that being: grind off all unwanted derailleur stays, cable guides, and other extraneous nubs and parts not necessary for a custom single speed bicycle. Strip off all those coats of still perfectly good Italian Bianchi white paint and decals down to bare metal. Then transform this former elegant mainstay of Italian 80's road bike into a sleek, judiciously customized greyhound-like two wheeler non-geared eunuch bicycle thing. Well...yeah, I can. And, I am.
Just like thousands and thousands of old Chevys and Fords have been resurrected from the junk yard and made into customized roadsters and other hot rods, the same is happening to unwanted, forsaken road bikes...formerly 10 speeds. So, here is the beginning of the first Bianchi project, a complete bike and frame purchased last summer.
Edoardo Bianchi may be rolling over in his grave. Then, again, he may appreciate my maintaining the name on these nice, vintage, steel frames. More images
here.
