One thing that drags Benotto interest down is the later shift to Mexican production. I don't know the relative merits of the Mexican bikes, but it creates confusion as to what is a genuine Benotto. That sort of confusion always weakens a brand.
In Mike Kone's guide, he thinks the Mexican bikes are a notch down in quality and values them accordingly.
Joe Bender-Zanoni
Great Notch, NJ
> I'm surprised Benotto haven't developed a larger following just
> from appearing in "A Sunday in Hell" Almost everything else in
> the film has become a sought-after and sometime reproduced classic
> - Brookyln, Flandria, Molteni and Sanson jerseys, Merckx, Flandria
> and Gios frames, etc., etc. Why not Benotto?
>
> REgards,
>
> Jerry Moos
> Big Spring, TX
>
> Thomas Adams <thomasthomasa@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Dear Brian:
>
> It's hard to advise unless we know more about this machine.
> Benotto made a fairly wide range of bikes, so it's possible to
> have anything from State of the Art Italian Racing thoroughbred to
> gas pipe grocery getter. Do you know what tubing was used? If the
> seatpost is 27.2, and/or you can see the reinforcing ribs in the
> steerer, then the bike is probably high end Columbus tubing, and
> one of their nicer bikes.
>
> How deeply you should get into a restoration depends on your
> wallet and affection for the bike. Benotto's lack a really strong
> fan base, so putting several hundred dollars into a restoration
> job is probably a money losing proposition for you. But if you'd
> enjoy having a classic 70's racing machine, there's no bigger name
> than Benotto. Moser, Basso, DeVlamaemick, many greats rode these
> champagne beauties.
>
> On the team bikes, parts would have been classic Campy race parts.
> Nuovo Record before '73, varying degrees of Super Record after
> that date.
>
> As Jerry Moos said, the video "A Sunday in Hell" is a treasury of
> shots of classic machines in combat, with Benotto a prominent
> player. And yes, the headline now is Merckx loses, not DeMayer
> wins. Love that film. (who else loves the line "Effortless Rotary
> Action"? I chant it to myself when bucking headwinds. Pa-reeee--
> Rouuu baix!!! Dale, how about a special screening at le Cirque?) I
> believe the team bikes here were NR, except for SR chainrings and
> (maybe?) SR rear mechs. Low flange hubs, very minimal brazeons.
>
> I've got a mid 70's Benotto kitted out with GPM parts, and it's a
> very fine riding Italian steed. Anyone with an XXL Sanson jersey?
>
> Tom Adams, Shrewsbury NJ
>
> Brian & Vicki Jackson wrote:
> I am seeking information on what I believe to be a mid 70s
> Benotto.
> The bike has Benotto brakes,cranks and the heart cutout in the BB.
> It
> is all original- bars, stem seatpost, wheels, but the F/R
> derailleurs, downtube shifters and the brake levers have been
> changed
> to Shimano 600. The frame is fine other than the paint. My
> questions
> are:
> 1.Does anyone know what were the original parts might have been?
> 2. Are the parts available?
> 3. Is this bike worthy of restoration or is it just an old bike?
> I'm grateful for any info you can offer.
> Brian
>
>
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