I have two Cambio corsa bikes that have clearly legible tubing markings stating Extra (logo) Extra. One is a Bianchi from 1941 and the other an unnamed frame. The logo in the middle is an upper case D with the leg of an upper case T coming in from the the rear top. From an early 50's Bozzi catalog, I have been able to confirm that this logo belongs to Tubazione Dalmine. I have also been able to find out that the Dalmine foundry was proudly known by the German Mannesmann name in the 30's and then shifted to the name of the Italian town where it is located, Dalmine, around the time of the beginning of WWII. I have not been able to find any information regarding the "Extra" tubing. When I compare these two frames to any others that I have felt from the same period, they are both considerably much lighter. I therefore presume that the "Extra" marking was used to indicate a special lighter version of tubing. I have previously spoken to Ed Litton about this tubing and he too has noted that the very rare frame that he comes across with these markings are also invariably lighter that other period frames. Does anybody have any information about this tubing? Does anybody else have a frame where these markings are visible?
You can check out the markings in this photo:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