[Om Flyer]

This Atala was built in 1983 for a bike shop customer, who in the end was unable to pay for the bike. I eventually bought this bike from that bike shop owner some 25 years later.
It needed a few pieces parts, but was in good shape to start... what say you?

 

[Mapei]

Nice bike. Loads of high end parts. But to really understand what you got, we need to see a couple more spots -- the Bottom Bracket and the Tubing Label.

 

[Om Flyer]

Nice bike. Loads of high end parts. But to really understand what you got, we need to see a couple more spots -- the Bottom Bracket and the Tubing Label.

Well, the very faded decal on the fork is a columbus decal...the frame however does not have a visable tubing decal...either some yahoo put the bike shop decal over top of it, or who knows what??? The drops and fork ends are both campagnolo, the brake bridge is gipiemme with an embossed "A" and the BB reads 83G1407. any ideas?

 

[Kuma601]

Nice...my '87 doesn't have he chrome accent at the seat post binder, nice touch there. Wonder if the whole triangle is chromed?

 

[Richard]

Atala, like Bianchi, made bikes all over the spectrum.

That, good son, is one of their best. The lug cutouts, the pantographed "A" on the lug, the chrome seatstay caps (and maybe a whole chrome rear triangle), looks like an original little "Gruppo Record" sticker on the seat tube. Likely Columbus SL (27.2 seatpost?). The fork crown......overall, just wow.

I wouldn't change a thing. Clean and polish it as best you can, get some replacement Columbus tubing decals from Cyclomondo on eBay, and ride the hell out of it.

You can "restore" almost anything, but they're original only once.

 

[Om Flyer]

That, good son, is one of their best. The lug cutouts, the pantographed "A" on the lug, the chrome seatstay caps (and maybe a whole chrome rear triangle), looks like an original little "Gruppo Record" sticker on the seat tube. Likely Columbus SL (27.2 seatpost?). The fork crown......overall, just wow.

Yes 27.2 post.

So SL would fit the period...just prior to SLX. Are there any other tell tale signs to identify a tubeset of this era?

 

[Dave Hickey]

I wouldn't change a thing....that is beautiful...what saddle is that?

 

[zmudshark]

There should be a date code on the crank arms. SLX tubing would have rifling that you can feel in the seat tube from the bottom bracket.

SLX first appeared in 1984, more widely in 1985. Good info on Columbus tubing can be found here:
http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2007/11/columbus-steel-tubing-for-frame.html

 

[Om Flyer]

colt

I wouldn't change a thing....that is beautiful...what saddle is that?

Brooks Colt, not sure if this model is still being produced.

 

[Om Flyer]

There should be a date code on the crank arms. SLX tubing would have rifling that you can feel in the seat tube from the bottom bracket.

SLX first appeared in 1984, more widely in 1985. Good info on Columbus tubing can be found here:
http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2007/11/columbus-steel-tubing-for-frame.html

The crank arm has a 3 inside a circle...I did not notice any rifiling in the seat tube as I was rebuilding.

 

[velodog]

The bike's a Beauty.
If that sticker at the top of the seat tube is a shop decal I'm willing to bet you're right about the yahoo. Most highly a blue and gold Columbus SL decal is buried under it. Being it was built in '83 it is just about certain that it isn't SLX tubing.

 

[zmudshark]

Yep. looks to be a 1983, almost certainly, and most likely SL.

 

[ScottInCincinnati]

Nice Italian kickstand! Makes me hungry for homemade pizza!

 

[Om Flyer]

Nice Italian kickstand! Makes me hungry for homemade pizza!

Good eye! I thought it was better than chicken soup for the task at hand!