Botty Kayer
Dirt Disciple
Hello fellow bike lovers,
I have just acquired a lovely Bottecchia that I am going to build up with 10 speed Campagnolo. Since buying the bike and waiting a few weeks for it to be shipped from across the world, and to clear customs before it gets to me in the UK, I have been looking up online to try and properly identify the frame, its age and anything else about it really. A lot of info I saw on here so thought I'd join up.
I am no expert but from reading around it looks like its an Equipe model,but I've seen them described as SLX and Professional, so I'm not sure of the difference, if any, between them? Here a pic of frame and fork
The frame has a lovely Cinelli spoiler bottom bracket, The 57 relates to the size and SLX the material, the inside of the down tube has the rifling to confirm this, but I don't now if there way of telling the age from the 4706 number? The bottom bracket also has Carnielli stamped on it, who I think built it and did top quality from what I can see..
The down tube also has a Carnielli sticker celebrating their 80th anniversary, which hints the frame is from 1989, the year Lemond rode a Bottecchia to victory in the TDF.
From what I can see Lemond rode about 5 bikes in the TDF that year?, in the mountains he used a Bottecchia badged TVT with a sort of yellow and purple colour scheme, and used a red Bottecchia for the flat stages, but of all the pics I see online the of bike it has white forks and white rear end not chrome. The TT version with the aero bars, which also didn't have any chrome on from what I can see, was arguably one of the most famous TT bikes ever, as fitted with aerobars Lemond pipped Fignon to victory on the final TT in what I think is still the closest TDF finish ever. So that's a really cool bit of heritage if the year is true.
I know going from decals can be risky but all seems genuine. What does seem a bit different with mine if that the seat tube does not have the Bottecchia decals, and it only has one band, the Italian Champ one.
On the other bikes I've seen online there is another band a few inches down from the seat cluster, and that is a world champs band, and I think it includes the 1989 worlds win (which Lemond also won that year). As this is missing it seems possible this frame was made before that victory maybe, so early 1989? There is kind of a band there, but it is in white. What you people think?
What does puzzle me is when I say there is no Bottecchia decals on the seat tube, there kind of is, but they are in white too, like the white on white band above? White with a white background, what's that all about? I'm not sure you can see it from the pic, but both sides of the down tube have the curvy Bottecchia script in white. The thing is they are not raised above the paint, like I would expect from a decal, but are actually recessed into the white, almost like it is a stencil and is waiting for the text to be painted in. Did they hand paint decals back then?
All the similar frames I've seen online the Bottecchia script on the down tube should be red. I'm sorry I know nothing about old or new paint jobs and decals on bikes, so have no idea if this is normal or not, anyone have any ideas? I have ordered some red Bottecchia curvy script decals for the seat tube, but am not sure how tidily they will fit into the recessed lettering already on the frame.
Considering the frame is nearly 30 years old its in great condition, it has a few paint chips but that is all, and it has some lovely typically Italian flourishes, like the B on the forks, the rear brake bridge and the pin on head tube badge.
I'll post pics when its built up, along with some of my other bikes, when I figure out the best place to post old frames with 10 speed kit on, as I've got a few of those. I'd love to hear any thoughts on the decals, if you think the dating looks about right, and any other info.
Thanks and pleased to meet you all
Dan
I have just acquired a lovely Bottecchia that I am going to build up with 10 speed Campagnolo. Since buying the bike and waiting a few weeks for it to be shipped from across the world, and to clear customs before it gets to me in the UK, I have been looking up online to try and properly identify the frame, its age and anything else about it really. A lot of info I saw on here so thought I'd join up.
I am no expert but from reading around it looks like its an Equipe model,but I've seen them described as SLX and Professional, so I'm not sure of the difference, if any, between them? Here a pic of frame and fork
The frame has a lovely Cinelli spoiler bottom bracket, The 57 relates to the size and SLX the material, the inside of the down tube has the rifling to confirm this, but I don't now if there way of telling the age from the 4706 number? The bottom bracket also has Carnielli stamped on it, who I think built it and did top quality from what I can see..
The down tube also has a Carnielli sticker celebrating their 80th anniversary, which hints the frame is from 1989, the year Lemond rode a Bottecchia to victory in the TDF.
From what I can see Lemond rode about 5 bikes in the TDF that year?, in the mountains he used a Bottecchia badged TVT with a sort of yellow and purple colour scheme, and used a red Bottecchia for the flat stages, but of all the pics I see online the of bike it has white forks and white rear end not chrome. The TT version with the aero bars, which also didn't have any chrome on from what I can see, was arguably one of the most famous TT bikes ever, as fitted with aerobars Lemond pipped Fignon to victory on the final TT in what I think is still the closest TDF finish ever. So that's a really cool bit of heritage if the year is true.
I know going from decals can be risky but all seems genuine. What does seem a bit different with mine if that the seat tube does not have the Bottecchia decals, and it only has one band, the Italian Champ one.
On the other bikes I've seen online there is another band a few inches down from the seat cluster, and that is a world champs band, and I think it includes the 1989 worlds win (which Lemond also won that year). As this is missing it seems possible this frame was made before that victory maybe, so early 1989? There is kind of a band there, but it is in white. What you people think?
What does puzzle me is when I say there is no Bottecchia decals on the seat tube, there kind of is, but they are in white too, like the white on white band above? White with a white background, what's that all about? I'm not sure you can see it from the pic, but both sides of the down tube have the curvy Bottecchia script in white. The thing is they are not raised above the paint, like I would expect from a decal, but are actually recessed into the white, almost like it is a stencil and is waiting for the text to be painted in. Did they hand paint decals back then?
All the similar frames I've seen online the Bottecchia script on the down tube should be red. I'm sorry I know nothing about old or new paint jobs and decals on bikes, so have no idea if this is normal or not, anyone have any ideas? I have ordered some red Bottecchia curvy script decals for the seat tube, but am not sure how tidily they will fit into the recessed lettering already on the frame.
Considering the frame is nearly 30 years old its in great condition, it has a few paint chips but that is all, and it has some lovely typically Italian flourishes, like the B on the forks, the rear brake bridge and the pin on head tube badge.
I'll post pics when its built up, along with some of my other bikes, when I figure out the best place to post old frames with 10 speed kit on, as I've got a few of those. I'd love to hear any thoughts on the decals, if you think the dating looks about right, and any other info.
Thanks and pleased to meet you all
Dan
