This was in the Gios Compact thread, but maybe it warrants its own discussion here and I can summarize the results in the other thread.


Today I found a Gios Compact frame that I'm pretty sure I should buy. The brand is new to me, so I'm starting with some research.

The frame is red, with a chrome fork. It's in unrestored original condition, with a few scratches/nicks and a little bit of surface rust. The adjustable dropouts are there and look to be in good shape. It's made with Columbus SLX tubing. As I understand it, SLX is thicker/stronger than SL, which is probably appropriate for me since I'm pretty fat these days (230+, need a bike with gears because hauling all this lard around on my beloved Sputnik is too much work).

The bike differs from others I've seen in this thread in that the decals say "custom made in Italy by Alfredo Gios", with the "Alfredo Gios" in script, looks like his signature. The "COMPACT" is the same as the other decals I've seen in this thread.

My questions:

1) What are things to look for to make a go/no-go decision on this frame? I've heard about top tubes rusting from water getting in via the brake line holes - is a visual inspection OK for that?

2) Seller is asking $300 for the frame & fork. (Includes Campy headset, no BB). Is that price reasonable?

3) If I get this frame, my intention is to retain the unrestored original paint. Is that a good idea, or bad?


Some awful pics from the owner:


Thanks in advance for any info.