My first real bike was an Italian record professional. I bought it in 1973 and used it heavily for racing and race training. Put over 200,000 miles on that bike. Loved all the chrome on it. Later in life I got the frame repainted with imron paint. One coat of primer, 2 coats of imron, and 2 clear coats. The original paint was cracking and chipping underneath anywhere there were wire clips and any other attachments to the frame. Now when you polish up the chrome and the frame, you almost have to wear sunglasses when looking at the bike outside in the daylight. The front forks had slightly more rake than other equivalent bikes at that time in the early 70's. Which gave it a smoother ride, instead of a stiff ride. The frame absorbed all the road shock and bumps. It also had a long top tube, so you were more layed out. I used to ride that bike all day long on long training rides and get off and real fine. It was that comfortable to ride. There were times when I even used it for bike touring because it had the eyelets on the front and rear forks. So you could easily attach front and rear luggage racks for pannier bags. That bike was good to me all those years, so I paid it back with the new paint job. I had brass ons put on where the wire clips and water bottle racks used to be attached to protect the new paint and avoid the original problems. Like you, I always loved the looks of the beautiful Italian bikes , their chrome, their lug work, and their paint jobs. The Italia was my first, then a cinelli, etc.. until now when I spend my time mostly on my colonago C-40 (which climbs hills exceptionally well). Thank you John for doing an Italian segment. It was great to see all these beautiful bikes one after another. I've saved this video of yours so I can show it to other bikers. Many people look at me strange and can't understand why I get all excited when I talk about the beauty of Italian bikes. These are usually younger people who have grown up accustomed to seeing the entire bike painted one color with no chrome.

Wow. They are all great! It’s hard to beat a full Campagnolo equipped Colnago. Great video. Thanks.

You need a Tommasini in your collection. 😍

Love that Colnago I have a 1974 Allegro with campagnolo equipment had it for 50 years

Brings back good memories for me. Not only were many of these bikes kind of works of art, but it was also an overall better time to live/ be riding, compared to today (IMO)

Wish i had all that in my man cave along with the memories they carry.

Wow, all the Campy Groupos. Those are the fine jewels we used to stare at in the bike shop display case and drool. Bravo!

That Colnago is spectacular. I bought an older Bridgestone rb2 recently and I have to say, integrating the gear shifting into the brake mech has to be the single best improvement in bike riding in the last 50 years. Just my opinion.

Colnago at 3:54 is my favourite. I raced back in the 1980's and this look on bikes was all the rage back in the day...

Good stuff. I'm a few years younger than you, but this stuff brings me right back to when I first started racing in the mid-eighties. I had a Tommasini Comp back in '87. I bought the frame from Colorado Cyclist with lawn mowing money when I was about 16. It was in the incredible "quattro colore" paint, which was white lugs with four florescent sections in the middle of each tube. Chromed rear end and fork. I built it up with 8sp Dura Ace 7402 series, the infamous (but super cool-looking) black anodized Modolo X-Tenos stem and bar, a crimped Campy Record seatpost and a black SSM Regal saddle. I had several wheelsets for the bike. IMO, Tommasini, Rossin, Scapin and Colnago had the best paint for steel bikes in the eighties. However, back in those days I really lusted after both the Look KG86 and first generation Specialized Epic frames. Then the Kestrel 4000 came out and that became my favorite. That bike in white still looks incredible today to me.

Those bikes were so pure in their design you felt you could adjust anything yourself.

routing your cables in front of the bars on beautiful Italian bikes is a sure fire way to wake up finding a horse's head on your pillow ;-) beautiful bikes

This collection is beautiful. I also rediscovered my love for old bikes. I currently have an Airolg in white from Milan, a Colnago Master in full chrom. Both in great condition. The Airolg will accompany me on Eroica. A Colnago Superissimo has been added since yesterday. That still needs attention. Greetings from Germany

John, thanks for presenting the best looking bikes on KZfaq.

Oschner for the win! Beautiful chrome, super unique, and those Cinelli lugs 😍

Liked the story behind the origins of the name Ciocc.

Oh man. I'd love to photograph all of them. So beautiful

A Cinelli Super Corsa in silver with chromed lugs. I have only seen pictures. In Toronto there was a high end bicycle store in the seventies called Bicyclesport on King Street, where I would buy parts. They had a green Super Corsa in the window. It was the most beautiful bicycle I had seen but could not afford. It cost about four times as much as my Gitane Tour de France; which I still own.

I had a Basso Lotto in the late 1980s with that same paint and chrome.. I rode the hell out of that bike. I had it equipped with Campy Chorus from that era. It was bullet proof. It was a fantastic bike. It current sits in my daughter's garage on a trainer. Unfortunately it's a total rust bucket.

