Collectors Corner:

A FEW OF MY OWN MACHINES WHICH I HAVE ACQUIRED DURING MY TRAVELS

UMBERTO MARNATI~COMPLETE NUOVO RECORD GROUP, MECH DATED '72. IT HAD BEEN HANGING IN THE BACK OF A SCOOTER REPAIR WORKSHOP IN PISA AND WAS ALMOST BLACK FROM OILY EXHAUST FUMES. THIS IN FACT HAD PROTECTED IT AND THERE WAS NO RUST OR DETERIORATION TO THE ALLOY PARTS. IT HAD YELLOW BRAKE CASINGS TO MATCH THE DECALS etc AND I SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND A NOS SET TO REPLACE THE ORIGINALS. I HAVE FITTED NOS GLOBE LOGO HOODS AND VITTORIA SUPER PAVE TUBS

This is Marnati's shop in via Delfico, Milan. I called in when at the Milan Show November 2007. The shop is run by Daniele Marnati, son of Umberto. He has no records now of any frames built in the past but surmised that mine may have originally been sold by their agent in Tuscany.  I guess its run pretty much as a hobby/somewhere to go during the day.  As you see there is no name above the door, not even a Michelin sticker.  The cycle in the window is a poor condition Lygie with a Cambio Corsa and rubber block pedals!  A lot of interesting old photos adorn the walls and a few general bikes were in for repair.

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UMBERTO DEI~MOSTLY NUOVO RECORD WITH UNIVERSAL mod.61 CENTRE PULL BRAKES. APART FROM HAVING WIPED A CLOTH OVER IT, THIS IS AS FOUND.  WHEN TIME PERMITS, I WILL FIT THE PROPER LEVER HOODS AND BRAKE SHOES AND I ALSO HAVE SOME NR PEDALS IN A BETTER CONDITION. THE FRAME SIZE IS NOT MUCH USE TO ME WHEREAS THE MARNATI IS, BUT I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED A DEI

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GRAMAGLIA PISTA~NUOVO RECORD CHAINSET, PEDALS LARGE FLANGE HUBS, SEATPOST, HEADSET. CINELLI STEEL BARS/STEM. BALILLA TOECLIPS.  AGAIN, SHOWN AS FOUND.  THE SELLER SAID THAT GRAMAGLIA HAD A WORKSHOP IN BAGGIO, MILAN AND HAD BUILT FRAMES FOR TONI MASPES, BEPPE OGNE SANTE AND GAIARDONI. THIS IS A LOVELY BIKE OF ITS TYPE. THE CHROME IS NOT PERFECT-ITS USED AND PRESUMABLY HAS SEEN SOME FIERCE COMPETITION

I have been given the following information on Gramaglia by one of my Milanese friends.  Shop address was v.Forze Armate 401, Zona Baggio, Milano and he also owned, apparently, Cicli Auro.  His 'stock' colour as they seem to have, was green-as Gios blue, Bianchi celeste etc. Gramaglia started around 1940 and ceased trading on 31st December 1975, he died during 2002. No chance of finding any decals!

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HETCHINS 24" KEYHOLE MODEL AROUND 1980, SO I'M TOLD. FULL SUPER RECORD GROUP APART FROM NR STEEL AXLE BB & PEDALS, I WOULDN'T RISK RIDING VINTAGE TITA PARTS NOW. I FITTED A PORTACATENA BECAUSE THE DROPOUTS HAD THE TAPPED HOLES IN SITU. CINELLI 1/R STEM & 63-40 BARS, TURBO SADDLE, TA ALLOY BOTTLE CAGE

THE HETCHINS AND THE TEAM GIOS ARE THE ONLY ONES LEFT NOW.  I WILL LISTEN TO OFFERS STARTING WITH £1XXX FOR THE HETCHINS AND £2XXX FOR THE GIOS BELOW.  I DO STILL HAVE THE GRAMAGLIA PISTA BUT AM NOT DESPERATE TO SELL-UNLESS I RECEIVE THE PROVERBIAL OFFER I CANNOT REFUSE

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GIOS EX-PRO TEAM BIKE 58cm CENTRE TO TOP. I BOUGHT THIS DIRECTLY FROM THE GIOS FACTORY AT THE END OF 2004 SEASON WHEN THEY TAKE BACK THE MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT FROM THE TEAMS. THIS ONE WAS RIDDEN BY MATTEO CAPPE' WHO DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF IN TOUR OF QATAR!  FULL RECORD 10SPD CARBON GROUP WITH EURUS WHEELS

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IF YOU ARE OF A NERVOUS DISPOSITION OR EASILY OFFENDED, DO NOT SCROLL DOWN FURTHER!!

I SPOTTED THIS BIKE OUTSIDE A SHOP AND JUST GOES TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW WE WOULD VALUE A CLASSIC ROAD BIKE AND THIS OWNER WHO USED IT BASICALLY TO SAVE WALKING AROUND HIS TOWN.  YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE THREE PICS THAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY A DECENT BIKE WITH THE PANTOGRAPHING, INTERNAL CABLES, SLOTTED EVEREST CHAIN AND THE NR CALIPERS WITH FLAT QR LEVERS.  THE 'BARS HAD BEEN CHANGED TO FLAT/CITY AND THIS CHAINGUARD  FITTED.  THE BACK OF THE CRANK HAD BEEN MACHINED OFF TO PROVIDE EXTRA CLEARANCE AND A TAG BRAZED TO THE SEATSTAY INSTEAD OF A CLIP.  THE CHAINGUARD HAD BEEN CAREFULLY WORKED TO CLEAR THE FRONT MECH.

THE WILIER WITH SUPER RECORD GROUP BELOW WAS BEING USED IN MUCH THE SAME WAY BUT THE OWNER HADN'T GOT ROUND TO FITTING A CHAINGUARD--YET

I ALSO SAW A SHABBY COLNAGO WITH THE REMAINS OF 50th ANNIVERSARY GROUP ON IT, I THINK I WAS SO SHOCKED BY ITS' APPEARANCE I WASN'T QUICK ENOUGH WITH THE CAMERA