Help With Vintage Road Bike

[Dave W]

Hi all, just been given the bike below to try and sort out but don't know where to start.

Is it worth restoring? Is it any good? What make is it etc?

Any help appreciated. All I know is it's made by Gios, has a load of campagnolo stuff on it and the owner said it was a titanium frame.

P.S. Ignore the bike in the background and the grotty kitchen, space is limited.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

not sure it will be titanium as the company currently seem to produce frames in every material but titanium. compare the weight and 'ring' with a known steel frame.

my bet is that it's a high quality steel frame, and will be worth either restoring to period glory, or sticking modern bits on for a really nice ride…

 

[biggs682]

well worth giving it a clean and goimg from there , it might not need much doing

 

[Dave W]

Right, thanks gents.

I've just done a magnet test and it appears the frame is indeed good old steel. I'll give it a good going over tomorrow and see if anything's beyond repair.

 

[Nantmor]

Looks like a nice bike with some good stuff on it. The headset looks like my favourite roller bearing item. But, it may only be my squint or perhaps the photo, but I'm not sure the head tube is parallel with the seat tube. If its not, could be the result of a crash. I am probably wrong, but its worth checking. Could show up as paint cracking on top tube upper surface where it joins the head tube, and a little bulge below it. Ditto head end of down tube. I hope I am wrong, but that photo worries me.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

Right, thanks gents.

I've just done a magnet test and it appears the frame is indeed good old steel. I'll give it a good going over tomorrow and see if anything's beyond repair.

*slaps head* doh!

 

[Dave W]

Just had a look and can't find and crash damage. It all looks straight, just in desperate need of some TLC.

 

[HovR]

I have a Dawes Echelon, which looks extremely similar. I restored to riding condition recently, and have almost 500 miles on it now - A very nice bike to ride. If the frame is in good order, I'd say it is completely worth restoring!

 

[Nantmor]

Just had a look and can't find and crash damage. It all looks straight, just in desperate need of some TLC.

Great. Sorry about my cockeye.

 

[Dave W]

Great. Sorry about my cockeye.

No worries, I'm just glad of the help.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

From the stem, the shape of the top of the seat stay (but hard to be sure from pic) and some of the components that could be a Gios Torino. More detailed photos would help.

Does the black label on the rear mech say Campagnolo? If it does I am nearly certain that it is a Campag Super Record +/- c1980, similarly for chainset. Headset is Stronglight (which is the odd one here).

If it is a Gios, before you give it to me for nothing due to lack of interest, you could ask these guys how much the one they had sold for.

 

[Dave W]

From the stem, the shape of the top of the seat stay (but hard to be sure from pic) and some of the components that could be a Gios Torino. More detailed photos would help.

Does the black label on the rear mech say Campagnolo? If it does I am nearly certain that it is a Campag Super Record +/- c1980, similarly for chainset. Headset is Stronglight (which is the odd one here).

If it is a Gios, before you give it to me for nothing due to lack of interest, you could ask these guys how much the one they had sold for.

The label does indeed say campagnolo, if you need any more photos then by all means let me know what of and I'll post them.

From the quick (2 minute) look I've had it needs a new rear mech cable and lots of GT40. That's about it apart from a lot of cleaning.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

What I can say for definite, is that you have a bike equipped with some of the best components in the world at the time. That usually indicates it is a top class machine.

If I were you I would start by cleaning it quite gently (wet wipe, detergent and water kind of thing). Then try to jot down as much inscriptions and labels you can find and take some more pics. If you are interested in doing so that is.

For example it is hard to tell from the light and angle of your photos, but does the top of the seat stay shaped like the one below? That step is quite unique, although I am no expert on Gios.

 

[uphillstruggler]

i have nothing constructive to add.

i would just like to say that if anyone else has one of these that they are clearing out, send it my way. that will be lovely when it is cleaned and restored and i would imagine it would be a pleasure to ride.

good luck with it and keep the images coming as you do the work.

oh yeah, and i would even donate a couple of gear cables to start you off.

 

[Dave W]

Thanks all, I'm just about to start the big clean and the seat tube is indeed shaped like that photo.

I'll report back once the clean and inspection is complete.