I'm still working on my Pinarello. Building a rear wheel. I love 'em .

Epic collection! Thanks for sharing!

Beautiful collection John! Thanks!

Wonderful collection!! Love them all. Thank you

Fantastic collection. Thanks for sharing.

Mouth watering collection...

I have 2 Columbus tubed VETTA frames, both with aero-shaped tubes, all cinelli lugs & BB that I bought in NYC from a guy who said it was built by an older Italian guy named Mastentoni who was working at a bike shop on 2nd ave & 68 th? Called Pedal Pusher. Maybe I can send you a picture when I find them!

STUNNING COLLECTION.

Thanks for the tour John! We’ve seen most of these before, but it’s always fun to see them again. Red & yellow Guerciotti is my favorite!

Nice collection, thanks for showing.

I've owned and ridden two Gitanes, two Bassos, one Benotto, two Bianchi, a Klein, a Focus, and finally a Pinarello with HED rims. Nope, the Colnago was always out of reach. Thank you for sharing your collection.

that was awesome, thoroughly enjoyable and amazing collection, thank you!

Beautiful bikes, well presented.

WoW!! Thats wonderwall!!

Great beauties! Thanks for sharing them with us! Best wishes from Montreal!

Lovely Italian collection. The Master piu is #1 The red Colnago has to be a mexico with indented tubes. I had one in 1984 Pearl White beauty. Set up with suntour superbe except a nuovo record rear deraliur….bike shop wouldn’t do the suntour on a Colnago! Long gone sadly.

I am very fond of the Pinarello! I've been watching all your videos today! Your collection is amazing and I've had a blast checking them all out! Lugged steel bikes just make me so happy😊

your in a league of your own hands down

VERY nice collection. You might want to consider looking for a Torpado to add to your Italian collection. They were mostly known for mid-level bikes, but did have some very nice models towards the end of their existence. They were also known for making frames for LOTS of other bike companies...including Atala. At the time of their folding in 1986, they were the second oldest bicycle company still making bikes (next to Bianchi). The SUPERLIGHT, and the SUPERLIGHT X are the two best models they made.

I love your memory lane almost as much as mine!😊

Congrats, a super collection! Cheers from Italy

Guerciotti pronounced Guwere chee ought tee, 4 syllables. The ot should is pronounced more like the sound of ought in the word bought. A "chooch" can also be a donkey in Southern Italian.Beautiful bikes!

Nice collections of Italian bikes. You inspire me ang encouraged me to appreciate my Italian bikes more! I still ride my all steel bikes. Thank you!!!

Great tour of your Italian collection. I even like the water tap controls in matching Italian colours. I have a Gios Torino in its beautiful blue that so tied in with the iconic Brooklyn jersey. You need to add one to your collection.

Beautiful collection, and I know these are just a few of your whole herd. I'm a sucker for vintage Colnagos and will someday own one. Love that Cholnago single speed, and I get it regarding riding a fixed gear, which I have done as much as I care to. My Mercier "fixie" wears a flip-flop hub and is almost always ridden as a freewheeler, with both brakes.

I still have a 1974 Masi Gran Criterium, Italian edition, that I got new. I also got my wife a vintage Cinelli Super Corsa more recently. We ride them as often as possible. Great bikes and so much fun to take out on the back roads.

A stable of Italian beauties.

Nice collection!

Love your collection. I’ve got Italian tiguierre slx, bianchi minimax and now finally I’m waiting for a overmax grandis )

Nice collection. Viva Italia!

Great vid! I have a few of those rides in my stable. Great to hear your stories on them and get ideas for future builds.

Felicidades son tremendas máquinas, y ha de ser un placer manejarlas son legendarias, y habla muy bien de los artesanos que las hicieron adi como fe sus componentes. Gracias por mostrarlas

I have many memories of my Benotto bike!!

Fun video, thanks! The cinelli is my favorite, though the ochsnar is also a wonderful bike!

love the criterium frames!

beautiful collection, Im a mechanic at a bike shop in Northern VA, and have been for the last 10 years, love vintage bikes, and campy parts. my current collection is an 86 trek 400 ive rebuilt with brooks, velo orange, and shimano 6500 which is more of my sunday cafe bike. my main bike is a 2018 gunnar hyper xf custom in gunnar blue with white panels (similar to the saronni color scheme with silver hydraulic campy potenza as a neo-classic build(similar to your masi gran crit), and on the back burner now is my unicorn, my 2001 waterford rs11 in pearl white, which ill build up with 10 speed campy chorus and brooks. subscribed and looking forward to more videos

I am a Bianchi man, however I do have other Italian bicycles, second to the Bianchi is Colnago in my book.

favorite seat san marco concor!!

