Classic & Vintage - ***Let’s check off another Holy Grail… (Picture Heavy)***

I hear of the term “holy grail” on these forums a lot, it seems to be very different for everyone, sometimes it’s a specific model, or just something nice in their ideal brand or sometimes it’s just color.

I was browsing around on ebay a little bit ago, not even really searching for this bike. I was looking for campy parts. I loaded up the ebay page and at the mid section of ebay there’s a section that said “Recommendations for you”. I believe they base this on what you’ve searched on ebay and they try to show things that they think you’ll be interested in. I caught it out of the corner of my eye and clicked on it.

The starting bid wasn’t too bad for what it was worth. I had been searching for one in good condition and this color (one of the best colors ever, despite what anyone says) for some time now. I looked at the auction and figured that it would go for way more than the start price, so for kicks I added it to my watch list for the hell of it. It was gorgeous to me, I remember drooling when I saw the auction pictures and the condition that it was in, plus what was on it. My trigger finger got itchier and itchier as the days passed and the auction winded down. It seemed too good to be true, I thought for sure there would be someone that would try to snipe this at the last minute. I waited and waited till the last few minutes and ended up winning the auction.

A week and a bit later and a little bit of a drive it was in my hands. I remember opening the box and being super relieved that it was package very very well. As I pulled the foam pieces and tape and piping insulation off, I noticed that it was not as nice as in the pictures, it was even better!!! I was getting more and more excited as I unraveled the bike and assembled it. I was a kid on Christmas day.

I’ve been riding it for the last couple weeks or so, been on it about 7-8 times on bike rides and whipping around downtown doing errands and picking up stuff here and there. It seems that everytime I’m on the bike people seem to love to stare and look at it, and I’ve gotten many compliments about the bike from people who know nothing about bikes to the average bike nuts, the girls seem to love this color, as i've had random girls go "nice bike!" as opposed to any of my other bikes.

**Drumroll
So without further ado, here are the pics:

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3444.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3431-1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3441.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3445.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3432.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3433.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3435.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3437.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3446.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3447.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c352/Andrewly_44/IMG_3430paint.jpg


The variance in lighting in the photos may be a little different because I was taking the photos near sunset.

I’ve been looking for a nice celeste for so long now. It seemed that everyone I came across had some sort of rusting or bad chipping on the paint, maybe the older versions don’t have high quality paint?

This is not quite as vintage as I know a lot of people on her like, but this is more than good enough for me!, and especially cause it’s got brifters!! I’m guessing it’s somewhere in the early 90’s, it still has lugs though! And nice chrome rear fork and half chrome front fork.

I’m actually really glad I got this model, you guys have got to see the paint on this thing, it’s celeste but there an awesome blue tinge to the clear coat, most celestes I’ve seen just have normal clear coat but this one has an amazing blue sheen to it at certain angles.

I do need someone to help me date the year of the bike, hopefully bianchi girl sees this, I will have to pm her. The only thing I see is reparto course on the bottom seat stay near the bottom bracket on the non-drive side.

I hope you guys enjoy the photos, I still have to take pics of the hubs and frame sticker, it’s Columbus EL-OS, it was getting darker out so I couldn’t take them.

I was gonna list all the parts and so on, but I was gonna let you guys play I SPY for me :D let’s see who can get all of it correct :)

That's a nice looking bike!

Wow. That thing looks virginal.

What a beautiful celeste, aero, Bianchi you scored. it looks immaculate in your pictures. Hope you enjoy the ride! I am sure Bianchigirl can give you good gouge on this bicycle, she really knows her stuff on Bianchis. I haven't seen many in a complete aero around here, we didn't have a dealer until the early 2000's. Neat you scored that gem.

Bill

Very Beautiful!

I believe that color or variation was called Nuovo Celeste, it was Celeste with a bluish pearl topcoat. al EL OS frame would certainlty be early '90 and likely would have been either a frame only or a sort of 'kit'. I suspect judging from the older style cranks and Deltas that perhaps the previous owner had gotten the frame and transferred alot of his older parts. but then again I would have to snoop through the catalogs to see just when that big sexxy crank was dropped in favor of the narrower profile one.

wow, that's a very nice score!

Wow. That thing looks virginal.

yea there's a couple really really tiny knicks on the bike, it's pretty immaculate. I could not believe the condition either


Very Beautiful!

I believe that color or variation was called Nuovo Celeste, it was Celeste with a bluish pearl topcoat. al EL OS frame would certainlty be early '90 and likely would have been either a frame only or a sort of 'kit'. I suspect judging from the older style cranks and Deltas that perhaps the previous owner had gotten the frame and transferred alot of his older parts. but then again I would have to snoop through the catalogs to see just when that big sexxy crank was dropped in favor of the narrower profile one.

I'd love to know what model it was bianchi girl! if you can check that'd be great!

man I would love to own something like that.

