# 1998 Bianchi Martini Racing welded steel frame



## bbulmann (Dec 27, 2014)

Hi all,

Came across a Bianchi Martini Racing frame for sale and started wondering what year it was. I haven't seen a welded one except the Ti models in a while. It took me a little bit to narrow it down, but the lack of lugs knocks out the 95-97 bikes, and the "X34" on the seat stay was only on the 1998 frames.

The tubing is Deddaccai Zero, with a shaped, double butted downtube, traditional double butted seat and top tubes, wishbone stays and Ritchey dropouts. I have read that the rear triangle was a different Deddaccai steel, not Zero, thus the frame material for the 1998 is sometimes listed as "Deddaccai mix." Or so says the interweb.

It's a bit beat up- especially the rust on the wishbone stay- shame it wasn't better taken care of. All the Martini frames were made by hand at the Reparto Corse facility. I've seen some of these that were true beauties, but I don't know if I would ride too hard on this one with that rear stay so rusted... or, maybe just a repaint is in order. These were awesome frames.

Anyone else have a Martini Racing team bike?


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## eshew (Jan 30, 2004)

I've got a similar one. And absolutely love it. The fit is perfect and rides like a dream.


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## bbulmann (Dec 27, 2014)

eshew said:


> I've got a similar one. And absolutely love it. The fit is perfect and rides like a dream.


I've heard similar. I just don't know if I want to jump on this one (literally) with the chain stay so rusted. Haven't seen it in person, but it looks pretty gouged. Maybe not sucH a big deal, but it's hard to tell. But I do love those Martini frames.


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## datmony (Jul 12, 2012)

You should have jumped on it. It actually cleaned up really nice and was in far better condition than the pictures would have indicated. It is a wonderful frame and the custom formed downtube is absolutely other worldly. Here is what it looks like with all 952 other than xt top mounts and a 950 rebuildable BB. Post is m910 with a rare Ideale 90 saddle. I will likely swap the headset out to a later King versus the no logo one that is on there now for a little more correctness. I also have a '98 SID that I will likely swap over to this from my Soulcraft but also tossing around the idea of a Marzocchi on it for obvious reasons.

Really happy with how the build turned out. Stem might need to go to a 120 at some point but a lot of that will be determined by what fork finally lives on it.









Sorry for the stand picture...... only one of it I have gotten yet..... some in the wild to come later......


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## peter.thedrake (Aug 6, 2009)

The higher end Bianchi's seem to be really nice and there aren't a ton of them around. It would be nice if there were more information on them. I've been trying to find catalogs or other information, but almost everything is posted in bits and pieces on forums and some website info on the Martini and Motorex-Bianchi teams. Not much else.

I like what you did with yours though I would have gone with a racier saddle.


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## datmony (Jul 12, 2012)

Yea, I don't have a single bike in the collection that doesn't have a leather saddle on it. I started with a Ideale 89 on my MB-1 back in 95 or so when I got sick of a small wreck destroying a $125 saddle. Bought my first Ideale out of a bin for like $15 and have never ridden anything else since.

I know what you mean about there not being a lot of info around on these Bianchis. I picked up a like new Peregrine the other day that has a Ritchey Logic fork on it but with different, wider blades from any I had seen before. The rest of the frame is Tange Infinity. It is lugged and really cool..... Matches my Super Grizzly......


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## eshew (Jan 30, 2004)

We almost have twins!

Really happy with how the build turned out. Stem might need to go to a 120 at some point but a lot of that will be determined by what fork finally lives on it.

View attachment 966890


Sorry for the stand picture...... only one of it I have gotten yet..... some in the wild to come later......[/QUOTE]


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## datmony (Jul 12, 2012)

I have been thinking about that same Thomson seatpost in it as I have quite a few of them around. Did you have to have the frame fixed at one point or something? Wondering why the back half is stripped.....


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## peter.thedrake (Aug 6, 2009)

I'm guessing it's a Ti or aluminum frame based on the ENORMOUS downtube.


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## datmony (Jul 12, 2012)

Eschew confirmed it was Ti. Lovely frame.


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