Another Bianchi Celeste thread - need advice/opinions...
#26
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 71
Likes: 1
From: San Francisco, CA
Bikes: Custom Ti Firefly Road Bike w/Campy Chorus; Custom Ti Steve Potts Touring Bike w/Shimano XT; Custom Steel Steve Rex lugged frame for everyday w/90's era Campy Veloce; Jamis Quest when Steve Rex is in the shop.
You mean in my profile? That's not entirely accurate; my first road bike was a late 90s Eros, and it WAS in Celeste.
It's now on an early 2000s Brava frame, however, as the Eros frame cracked. The Brava is not Celeste. Over the years, I've replaced parts on it. Recently, I had it partly rebuilt with mostly parts from the same era (late 90s Campagnolo Mirage, with some late 90s Campangolo Veloce). I'm going to have all the parts on that bike transferred to the new frame I'm talking about in this thread, as well as some Veloce brifters I found. All the replacement parts have been New-Old-Stock ones I found on eBay and on places likes "Steel Vintage". Eventually, when it becomes cost-prohibitive, I'll upgrade to a newer gruppo, but for now I'm trying to keep it as close to the original parts as possible.
The Jamis Quest I mention are just the parts. They've all been put on a Surly Pacer frame (I didn't like the sloping top-tube of the Jamis). THAT bike will also be replaced eventually with another custom bike, which will be a light-touring/gravel-grinder/alternative-city-bike combo.
- Tim
It's now on an early 2000s Brava frame, however, as the Eros frame cracked. The Brava is not Celeste. Over the years, I've replaced parts on it. Recently, I had it partly rebuilt with mostly parts from the same era (late 90s Campagnolo Mirage, with some late 90s Campangolo Veloce). I'm going to have all the parts on that bike transferred to the new frame I'm talking about in this thread, as well as some Veloce brifters I found. All the replacement parts have been New-Old-Stock ones I found on eBay and on places likes "Steel Vintage". Eventually, when it becomes cost-prohibitive, I'll upgrade to a newer gruppo, but for now I'm trying to keep it as close to the original parts as possible.
The Jamis Quest I mention are just the parts. They've all been put on a Surly Pacer frame (I didn't like the sloping top-tube of the Jamis). THAT bike will also be replaced eventually with another custom bike, which will be a light-touring/gravel-grinder/alternative-city-bike combo.
- Tim
#27
Senior Member


Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 7,955
Likes: 705
From: Port Angeles, WA
Bikes: A green one, "Ragleigh," or something.
I sent that and some other images to the painter, said I wanted a classic "Celeste" color. He is finished with everything except the graphics, and sent me some images:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cB...rL8XRtS4ruJHga
I told him that didn't look very "Celeste" to me; he said it matched other "Celeste" bikes he'd done, and a painter friend of his said it looked like "Celeste" as well. I showed it to some Bianchi-loving cyclist friends, who all said it looked like "pale blue" or "baby blue".
...
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cB...rL8XRtS4ruJHga
I told him that didn't look very "Celeste" to me; he said it matched other "Celeste" bikes he'd done, and a painter friend of his said it looked like "Celeste" as well. I showed it to some Bianchi-loving cyclist friends, who all said it looked like "pale blue" or "baby blue".
...
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
#29
You mean in my profile? That's not entirely accurate; my first road bike was a late 90s Eros, and it WAS in Celeste.
It's now on an early 2000s Brava frame, however, as the Eros frame cracked. The Brava is not Celeste. Over the years, I've replaced parts on it. Recently, I had it partly rebuilt with mostly parts from the same era (late 90s Campagnolo Mirage, with some late 90s Campangolo Veloce). I'm going to have all the parts on that bike transferred to the new frame I'm talking about in this thread, as well as some Veloce brifters I found. All the replacement parts have been New-Old-Stock ones I found on eBay and on places likes "Steel Vintage". Eventually, when it becomes cost-prohibitive, I'll upgrade to a newer gruppo, but for now I'm trying to keep it as close to the original parts as possible.
The Jamis Quest I mention are just the parts. They've all been put on a Surly Pacer frame (I didn't like the sloping top-tube of the Jamis). THAT bike will also be replaced eventually with another custom bike, which will be a light-touring/gravel-grinder/alternative-city-bike combo.
- Tim
It's now on an early 2000s Brava frame, however, as the Eros frame cracked. The Brava is not Celeste. Over the years, I've replaced parts on it. Recently, I had it partly rebuilt with mostly parts from the same era (late 90s Campagnolo Mirage, with some late 90s Campangolo Veloce). I'm going to have all the parts on that bike transferred to the new frame I'm talking about in this thread, as well as some Veloce brifters I found. All the replacement parts have been New-Old-Stock ones I found on eBay and on places likes "Steel Vintage". Eventually, when it becomes cost-prohibitive, I'll upgrade to a newer gruppo, but for now I'm trying to keep it as close to the original parts as possible.
The Jamis Quest I mention are just the parts. They've all been put on a Surly Pacer frame (I didn't like the sloping top-tube of the Jamis). THAT bike will also be replaced eventually with another custom bike, which will be a light-touring/gravel-grinder/alternative-city-bike combo.
- Tim
As to the actual Bianchi "Celeste Green", I would only go by what was the earliest color that took on that original moniker, since then things have certainly changed, and the actual color descriptor no longer aptly applies to the "dominantly" "green" frames of the more modern era. Even that 50's frame, which appears blue (to me), could be substantially different to the original color of "celeste" used by Bianchi back in the day.
My favorite color is orange, but I would not leave that choice up to a painter unless given a fully "cured" example of the chosen paint already used on something with the same surface texture; remember color is a representation of the reflected light when seen by the eyes. Thankfully, I like all oranges; edible or not!
Almost, forgot about color fade; yet another thing to take into consideration when using a frame's present color (unless new) for an accurate example. I would not use My '75 Colnago Super's present color as an accurate description of the original color from the factory, just take off the clamp-on parts to see what the original color was, I'm always surprised at the initial hue!
These forums keep reminding me that I actually used to do a lot of different things in my past life that are now quite dormant; but not forgotten. I love it!
As a side note; I've never owned a Bianchi of any color and was never a fan of the "celeste" BLUE anyways, but of course to each his, hers, or other's own. I'll be onboard when Bianchi comes out with a "CELESTE ORANGE" frame (insert a "yellow" spherical designator of my linguistic intent here).
Last edited by HPL; 08-27-19 at 01:24 AM.
#30
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 71
Likes: 1
From: San Francisco, CA
Bikes: Custom Ti Firefly Road Bike w/Campy Chorus; Custom Ti Steve Potts Touring Bike w/Shimano XT; Custom Steel Steve Rex lugged frame for everyday w/90's era Campy Veloce; Jamis Quest when Steve Rex is in the shop.
In case anyone's interested, the re-painting is finished; Here was the original, that didn't look what I think of when I think of "Celeste"...
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cB...rL8XRtS4ruJHga
Here's the re-painted frame - much closer to what I was hoping for:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xAC...ew?usp=sharing
- Tim
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1cB...rL8XRtS4ruJHga
Here's the re-painted frame - much closer to what I was hoping for:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xAC...ew?usp=sharing
- Tim
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,217
Likes: 1,400
From: Pico Rivera, CA
Bikes: 1983 Basso Gap...2013 Colnago CX-1...2015 Bianchi Intenso
[MENTION=91876]tbessie[/MENTION] If the repaint came out to what you envisioned then we are happy for you 
Very nice work by the painter.

