atala

1956

Atala team bike by Galmozzi

Framebuider: Francesco Galmozzi
Serial: 5623
Condition: PRESERVED
Rear derailleur: Simplex Juy 543
Front derailluer: Simplex made in Italy
Headset: Bollea Saluzzo BS
Shifters: Simplex
Hubs: Campgnolo Gran Sport
Handlebar and stem: Ambrosio Champion
Crankset: L. Magistroni
Bottom bracket: Magistroni Nick Crom
Brake levers: Universal 51
Brakes: Universal Extra 353949
Saddle: Brooks B17 customized by OTTUSI
Pedals: Sheffield Sprint
Rims: Nisi

Photo: Frameteller

The bicycle was found still perfectly preserved with the original components, even cables and sheaths of the gear group are original.
It is possible to identify this bike as the twenty-third of 1956 built for the Atala pro racing team due to serial the number with only 4 digits (used only on team bikes), and the special design of lugs, saddle node, and fork head. Plus the components - top of the line for 1956 - are not marked Atala like those used on the stock bikes. I could only find the same exact design of lugs and fork head in Rebour's drawings in the 1957 magazine “Le Cycle,” where he describes an Atala bike used in the 1956 Tour de France; unfortunately, the name in the caption is incorrect (Tosato raced for Torpado, not Atala). The beautiful front derailleur, is really a very special compoenent, built by Simplex Italy in 1956 was produced in a few examples for only one year. Interesting was Atala's solution of painting the body of the derailleur with the same color as the bike. The Simplex Juy 543 rear derailleur, with its cable routing system welded to the frame, was also used on all standard Atala bikes. Galmozzi for some of the 1950s built frames for the Atala team, in this frame it is possible to recognize several construction details, as well as the 4-digit serial number and the vent holes on the chainstays and fork, which make it plausible that it was built by Francesco.