Super Warren une geste très sympathique

Great collection of bikes. We had a very similar looking Frejus at the local bike co-op and had so many calls and enquires on it but everyone passed once they realized it didn't have high end Campy.

I once rode a Frejus track bike. My best that I purchased new in 73 is a Masi.

Beautiful italian bikes!!! Congratulations

Hey John , great video! All those bikes were super nice but, if I had to pick one it would be the FREJUS. . fray- oos . You see many of them.

Tommasini should be easy to find in the US. Some real show-stopper looks! I ride my 1986 Racing alot, and it gives the same thrill I remember from 37 yrs ago. Though a small shop (still making 'em in Groseto) they had pretty good distribution going in the 80s & 90s.

Cools bikes, vintage steel.

Very nice collection! the Frejus, Guerciotti and Colnago Saronni red in particular are awesome! Have you considered a Tommasini? looks awesome in the red super prestige paint finish! Daccordi are also renowned for paint finishes! Legnano in the traditional retro lime gold is awesome! Bottechia, Olmo, Benotto and Somec are notable brands too.

What beautiful rides! I recently built a bike like thge "Church" - blue/yellow.

Só as lendárias do ciclismo mundial ❤😊

The Master Piu' is my personal Fav.

You have some beautiful bikes and agree the Italian bikes are like art work . Love all your videos , I’m just entering the hobby . Always enjoyed cycling never realized there is so much to learn about different brands and components. I have several lower to mid level bikes I collected . My most recent find was 2 bikes listed for free one ended up being an Italian made bike . I honestly have no clue what make it is ( badging gone ) but your videos inspire me to bring it back to life . Thank you for all the great content and sharing your amazing collection

This Sir is very fine collection of bikes. I aim to own just one. Probably a colnago or a De Rosa.

You need a red Olmo with black Super Record ;-). My dream Bike as a young Boy. I had a Ganni Motta.

Magnífico!! 🔥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WOW.. some beautiful bikes there. I really like the Basso. I missed out on buying 1 a few years back. You really should have a GIOS in there.

When I was 13 in 1974 I was getting into cycling. My friend had an uncle across town who was a bike collector. He took me to his garage one day. Full of Italian bikes. I lost my mind. Now I’m 62 and have 6 full campy Titanium bikes and no car

Beautiful collection ❤ Just need an Olympia haha. May have to go to Italy to find a good one. I was lucky to find a mid 90's fillet bazed EL-OS frame set in Poland of all places!! Only weighs 1480g for a 56x53 frame. It's a keeper for life.

Gorgeous bikes. I’m rebuilding my 1970 Colnago Super (has the holes, not clover cutout in the bottom bracket). I bought it in 1975 and rode it everywhere. It was one of the first Colnago to be brought into the US. Loved the feel of the Italian bikes of that era. I haven’t ridden it in 20-30 years. Really want to get rideable again and take it to L’Eroica. Only downside is that the paint shows some of its age and there is a ding in the top tube where the original owner crashed it in a race so it won’t quite look as nice as your bikes. 🙂

I had a Ciocc in the late 1980s. Loved that bike. Also loved that 99% people couldn't pronounce it correctly. lol

I'm voting for the Saronni red 'nago... everyone knows that the fastest bikes are the red Italian ones. 🙂 I might be biased because I've got a red Olmo Competition. It has Campy cranks with the Mexico treatment... but they are clearly marked as Campy. I have heard of other manufacturers getting the same treatment for their cranks too, so I'm not so surprised that yours are from Gipiemme. A great collection of bikes, and thanks for sharing!

WOW!

For me the epitome Italian bicycle is a Pogliaghi. But then most makers when it comes to vintage Italian bicycles built things of beauty.

So cool to see Athena Groupset parts… I have a 1990/91 ish Cannondale 3.0 Criterium frame that was originally spec’d with Athena… but I bought the frame as a new old stock item from my local bike shop and had it built up with Campagnolo Mirage, eight speed…it’s now getting upgraded to 10 spd Chorus…my favorite era of Campy… Stunning collection…Mille Grazie for sharing it The Ciocc story is hysterical… Chooch is the Italian-Americanized version of that term… Chooch, Mamalouk…same thing

Awesome collection. Weird in that I have some old ,bikes as well, but none of these. I have a Gios, a Stella, a Somec, a Vitus 979, I literally just picked up a de Rosa today, and hopefully a Molteni Orange Merckx MX leader next weekend. If you are looking for great riding bike the Gios is much like most of the ones you have, the Vitus clearly not for everyone, but I think it’s a really great riding bike. I have very high expectations for the De Rosa, and the Merckx I have been looking for for years….keep up the good work!

