Identifying Italian road bike frame
- Thread starter Junky
- Start date
Frankenorange
Orange 🍊 Fan
Paco is the make as stamped into the top of the seat stay and the P in the fork crown. Small high end builder and probably something to do with Raffaele di Paco who was an italian cyclist. Definitely 1980's vintage.
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Pretty sure it's not connected to di paco as he was riding 50 years before the bike was made.
bikeworkshop
Old School Grand Master
Framebuilders often borrow racers names to add a (historic) air of authenticity to their brand.
If the racer is current or living, money will change hands.
If not, it might be claimed as pure coincidence.
@Junky I have a late '80s/early '90s Paco panto'd frame with TSX tubing. "PACO" may the actual builder's name and not a reference to any previous racer, but that is pure supposition as I have no evidence to confirm that hypothesis. The name stamped into a frame is more often then builder than the actual brand when the builder does not operate an actual shop to retail frames out of (I habe mant frames engraved by the builder and sold openly under a shop/dealer name; some famous builders [e.g.Rossin], and some not so famous [e.g. Perego]). I also cannot confirm that "PACO" existed as an actual brand other than the very few (now 3) branded frame examples I have seen, including mine though I am sure there are more. It is possible that they were contract built (by an artisan builder or large scale operation, i.e. Vetta, Billato, etc.) for a small shop of that name, or they were bespoke frames custom made for racers living in the area of the builder. Frames do get named after racers (dwad and alive) so even the Paco racing heritage may be in play here; or the builder may be related by name. My frame has a racer's name on it, but I have been unable to trace the name and I have no idea at what level he competed though I assume given the high-end level and cost of the frame when new that it was raced well above entry level competitions.
Given the size of your frame I would assume it to be Columbus "SL" or "SLX" (usually taking a 27.2mm seat post; is there any tubing decal remnant? Oria tubing was also commonly used); but it could easily be a "Tretubi" type frame, or mix of tube types depending on its model and price point. I still think it would be a full "SL" frame at minimum. I would place it about mid '80s so it could easily have "SLX" tubing, and that can be verififled with the BB assy removed and looking/feeling for the helical ridges in the down and seat tubes. "SL"/"SLX"/"TSX" fork steerers all had helical reinforcement ridges (5 total "ribs"; see photo). My frame has a vented Silva BB shell, not the Cinelli. Drop-outs are Columbus front and rear.
Given the size of your frame I would assume it to be Columbus "SL" or "SLX" (usually taking a 27.2mm seat post; is there any tubing decal remnant? Oria tubing was also commonly used); but it could easily be a "Tretubi" type frame, or mix of tube types depending on its model and price point. I still think it would be a full "SL" frame at minimum. I would place it about mid '80s so it could easily have "SLX" tubing, and that can be verififled with the BB assy removed and looking/feeling for the helical ridges in the down and seat tubes. "SL"/"SLX"/"TSX" fork steerers all had helical reinforcement ridges (5 total "ribs"; see photo). My frame has a vented Silva BB shell, not the Cinelli. Drop-outs are Columbus front and rear.
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This is amazing. Thank you for your insight and knowledge. And especially for taking the time to write such a comprehensive reply.
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