John C.’s 1970ish Ganna 10-Speed

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John C. from Detroit submitted this OTSG first, an Italian Ganna 10-Speed. Very Nice!

Italian Ganna 10-Speed

Ganna Headbadge3T Quill StemCampagnolo Valentino RDLuigi Ganna

My Italian 10 speed road bike – a Ganna, which I’d guess to be from around 1970. It was an entry level bike for this maker, though I’d suppose it was much better than some. It has Chromed lugs and fork caps, Campy down tube shifters and derailleurs, with Campagnolo Valentino on rear and an unusual cam and plunger design at the front. It has alloy drop bars with a 3ttt quill stem; old-school pedals; Universal brake calipers; and Balilla brake levers.
I had to clean it up some, true the wheels, install new cables, bar tape, tires & etc. I am pleased with it and wish I could keep it, but I have too many OTS’s.…(I am sure some will say “That’s not possible.”).
It’s a reasonably light and comfortable bike. Shifting with the Valentino is a little clunky, but adds a note of authenticity, in harmony with that high “whirring” sound the brakes make, when gripping the dimpled-steel rims. – BTW, I found that Ganna is still making bikes. The company was founded in 1912 by Luigi Ganna, a famous Italian racer. This link gives a little historical perspective:
http://www.giubilatocicli.com/english/azienda.html

Thanks John

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  • spike

    What this looks like is a “debranded” Atala. The logo is identical to Atala’s, and the other details are also similar. This was common in the 1960s into the early 70s: Helium was the off-brand Peugeout, and St.Etienne was the off-brand Gitane, for example. The reason was often a minor quality control issue with the frame; if it did not pass inspection but the defect was minor, the frame was shunted off to a different assembly line, often (but not always) fitted with cheaper components, and sold as a slightly cheaper brand. That’s my take on your “Ganna”. I could be wrong.