Some additional info re: 1984 & 1985 Bianchis from their catalogs to fill in the gaps.
Pre 1984. An undated catalog was basically a tour through the factory via pictures and references to Campy, Columbus, Reparto Course etc. but without specific bicycle names or designations. This catalog has reference to the affiliation with Vespa.
The 1984 catalog featured numerous higher end bikes with SL & SP tubing and a track bike with PS tubing. Some of these bikes had chrome and the components worked there way down from Campy SR on the top bike.
The 1985 catalog featured the Centenario model with SLX tubing done in black nickel finish (chrome) with a clear coating for protection, and Celeste decals. This bike was equipped with Record components. The next bike was the Mondialle and it featured chrome fork ends, one chain stay and Campy SR components. Color Celeste. Tubing was Bianchi Special.
The catalog listed a total of six (6) bikes with this tube set. It was advertised as new and created for the Centenario program and only available for Bianchi. In addition the catalog states that the downtube and chainstays are thicker for additional stiffness. The first three (3) bikes utilizing the Bianchi Special tubing have at least the right side chainstay chromed. The top five(5) also have investment cast fork crowns. All six (6) bikes have micro adjusting forkends.
Regards,
Jim Narlesky
San Jose, CA
> To clarify the racing frames Bianchi made in the mid- to late 1980s
> (my info dates from 1987-90):
>
> 1. Mass-produced Columbus "Special Bianchi" CroMoly tubing, same wall
> thicknesses as SL. This was quite inexpensive (about 2/3 of an SL
> Reparto Corse frame with similar tubing). No chrome, if I remember
> correctly. The frame on e-bay looks like that one.
>
> 2. Then there were two "Reparto Corse" frames. These were handbuilt
> production frames, but quality was variable. One came with SL, the
> other SLX. The SLX frame had more investment cast pieces (brake
> bridge, etc.). Both features a chromed fork crown, dropouts with a
> few inches of fork legs and stays, etc. The stickers clearly said
> "Reparto Corse." That said, the stickers tend to come off.
>
> The Reparto Corse frames were almost all Celeste. In 1988, quality
> went really downhill - I bought a 1987 frame in 1988 in Germany, and
> the dealer had stopped carrying the frames. I later saw a 1989 frame
> in Texas that was just awful.
>
> Jan Heine, Seattle