1973 Pogliaghi Italicorse

Pogliaghi Italcorse (Brügelmann Mod. E/M Extra Leicht) 1973
serial D570

Purchased on eBay (Germany) as a complete machine in July 2010 for $1230. Back on the road 1 January 2016

The best I can determine, frame no. D570 was manufactured by Pogliaghi, Milano, in 1973 for Brügelmann's in Frankfurt. This is based on no. D574 (on Flickr and belonging to a German collector) and no. D558 (sold on German eBay in June 2010) with the same Faema colours and stampings on the bottom bracket shell. The original Brügelsmann's sales receipt for no. 574 is dated 1973 and also has a '73 Pat. derailleur. D570 has '73 date coded cranks. Mine had the white overpainted in silver but the original red head and seat tube band and decals masked off and intact.

Brügelmann's of Frankfurt remains one of Europe's largest mail order suppliers of high quality racing cycles, components, accessories and clothing and has been in business for 80 years. In the 1970s, it was the main Continental supplier of some of the top Italian racing bike marques including Colnago, Cinelli, Bianchi, Gios, Coppi and Pogliaghi at a time when many did not have their own distribution outside of Italy. Only the best models of each were offered and these were often further embellished with select top end components and special finishes. Most have distinctive serial stampings as well indicating they were produced specifically for Brügelmann's.

Some models like the Cinelli Leggerissimo and Pogliaghi Extra Leicht were offered in extra light versions featuring Brügelmann's own range of custom lightened, drilled and milled Campagnolo components. The bottom bracket shells were also extensively drilled. See separate album showing the "Brugelmann Finish" components when these were offered separately c. 1977-79.

The Pogliaghi E/M Extra Leicht, said to be 13% lighter than conventional models, came only in a special Faema Team racing livery and cost DM 358 c. 1972 whereas the standard Italcorse model costing DM 308 was offered in a choice of standard colours. The model was apparently offered in 1972-73 only and backordered when the 1973 catalogue was printed. Obviously, it was restocked and sold quite well as most of the documented surviving machines are 1973s.

All of the surviving examples of the Brugelmann Pogliaghi Faema Teams that have published photos on the web are without their drilled/milled components. Possibly the 1973s were available in Faema colours without these.

Mine was purchased with mostly Zeus 2000 components but with the original drilled chainrings. A set of original drilled/milled components (brakeset, front and rear derailleurs and seat post) with red pick-outs that came from a 1973 Pogliaghi Extra Leicht was offered on eBay in June 2011 but I didn't bid high enough and lost the chance to restore this to rare and original condition. Frustrating! This has instead been built up with stock Campagnolo Nuovo Record components including the large flange hubs these machines had originally.

Frame
Material: Columbus double butted tubing (silver foil decal)
Finish (repaint per original): Faema Racing Team livery
Size: seat tube 63 cm (c to t) (25”), 59.5 cm (c to c) top tube 60 cm (c to c)
Chainstay length: 42 cm (c to c)
Bottom bracket height: 10 5/8th inches
Wheelbase: 101 cm (40) inches (c to c)
Angles: 73º head 73º seat
Fork offset: 1½ inches
Rear spacing: 120 mm
Lugs: Pogliaghi pattern with cut-outs
Fork Crown: Fisher sand-cast with chromed cap
Dropouts: Campagnolo forged, chromed facings
Braze-ons: Campagnolo cable guides top of bb shell, chain stay cable stop, gear lever bosses and one pair of bottle cage bosses on down tube
Serial nos:D (reversed) 570 stamped at top of seat tube non drive side, BES and 63 stamped on bb undershell

Components
Rear derailleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record 1020/a pat. 73 Front deralleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record 1052/1
Gear levers: Campagnolo 1014 (original)
Chainset: Campagnolo Record Strada 1049, 43t x 52t drilled chainrings, 170 cm cranks 73 date code (original)
Bottom bracket: F.T. Bologna Extra Rolling (original) Italian thread
Headset: Campagnolo Record 1039 Italian thread (original)
Stem: Cinelli 1A, 125 mm, allen bolt fixing (original)
Handlebars: Cinelli Campione del Mondo No. 64, 40 cm (original), Olmo red plastic tape
Brakes: Campagnolo Nuovo Record 2040 side-pull, nutted bolt fitting
Brake levers: Campagnolo Record
Brake cable clips: Campagnolo chrome-plated (original)
Seatpost: Campagnolo Record, 27.0 mm
Seat binder bolt: Campagnolo (original)
Saddle: Cinelli Unicanitor no. 3 suede Buffalo hide (original)
Pedals: Campagnolo Superleggeri (SL) 1037/a
Toeclips and straps: ALE toeclips, Christophe toe straps
Rims: Nisi polished alloy 36-hole sprints
Hubs: Campagnolo Record 36-hole high-flange with Campagnolo straight-lever quick release skewers
Spokes: 3x 15 straight-gauge stainless steel
Freewheel: Regina 13-14-15-17-19t, five-speed
Chain: Regina
Tyres: Tufo S-33 sew-ups
Weight: 22.2 lbs