Wow! That's super nice! If I have such a bike, I would stop looking for any other. Okay, maybe a beater as that's just immaculate. :)

That's not a bike, that's a work of art. :love:

That thing looks new, nice find!

That's a beaut, and pretty much what I want my Bianchi to become one day. Lovely.

I really like Nuovo Celeste (thanks BG). A friend has a CX bike with that paint and it looks awesome (when it's clean). The ladies love it too, as you're discovering! If I was a single man I would always have either a celeste Bianchi or small puppy with me at all times.

Very nicely done. I love the look of Deltas. Such a sweet ride.

Super nice. To me it would look even more amazing with blackwall tires. That blue is slightly, well, not celeste. But I'm being picky, I know.

That is a gorgeous bike! Nice find! I was beginning to think, from the stories on this forum, that getting a bike in such good condition via eBay was not likely.

Is that fork bent?:)

Are the Atlanta 96 wheels original? Could it be some type of special one year only Olympics model?

Very nice!! One i'll have a celeste too. Enjoy :)

Is that fork bent?:)

Are the Atlanta 96 wheels original? Could it be some type of special one year only Olympics model?

There are no Atlanta 96 wheels, they were the aeor version of campy clincher rims BITD. I'd love to have a set but they are prohibitively expensive (due to the fixie crowd), since Atlanta 96 were the first olympic games I watched consciously :)

Looks great!

Very nice bike and parts. Parts are 1st generation Ergopower (1992). Rearderailleur looks a bit newer.

That's a beaut, and pretty much what I want my Bianchi to become one day. Lovely.

The ladies love it too, as you're discovering! If I was a single man I would always have either a celeste Bianchi or small puppy with me at all times.

oh i'm single right now :D, i gtg buy a puppy and take it for walks while i'm on the bike, i should be irresistible to chicks now!!! (just kidding)



Super nice. To me it would look even more amazing with blackwall tires. That blue is slightly, well, not celeste. But I'm being picky, I know.

I was thinking about the celeste tires for this thing, the vittoria rubino's with the double line and whatnot when i was waiting to get the bike. But as i put it together the tires actually really worked on the bike for me, i know it's not celeste but somehow it works for me, i guess they're kinda similar on the bright color pastel charts.

anyone running celeste tires on their bikes?



Very nice bike and parts. Parts are 1st generation Ergopower (1992). Rearderailleur looks a bit newer.

I cannot pinpoint the rear derailleur, looks like some sort of record. any guesses people?


Anyways thanks for all your kind comments so far! i'm still amazed at the bike everytime i see it in my basement. I shall make sure i read all your comments to Bernadette (the bianchi) just to let her know how special she truely is! :D

Wow! This might be the best looking Bianchi I have seen. You may have just converted me.

Looks like a very nice bicycle.:thumb:

Too bad about the color, 'though.:(

:D

This has all the visual stimulus that once got burned into my psyche when I was staring at a celeste Bianchi in a window display as a young boy. I've adored celeste ever since.
A thing of beauty. Congrats.

Glad you got pictures up of this one! As good as these pictures are, the bike in person looks even better. It is unbelievably pristine. It has super-tight clearances and what looked to me to be very racy geometry, so I was expecting it to have a stiff, somewhat twitchy ride. AT first I didn't want to even try it out but I got talked into it and man, what a ride! The thing is smooooth, way more so than I would have expected. I felt like taking off on the thing, but I heard mapleleafs13 struggling to stuff his giant shoes into the toe-clips of my Cinelli behind me so I stopped. Anyway this one's definitely a keeper.

I agree with you "one of the best colors ever, despite what anyone says"...

And hey, it gets the girls!

I agree with you "one of the best colors ever, despite what anyone says"...

And hey, it gets the girls!

according to tashi, along with one of these:

http://images.paraorkut.com/img/wallpapers/1600x1200/c/cute_puppy-5312.jpg

i will be unstoppable

I'm not even into Italian bikes or derailleurs, but that ride is da bomb! Nice pick Maple...

Wish my Giro looked that good! Great score, man. I guess there's hope for me finding a pristine celeste like that... after the kids are out of college!

Thats an awesome bike man! Good work! You know what you need though?


http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6174729333_9edf415e93_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6174730231_aaf205d106_b.jpg




They came off this;

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6174728405_3d1137a5ae_b.jpg


My girlfriend wanted to paint it purple :eek: , so I sold this bike for its own safety and got her a purple bike but I kept the bottle and pump. If you're interested im sure a trade can be arranged

Very nice bike! Congratulations on a good score.

I'm not even into Italian bikes or derailleurs, but that ride is da bomb! Nice pick Maple...


thanks man!, hey i hope you enjoy those cranks i sent you!

