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I have written it here before – Sweden does not have a lot of top-of-the-line vintage lightweights of international calibre. With a somewhat short season cycling has never been a really big sport over here. We have had our share of successful riders, but it is not a sport for the masses and has never been. Therefore, racing exotics when it comes to vintage bicycles are far between.
This means that for a rider and collector like me, before the internet, finding the good stuff locally was very difficult. There was, and to a certain extent still is, a big advantage though – the ones we do have are cheap. There is almost no competition in the market for high end vintage bikes. Most of my collection I have got for almost nothing thru the years (starting early to mid 1980ies).
When a local “real” auction house put up this 1987 Bianchi X4 for auction they described it as a 1970ies Bianchi with 26” wheels. They valued it to 8000 Skr (around 800 USD).I knew what it was and was prepared to pay for it. The auction ended well above the valuation but I was prepared to go a lot farther than I had to. It is the most expensive bike I have ever bought. Still, it was a bargain in my book.
From the pictures in the auction, and after I got it home today and have had the chance to have a look at it, it seems to me like it was unused for many years. My theory is that then somebody new got hold of it, got a lock for it and obviously had no idea about bikes – manifested in the over the limit raised stem and tilted saddle. And then used it for a short while. Then, for some reason it ended up at the auction house.
It is, from what I can see, totally original down to the tires, cables, straps and every other little part. Even the Super Record seatpost was specified for the bike originally according to catalogues and other sources. Cobalto brakes and Almarc leather… and it has that nice little “X4” on the brake bridge.
This one is going to be a treat to gently clean and preserve. It is my size exactly (a thing I have always had as a “cap” to limit my collecting) and I might take it for a spin before I clean it but after that it will be retired into the collection. I will keep you updated here when doing the clean-up.
I do believe this might be one of the best-preserved, original and untouched, Bianchi X4: s around.
Happy!
On to the pictures
This is after I set it up for me. Had to untangle the cables (rotate the bars to get them where they meant to be...)
Before
The money shot
Double Reparto decals
Matching 1986 tubulars front and aft
A few extra pictures in the flickr album
As found and before cleaning.
www.flickr.com