Thanks for sharing your wonderful collection. It looks great. And your still 'missing' some nice ones. They are already mentioned in the reactions below like Gios, Rossin, Chesini, Faggin, Viner, Moser, etc. I want to add an italian bike which you don't see often. I have one in my collection: a Pinzani.

Nice collection… Some pronunciation tips… 1 Nuovo Record = “Noo-wovo Regord” 2 Guerciotti = “Gwer-chiotti” 3 Gipiemme = “Jipi-emmay” I have a Viner (pronounced “Vee-ner”), a Tommasini, a Fondriest and 2 different era Coppis.

Amazing collection, sad I parted with my blue Pinarello Treviso but it was too big. I'm a big fan of retro-mods. I have the same Team Buckler Colnago Master Piu that I've put a modern 11 Spd chorus groupset on - Looks amazing. Cinelli supercorsa is next on my list...

I think your Atala would have had Universal 61 or 68 side or centerpulls and a 3T bar and stem. Fluted cranks for the Campy. Anyone remember Harlan Meyers' HiE?

Oh my, oh my........... ❤❤

The Cinelli Supercorsa has a similar seat cluster like on the Frejus as well.

Colnago Piu 🔥⭐️🔥 …… but they’re all special

whoa! the last time I heard 'TSDI' (Ten Speed Drive Imports) was in the mid-late 80s when I worked in a shop (Bay Area-Northern Calif). TSDI was our 'pro' distributor to our shop. I think my shop paycheck went straight to TSDI as I took advantage of the shop discount outfitting my bike first with C-Record/Delta brakes gruppo, then with the DuraAce 7400 gruppo.

I felt that I needed to pause the vid at the beautiful Colnago, that red, its just the stuff of dreams. Then u moved on to the Pinarrelo, its blue and its got super Campy stuff, its awesome, yeah Ill have the Pinarrelo.

Blue bikes with white!

Those lugged steel bikes are work of art.I also own a fillet braze cromoly bike(motobecane mirage deluxe)it is quite heavy because the tubing(s) are made of straight gauge cromoly steel😆

Your passion for these bikes is obvious, thanks for sharing! The modern pedals on the bikes with exposed cables are like a mustache on the Mona Lisa! For the video I wish you would have put on some classic clip/strap pedals even if you put the modern ones back on to ride em. What's missing in your collection? Find a nice GIOS-Torino - blue with pantographed vintage Campagnolo parts, fantastic chroming = gorgeous! Not a ran of Chinese copies of Italian bikes. Here's an Italian lesson: Guerciotti = gwer-cho-tee Basso = bah-so Campagnolo = kahm-pahn-yolo Atala = ahta-la Gios = joe-ss Ciocc = you already know the story but the Bergamo/Brescia accent/dialect is a real tonque-twister. My friends up there tried and tried to get me to say it right but I just couldn't do it, my tongue wouldn't twist the right way!

Tough Choice among a great collection.. I've always liked the Pinarellos. I'd lace up some Mavic Ma40s on that one. But I like the blue 2nd Colnago best. Love the chrome lugs, forks, your wheels, dark blue paint and lettering style but I'd go with a white Selle Italia Turbo and keep that smooth Suntour Superbe Pro on the job.

Great collection. As always, thanks for sharing John. You might like to keep your eyes open for a Giubilato - I believe they were exported to the US in reasonable numbers. Also something I would dearly like to find in my size, a Daccordi 50th anniversary model.

Hi John, besides the Sarroni Colnago ( pritiest bike ever, no argument , haha ) the Atala and the Pinarello, both my size beautifull but there again they all are. That chinese Masi was nice. As for the Cinelli retro mod, change from Campag go 9 speed Dura Ace ( beautifull groupset ) just to annoy people, haha

A lovely collection! Thank you for sharing it with us. I guess my fav there is the Masi, closely followed by the Cinelli. I was told 'Ciocci' was pronounced 'Kiok' - I'll ask my son-in-law, native Italian boy... My ATF Italian bike is still Pogliaghi; I don't see many of them. Also - when I raced in the 1960s a competitor had an Avanti bike. You or anyone hear of that brand? Italian, I would assume? Thanks, again!

The rims on the Pinarello might be Wolber profil 20. Nice collection! If I remember, I can ask my local bikeshop guy about the Colnago : )

John: I always say, I like German cars and Italian bikes, Italian cars are pretty cool too. Excellent Schwinn coverage, my first good bike...