I bet if you fit a basket and townie bars to the front of that bike and put the pup in there you'd never get a full nights sleep again. C&V would hate you, but I doubt you'd care...

The trick is keeping the dog a puppy.


according to tashi, along with one of these:

http://images.paraorkut.com/img/wallpapers/1600x1200/c/cute_puppy-5312.jpg

i will be unstoppable

yea there's a couple really really tiny knicks on the bike, it's pretty immaculate. I could not believe the condition either



I'd love to know what model it was bianchi girl! if you can check that'd be great!

is there a Reparto Corse decal on the left chainstay? most all RC models are simply named for the tubing and group if sold as a complete bike. so this would have been for example EL OS, or EL OS Chorus.

Must be an in-person thing regarding the "new Celeste". In most of the pics I really can't tell the difference between old and new.

However, every picture most definitely screams "new" when it comes to this bike's condition! This is an amazing find, and even more amazing was how you got it. I would have thought this would've had buyers lined up, particularly as it's coming up on 20 years old and entering the vintage category. That and its pristine condition, of course - you really made out on this beauty!

The Atlantas did in fact come as separate rims and not built-up wheels. I recall them being pretty robust (read: heavy) when built with Campy SR hubs in the clincher version. Not that they're not beautiful rims!

Don't you just love opening up a box and finding what's inside exceeds your expectations? I felt the same way when I unwrapped the Spinella (Olympia) :)

Great score, Andy!

DD

Yes that's an impressive bike. I actually never liked that color myself, but I've come to at least respect it. It does look cool when everything matches. The tires are 'close' and I'll give you a pass on that :-)

EL OS came as a frame set only in '95+96. Bianchi was doing a 'kit' thing then but I still sort of think this was built from the original owners parts. anyone know for certain when Campi bid a farewell to Deltas?

The trick is keeping the dog a puppy.
If you can figure it out, you're all set.
Beautiful bike.

Hey,aren't we being a little fickle?What about the Montello?(gorgeous bike!)

beautiful

is there a Reparto Corse decal on the left chainstay? most all RC models are simply named for the tubing and group if sold as a complete bike. so this would have been for example EL OS, or EL OS Chorus.


yes it does have that sticker on the left drive stay near the bb


Hey,aren't we being a little fickle?What about the Montello?(gorgeous bike!)

haha..i got some really nice stuff for the montello lately, i still gotta figure out if i want to go 9 speed or 8 speed on the montello, i have two wheelsets and one is a campy 8 speed, and the other is a 9speed, i believe you can't use the 8 speed cassette on the 9 speed campy hub?


Must be an in-person thing regarding the "new Celeste". In most of the pics I really can't tell the difference between old and new.

However, every picture most definitely screams "new" when it comes to this bike's condition! This is an amazing find, and even more amazing was how you got it. I would have thought this would've had buyers lined up, particularly as it's coming up on 20 years old and entering the vintage category. That and its pristine condition, of course - you really made out on this beauty!

The Atlantas did in fact come as separate rims and not built-up wheels. I recall them being pretty robust (read: heavy) when built with Campy SR hubs in the clincher version. Not that they're not beautiful rims!

Don't you just love opening up a box and finding what's inside exceeds your expectations? I felt the same way when I unwrapped the Spinella (Olympia) :)

Great score, Andy!

DD

The old owner said the same thing about the atlanta rims, he said they were "heavy" it hasn't really bothered me lately. I'm more happy on how it was put together, they're on c-record hubs too in pretty good condition, so i guess i can't complain.



Yes that's an impressive bike. I actually never liked that color myself, but I've come to at least respect it. It does look cool when everything matches. The tires are 'close' and I'll give you a pass on that :-)

That's the tires that came with it, i actually like it, it's kind a contrast from the celeste, but still goes with the bike, i was gonna change it to the vittoria rubino celeste's or find another celeste tire, but this will do for now, it's grown on me....

SICK! Now I have to decide which pic to select as my new screen saver...

SICK! Now I have to decide which pic to select as my new screen saver...

this one LOL

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=219873&d=1316836335

this one LOL

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=219873&d=1316836335

I would if the back ground were to be a nice red brick wall...

wow...

Glad you got pictures up of this one! As good as these pictures are, the bike in person looks even better. It is unbelievably pristine. It has super-tight clearances and what looked to me to be very racy geometry, so I was expecting it to have a stiff, somewhat twitchy ride. AT first I didn't want to even try it out but I got talked into it and man, what a ride! The thing is smooooth, way more so than I would have expected. I felt like taking off on the thing, but I heard mapleleafs13 struggling to stuff his giant shoes into the toe-clips of my Cinelli behind me so I stopped. Anyway this one's definitely a keeper.

for sure, yea you're right about everything being really tight, the rear wheel needs to be deflated for me to remove the wheel and the clearences with the front fork and the 700c tire is so tight, same with the delta's