What is this frame?

[RollingThunder]

Can anybody give me any information on this frame? Manufacturer or model?

It's Columbus Steel; has the frame size and an "R" under the BB, and has Gipiemme dropouts. It also has a dove at the top of the seat stays.

[Jezrant]

Hmmm, hard to say that one. Looks like a decent Italian (?) frame from the 1980s. Is the threading of the bottom bracket Italian? Do you have the fork? The dove on the seat stay eye is the Columbus tubing logo.

[Garry Booth]

The Tommasini website has a pic with a dove on a front fork here: http://www.tommasini.it/eng/steel-frame-sintesi.php
could be a clue

[Garry Booth]

ah ok, so the dove is the Columbus mark

[RollingThunder]

I guessed it was the Columbus logo, but I'd never seen it on anything other than a sticker. The threading is Italian, but unfortunately I don't have the fork

[willcee]

It is possibly a trade show exhibit made for Columbus by one of their Italian Master builders as a show case for a new columbus tube.. the man to ask would be Norris Lockley Settle N Yorks.. who traded with French and Italian manufactures directly and was well known at Continental shows.. he was also a builder of note and did some really neat stuff, he was also very knowledgeable on strange frames..if you pm me i'll get you his contact details.. will

[Valbrona]

If that is a Columbus frame, which it is, why does it not have a sticker, assuming original paintwork? Answer: It might be budget Columbus tubing.

[Cunobelin]

Slightly OT

I thought that I would Google the GP Emme on the rear dropout to see if that gave any clues and got this helpful image:

[thirdcrank]

It is possibly a trade show exhibit ...

I was wondering what led you to that conclusion, but it dawned on me that it looks as though it has never been assembled into a bike.

[RickH]

Slightly OT

I thought that I would Google the GP Emme on the rear dropout to see if that gave any clues and got this helpful image:

You might do better (& be less OT) googling "Gipiemme"

[willcee]

third crank..maybe I'm bringing experience to bear ....most frame or tube manufacturers wouldn't always build a frame into a full bike ..especially if it was a new tube they wanted to show off.. and as to the other comment.. why would they build a frame from as yet unknown ''special'' Columbus tubes and not put their Columbus trade mark on it.. i have had many Columbus frames through my hands and refinished quite a few from bare steel,they usually stencil the bare top tube left side with the tube format... i have yet to see the dove pantograph on the top eyes of any i ever worked with..however ...i could be totally wrong.. ..personally i cannot see a frame build with other than what could be in your view ''Gara'' tube utilising the panto of the tube manufacturer..yes, agree, in the pics it looks as if its never been built , or ridden .. is it a 62 c/c?? ..will

[Brucey]

the weight of the frame and the seat pin diameter will be good clues to the type of tubing you have there.

cheers

[RollingThunder]

Thanks Gents for all your help. Due to the contact provided by Willcee, we've cracked it.

As most of us said, the frame is Italian. It was made by a small builder called BIEMMEZETA based just outside Padova. It was most likely built in the 80s. They made frames that were sold to other companies to sticker, and well as keeping frames to be sold in their own name. Beware because there's also a food manufacturer with the same name!

The mark/logo/motif represents a bird in flight, and is not the dove used by Columbus. If you look closely, you see that it is slightly different from the Columbus dove. The dropouts were usually either Campagnolo or Gipiemme. They are supposed to be a good, solid road frames that ride well, and are very good all purpose frames.

Depending on their condition, their old mid-range frames go for anywhere between €20 - €245. I was contacted by a couple of US riders who use them, telling me that they are the fastest steel frames they have ever ridden, and very responsive to acceleration.

I won't be hanging an expensive groupset on it, but it will make a very good workhorse!

[willcee]

well done ..i had a feeling that Norris would come through.. glad to be of assistance..lets see it when you have it built.. will

[Hackfall]

based on the google pic maybe its made from pig iron