Very nice work by the painter.
#32
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 71
Likes: 1
From: San Francisco, CA
Bikes: Custom Ti Firefly Road Bike w/Campy Chorus; Custom Ti Steve Potts Touring Bike w/Shimano XT; Custom Steel Steve Rex lugged frame for everyday w/90's era Campy Veloce; Jamis Quest when Steve Rex is in the shop.
But he does great work, indeed. Here's the rest of the pictures he sent me - I chose some text taken from a story by Harlan Ellison called " 'Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman", one of my favorites.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1688...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19eh...ew?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wWm...ew?usp=sharing
- Tim
#33
Partially Sane.

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,565
Likes: 650
From: Sunny Sacramento.
Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc
That repaint came out nice. 👍 I think we should always refer to that minty toothpaste green color as "Bianchi Celeste", and the actual '50s & earlier bluish Celeste as Classic Celeste. That way, we know we're talking about Bianchi's distorted shade of bluish-green, that we all love. 🤔😁
BTW, I'm positive I had a Bianchi Celeste Bianchi, in the mid-70s, but it was stolen after only about a month. 😭 I was only 14, so don't remember which model it was (probably mid-range at best).
BTW, I'm positive I had a Bianchi Celeste Bianchi, in the mid-70s, but it was stolen after only about a month. 😭 I was only 14, so don't remember which model it was (probably mid-range at best).
#34
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 71
Likes: 1
From: San Francisco, CA
Bikes: Custom Ti Firefly Road Bike w/Campy Chorus; Custom Ti Steve Potts Touring Bike w/Shimano XT; Custom Steel Steve Rex lugged frame for everyday w/90's era Campy Veloce; Jamis Quest when Steve Rex is in the shop.
The bike was done by Steve Rex - he got it back from the painter, and I picked it up from Steve yesterday.
Here's the pix he posted of it on Instagram. I'll post the built-up bike when it's done.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3N1c7el...d=3ncs1ybmf7mo
Here's the pix he posted of it on Instagram. I'll post the built-up bike when it's done.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3N1c7el...d=3ncs1ybmf7mo
#35
Patina Avoider


Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,300
Likes: 1,089
From: Maryland, USA
Bikes: Drysdale/Gitane/Zeus/Masi/Falcon/Palo Alto/Vitus
So it's not a brand of Italian toothpaste? 
If I close my eyes and think of Celeste Bianchi, it's a bit greenish. Not a lot, though.

If I close my eyes and think of Celeste Bianchi, it's a bit greenish. Not a lot, though.
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Larry:1958 Drysdale, 1961 Gitane Gran Sport, 1974 Zeus track, 1988 Masi Gran Corsa, 1974 Falcon, 1980 Palo Alto, 198? Vitus 979. Susan: 1976 Windsor Profesional.
Larry:1958 Drysdale, 1961 Gitane Gran Sport, 1974 Zeus track, 1988 Masi Gran Corsa, 1974 Falcon, 1980 Palo Alto, 198? Vitus 979. Susan: 1976 Windsor Profesional.
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