I've come across this Gios Torino Professional frame and fork, Columbus SL tubing. I know very little about these bikes and I was wondering what the general consensus was about their ride quality, value, workmanship, etc. This is a one owner bike that was just reconditioned. Thanks for any info!

Photos available here .....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/1394981...80960059/show/

General consensus and my opinion : it's a wonderfull bike in every way. ONE owner bike makes it even better. Lot's of impressive race history in that model to read about...

I like the earlier models, for no other reason that the later bikes like that one often had a short top tube for the seat tube length. For the smaller frames it was less of a problem, as the limits of wheel size play into the geometry solution. This frame looks on the verge, 53 or 54 cm at the largest? Also, note the smaller frames had more fork rake than the larger frames for the same reason.

So, to wrap up, the style of the frames handling is size dependent. Quality is good, but do check the rear dropout alignment and chainstay alignment, more than one in the 80's were off, the rear wheel wast to the left or right of the front by 3 to 4 mm.

Not sure about consensus, but IMHO Gios Torino is an extremely desirable bike. Any of their bikes. The professional was up there in the lineup. if you can find pantographed Gios components to dress it up (a proposition that will probably cost up to 5 times what you paid for the frame), it will be incredible...

That's one of the beauties of Gios... extremely aggressive geometry (for the era) that translate to quick handling in a race. They are not bikes to ride centuries or long trips, they are bikes to use in a race.

I've read this type of statement before and it just not correct. I do not know the actual angles, but I owned a 70's Super Record, and it was classic Italian stage race geometry like a Colnago Super, etc.

Maybe 73 or 74 degree HT and ST's (perhaps steeper on the smaller frames). Race geometry, but not "extremely agressive".

It was one of the most comfortable and best handling bikes I've ever owned. 100 mile days would be no problem at all. The steering on that bike was flawless and confidence inspiring, not overly quick and twitchy.

I don't own your model but I knew it. Too many people use the Gios Compact as a point of reference. Though the Compact IS not all that peculiar either compared to older racers, yours and other Gios models are quite different.

Beautiful!

I'll allow that

You may want to read some of these posts before you jump in head first:

https://search.bikelist.org/?SearchSt...ssicrendezvous

Get a shot of the bottom bracket shell's under side. Other shots too, they've distinctive features Gios does. I read the links provided, interesting and helpfull.
It's an easier bike than some to fony-up or c-fit whatever but only to a pioint.

Other shots can be seen here...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/1394981...80960059/show/

Any comments concerning the frame's authenticity based on the pictures I posted.

The boom era Gios were highly desirable. This one appears to be mid-1980s. Given all the other details, I'm always surprised by the use of plastic entry and exit tunnels for the internal brake cable. They didn't use a plastic cable guide under the BB but opted for an intricate investment casting. The use of plastic mars an otherwise beautiful frame.

amazing .
lovlely pictures , what a way t capture the frame.
excellent
/T

I've seen the term "boom era" several times on the forum. What exactly was the date range encompassed by the "boom era" and what does it refer to specifically?

Boom era (modern) refers the to the US sales spike of 1971-1974 inclusive. Bicycle sales increased slowly but steadily after Word War II increasing by about 5 million units total over 15 years. Then sales jumped from 7 million in 1970 to 9 million in 1971 (28% increase). 1972 saw sales rise further to 12 million (25% increase) with a peak of 15 million in 1973 (25% increase). 1974 fell slightly to 14 million, then halved in 1975 to the pre-boom total of 7 million. Despite a steadily growing population, the 15 million peak was not passed again until 1992, with the popularity of the mountain bike.

There was also a late 19th century boom during the initial popularity of the bicycle.

There have been several date ranges associated with the term bicycle boom: early 1800s, 1890s, 1970s (I suspect that this particular comment refers to the 1970s) and describe periods where bicycles were very popular (actually a peak in their popularity). I suspect that we are at the beginning of another boom era...

Generally concur on date, though I might extend that to late '80s. I'm not sure when the painted forks with the coin in the crown stopped appearing.

My recollection is that Gios didn't come to the States til at least 1975. The first two I saw were ridden by guys in my club in 1976. Then after A Sunday in Hell (1976 Paris-Roubaix) was released, they started appearing everywhere. I bought mine in 1979. It has the early chrome fork and a "G" cutout in the BB shell.

I made my estimate on a couple of observations. The 1984 catalog specifically mentions a new line and features the investment cast shell, crown and lugs of the OP's bicycle. It also shows the internal cable routing but only one set one bottle bosses. So the bicycle appears to be no older than 1984 and that assumes a running change to dual bottle bosses during the year. Yet the bicycle has pre-1988 decals, so unless Gios was not rotating it's decal stock, the frame would appear to be 1985-1987.

Maybe I'm wrong but I seem to recall Gios being around a couple of years earlier than yourself. No doubt, A Sunday in Hell brought about wider exposure and greater popularity but they had already gained quite of bit of prominence from De Vlaeminck's earlier victories in major classics such as Milan-San Remo (1973) & Paris-Roubaix (1974 & 1975).

Might be right about the timeline. We'all started getting ours around 1976 from Green Mountain Schwinn in Rutland VT. The year after Frank sold me mine, I remember seeing a bunch with the whole kit--jersey, cap, bottle, etc.--and the coin-in-the-crown forks at the Bike Exchange in Cambridge.

Three things fersure--DeVlaeminck's aggressiveness and victories did a lot for the marque, the early one's didn't have serial numbers, and everyone who rode one raved about it. Compared to what I ride now (California Masi and Giant TCR), the ride is stiff, but I remember that on the day I finished building it up it was a bit more compliant, and fit me a lot better, than my Charles Roberts.

What exactly distinctifies the GIOS bikes that are real from the notorious forgeries? I have found a suspect bike but dunno what would make it a real one and what would make it one of those forgeries I read about a few days ago on BF.

I've heard of these forgeries (mainly originated from Gios mouthpieces,) but I have not seen a single one. My cynic side thinks that they were vaporware to promote the brand in the late 70s. ("hey we are so great they make fake copies")... I'd love to see a vintage forgery Gios (not someone painting a bike Gios blue and adding stickers in the 21st century)... And, truly, if someone can make a forgery of that bike with the same tubes and the same geometry and the same weight, that would be a hey of a bike to ride (plus the reduction of price because it is a "copy")

btw, this particular bike in question is later so there is no issue about being a forgery.