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-   -   ***Let’s check off another Holy Grail… (Picture Heavy)*** (https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/770015-let-s-check-off-another-holy-grail-picture-heavy.html)

mapleleafs-13 09-22-11 08:44 AM

***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/c3...4/IMG_3444.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...IMG_3431-1.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...4/IMG_3441.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...4/IMG_3445.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...4/IMG_3432.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...4/IMG_3433.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...4/IMG_3435.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...4/IMG_3437.jpg

mapleleafs-13 09-22-11 08:45 AM

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...4/IMG_3446.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...4/IMG_3447.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3..._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 :)

ColonelJLloyd 09-22-11 08:48 AM

That's a nice looking bike!

Roll-Monroe-Co 09-22-11 08:54 AM

Wow. That thing looks virginal.

qcpmsame 09-22-11 08:59 AM

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

Bianchigirll 09-22-11 09:09 AM

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.

Italuminium 09-22-11 09:15 AM

wow, that's a very nice score!

mapleleafs-13 09-22-11 09:28 AM


Originally Posted by Roll-Monroe-Co (Post 13262383)
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


Originally Posted by Bianchigirll (Post 13262464)
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!

Puget Pounder 09-22-11 09:45 AM

man I would love to own something like that.

Bimdapogs 09-22-11 09:46 AM

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. :)

Doohickie 09-22-11 09:58 AM

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

RJM 09-22-11 10:08 AM

That thing looks new, nice find!

tashi 09-22-11 10:29 AM

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.

Maddox 09-22-11 10:41 AM

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

due ruote 09-22-11 10:42 AM

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.

DavidW56 09-22-11 10:55 AM

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.

Kobe 09-22-11 11:14 AM

Is that fork bent?:)

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

fas2c 09-22-11 11:21 AM

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

Italuminium 09-22-11 11:22 AM


Originally Posted by KOBE (Post 13263181)
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 :)

mazdaspeed 09-22-11 11:36 AM

Looks great!

paulkal 09-22-11 11:43 AM

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

mapleleafs-13 09-22-11 12:11 PM


Originally Posted by tashi (Post 13262930)
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)



Originally Posted by due ruote (Post 13262991)
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?



Originally Posted by paulkal (Post 13263340)
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

Force 09-22-11 12:30 PM

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

3alarmer 09-22-11 01:22 PM

Looks like a very nice bicycle.:thumb:

Too bad about the color, 'though.:(

:D

WNG 09-22-11 02:31 PM

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.


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