I have an older Bianchi Alfana, all Shimano 105, celeste green. I'm the second owner, so I don't know its exact age.

I think it's from the early-to-mid '90s, and it has a different logo than what most people are used to from Bianchi--it's all capital letters, and fairly small, and it's set in some kind of weird frilly background which actually makes it a little hard to read. It's similar to the logos in the image I've attached (you can hardly read them, but I nabbed it off Ebay, so we can't be choosy).

It's my belief that this is an early Taiwanese model, and as such the components are worth more than the frame, but I'm trying to verify this before I go trying to sell it (it's too big, and I've got two other bikes to ride anyway).

Can anybody confirm my Taiwan suspicions? It's possible that it's older than I think, and could be a Japanese (more valuable) model, but I doubt it.

I just picked up a couple of "project bikes" of roughly the same vintage (an Eros and a Boardwalk), and they both have the "Made in Taiwan" stickers. The Boardwalk has the same decals you described, and I was told by the seller that it was actually a late '80s model. I couldn't call either of them examples of state-of-the-art bike building, but they're both more than satisfactory. Is yours one of the lugged, Superset frames?

It's a lugged frame, alright. I don't know what a Superset frame is, so I couldn't say. If you have some kind of identifying characteristic I can check, I will.

In discussing various other aspects of the bike with others, it sounds like it is indeed a late 80s.

I can't say it's that bad of a frame, but it hardly matters as it doesn't fit me. I found it a little whippy, but it's a 61, so you give up a good deal of stiffness right there. It also bears a few hallmarks of the lower end, such as full-length cable housings (instead of stops at either end of a tube with bare cable between).

I've recently procured a for-real Italian Bianchi Reparto Corse frame to build up, so I'm happy.

There'd be a decal reading "SUPERSET" on the seat tube; I think the name was something Bianchi used on the early Taiwan-made bikes to help counter negative reaction to a non-Italian product. The tubesets were Tange, nothing exotic. The lugs are pretty basic, but the overall effect is nice enough, especially on the Boardwalk, which has a celeste paintjob that's still (nearly) flawless. It might be "only" a hybrid, but it's a great-looking one. The Eros, alas, is going to need some cosmetic help....

I just picked up a couple of "project bikes" of roughly the same vintage (an Eros and a Boardwalk), and they both have the "Made in Taiwan" stickers. The Boardwalk has the same decals you described, and I was told by the seller that it was actually a late '80s model. I couldn't call either of them examples of state-of-the-art bike building, but they're both more than satisfactory. Is yours one of the lugged, Superset frames?

Hey Walrus,
I just recently purchased an older Bianchi. It's a Premio, is there anything you can tell me about this bike? Such as its possibly age, relative quality, etc.? It also has an made in Taiwan sticker, does this mean the bike is somewhat inferior to the other bikes Bianchi makes? Any info would be appreciated! Thanks, archie765

Inferior? Some people would say if it wasn't made in Italy, it ain't a Bianchi, but I'm obviously not that kind of purist. The only Premios I've run across must have been about the same vintage as my two "project" bikes, i.e., late 80s/early 90s; components were a mix of 7sp Suntour and Shimano, which would have put them in the lower/middle part of the Bianchi hierarchy. They looked nice, but not exotic. Maybe someone else on the forum is more familiar with them?

....with a Made in Taiwan label on the front of the headtube. It happened to be very nicely built and finished.
I have an older Bianchi Alfana, all Shimano 105, celeste green. I'm the second owner, so I don't know its exact age.

I think it's from the early-to-mid '90s, and it has a different logo than what most people are used to from Bianchi--it's all capital letters, and fairly small, and it's set in some kind of weird frilly background which actually makes it a little hard to read. It's similar to the logos in the image I've attached (you can hardly read them, but I nabbed it off Ebay, so we can't be choosy).

It's my belief that this is an early Taiwanese model, and as such the components are worth more than the frame, but I'm trying to verify this before I go trying to sell it (it's too big, and I've got two other bikes to ride anyway).

Can anybody confirm my Taiwan suspicions? It's possible that it's older than I think, and could be a Japanese (more valuable) model, but I doubt it.