Shop

LEGNANO Roma Campagnolo Cambio Corsa G.Bartali 1948
LEGNANO Roma Campagnolo Cambio Corsa, G.BARTALI replica (1947-48) – SOLD
16/12/2021
COLNAGO C40HP by Oscar FREIRE Team Rabobank 2004
COLNAGO C40HP Team Rabobank – ridden by Oscar FREIRE (2004) – SOLD
16/12/2021
Show all

LEGNANO Roma Corsa, Vittoria Margherita gears – G.BARTALI TdF replica (1938) – SOLD

The name Legnano entered in the world of cycling in 1908, when Emilio Bozzi founded his company “Emilio Bozzi & C”.m based in Milan, Italy. He was a great businessman and had idea was to produce hiqh quality bicycles. In the meanwhile Bozzi acquired several brands like Pearl and Frejus. “The logo of the Legnano brand is based on the warrior “Alberto da Giussano“. Alberto da Giussano was an Italian legendary Guelph warrior during the wars of the Lombard League against Frederick Barbarossa in 12th century. A tradition, probably fabricated by 14th century Milanese chroniclers, attributes to him the deed of forming the “Company of Death” that defended the Carroccio of the League at the Battle of Legnano.

Legnano had his own professional cycling team active from 1908 to 1966. It is ranked as the 6th most successful cycling team in history. Many biggest victories were achieved on Legnano bikes, thanks to biggest champions of the cycling history like Alfredo Binda, Learco Guerra, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi and Ercole Baldini. The team participated in the Giro di Italia 46 times, won the team classification 11 times and earned 135 stage winsFrom the 1930’s to the mid 1950’s, the top road bike from Legnano was the Tipo Roma.

 

Gino Bartali (18 July 1914 – 5 May 2000), nicknamed The man of steel, Gino the Pious, Ginettaccio, was one of the biggest champions of road cycling history. He was the most renowned Italian cyclist in mid/late1930s – ealry 1950s having won the Giro d’Italia three times (1936, 1937 nad 1946), the Tour de France twice (1938 and 1948), Italian championship 4 times (1935, 1937, 1940 and 1952), Milano – San Remo 4 times (1939, 1940, 1947, 1950). His second Tour de France victory in 1948 gave him the largest gap between victories in the race.

Bartali was a good climber and a pioneer of using gears and derailleurs. His style was unusual: he rarely danced on the pedals and often stayed in the saddle throughout a 15 km climb. When others attacked, he stayed in the saddle but changed up gear, to a sprocket three teeth smaller. He rode smoothly over the mountains but every now and then freewheeled, always with his right foot lowered with his weight on it. Then a second or two later he would start pedalling again.

Gino Bartali (BARTALI Team)

Gino Bartali

Bartali earned respect for his work in helping Jews who were being persecuted by the Nazis during the time of the Italian Social Republic. It emerged in December 2010 that Bartali had hidden a Jewish family in his cellar and, according to one of the survivors, saved their lives in doing so. Bartali used his fame to carry messages and documents to the Italian Resistance. Bartali cycled from Florence through Tuscany, Umbria, and Marche, many times traveling as far afield as Assisi, all the while wearing the racing jersey emblazoned with his name. Neither the Fascist police nor the German troops risked discontent by arresting him.

Bartali’s rivalry with Fausto Coppi divided Italy. Bartali, a conservative, was venerated in the rural, agrarian from the south. While Coppi was more worldly, secular, innovative in diet and training, was a hero of the industrial north.

Biggest rivals - F.Coppi and G.Bartali

Biggest rivals – F.Coppi and G.Bartali

There are many stories about Bartali that will never be forgotten. In 1943, he led Jewish refugees towards the Swiss Alps himself. He cycled, pulling a wagon with a secret compartment, telling patrols it was just part of his training. Bartali told his son Andrea only that “One does these things and then that’s that”. Even after the war he never boasted his merits, he used to say: “The good is done, but it is not said. And certain medals hang on the soul, not on the jacket.”

 

Proudly presenting this legendary Italian top class racing machine – LEGNANO Corsa which dates back to 1937-38. The frame shines in iconic Legnano yellow paintjob, made of special seamless drawn light steel tubes, typical Legnano lugs and seat clamp which has a bolt under the top tube. Legendary “chain oiler” based on the seat tube with oil braze-on on the top of the bottom bracket. The cheery on the top of the cake are the parts: Vittoria Margherita gearing system, Uniersal 361666 levers and brakes, steel stem and handlebar, A.F.C. wooden rims, BROOKS saddle. Gino Bartali won 1938 Tour de France on almost identical bike. 

Iconic and very collectible! Nice catch for any vintage bike collector. L’Eroica ready.

 

 

Frame & Fork: Legnano Roma Corsa (no.H1251)

Size:

-seat tube (c-t): 57.5 cm

-top tube (c-c): 56.5 cm

-headset tube: 12.7 cm

-standover: 78.8 cm

Crankset: Legnano

Gearing system: Vittoria Margherita

Brake Levers: Universal 361666

Brakes: Universal

Handlebar: steel

Stem: steel

Hubs: Legnano

Rims: A.F.C. wooden

Saddle: BROOKS

Handlebar tape: red

Air pump: Legnano

 

 

Condition: Used, but good condition. Completely restored and refurbished. No cracks, no dents, not bent. All parts are working fine.

Year: 1938-39

Price: SOLD (December 2021)