I added a close-up I just took of the headbadge to the album, the downtube graphic isn't original, the bike was repainted in the '80s and I kludged up that downtube graphic based on a photo of Bartali wearing an eponymous jersey with a nice curly-cue script that was run in Bicycle Guide back then. This was before the internet when that was the best research I could manage. The teal color is very close to original. There was actually no trace of any graphics on the bike when I got it other than a 531decal and the headbadge. The bike when I bought it had a Mundialita saddle, Universal 61s and since I took those photos I've added a granny ring in front, a Shimano 14-28 FW and fat Gran Bois tires.
Kurt Sperry Bellingham, Washington USA
2009/8/18 <oroboyz@aol.com>:
> Hey Kurt:
> No THAT'S an interesting situation... A Bartali made in France!.
> (Have we all talked about this before? If not, we should have!)
> Fascinating. It is an unusual occurance; nationalistic tendencies would tend
> to support Hugh's comment.
> Do you know the history of your bike?
> I tried to zoom in on your pics to see what the head badge read. Can you
> take some pics of that close up and the down tube decals?
> Yet another mystery!
> Thanks
> Dale
> Dale Brown
> Greensboro, North Carolina USA
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kurt Sperry <haxixe@gmail.com>
> To: Hugh Thornton <hughwthornton@yahoo.co.uk>
> Cc: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Tue, Aug 18, 2009 10:57 am
> Subject: Re: [CR] What can anyone tell me about Bartali (bike)?
>
> 2009/8/18 Hugh Thornton <hughwthornton@yahoo.co.uk>:
>
>> It seems slightly strange that there should be a French-threaded metric
>> 531
>> bike with the Bartali brand -- it would seem to indicate that he licensed
>> the name separately in France -- it is hard to imagine an Italian wanting
>> to
>> buy such a bike.
>
> Presumably French made Bartali-
>
> http://picasaweb.google.com/
>
> Kurt Sperry
> Bellingham, Washington
> USA