Having finished with the nostalgia, I did some research into the specifics of the Gios Torino Super Record.

Gios’s own website and a nice blog at Steel Vintage Bikes (where the picture on the right came from) were particularly useful in identifying the variations between the different generations of the bike.  I decided that if I was to get a Gios, the Mk I release would be the one for me as it certainly ticks all my boxes (pantographs, chrome, lightweight, not too common in the UK) and also, it was the model used by de Vlaeminck – if it could survive Paris-Roubaix, it could certainly cope with (most of) the roads around here!

Having gone from loose/vague ideas to very specific requirements in my search criteria, I’m now running into the problem of availability – I am finding Super Records for sale, particularly in Dutch or German ads where they seem to appear more often, but they are:

• Already restored full bikes (very nice but I just want the frame and besides, these also have a price tag in £2500-£3500 range – ouch!!)
• Not my size (I’ve seen quite a few frames – Gios & others – I would happily have bought if they were in my size, but they weren’t, so I didn’t)
• The Mk II model with the blue forks and the famous embedded coin in the crown (very nice and desirable as well, but as I said above, if I’m having one, it will be the Mk I)
• Fakes/Replicas – I’d mentioned on my Field Trip, that there was a replica (not for sale) at Pedal Pedlar, and have seen several in my searching – some clearly marked as replicas, others not (quick tip – if the price seems low, ask yourself – are you ever this lucky????) – check the decals/pantographs etc as these can be quite specific.
  Actually, now I knew what to look for, I realised that although the Gios at Seabass Cycles was definitely a genuine Mk I Gios Super Record from 1978 or earlier (you can’t really fake the pantographs on the bottom bracket & forks), it must have been refurbished previously as the decals are not original/wrong for the model.

Not wanting to compromise & get something I wouldn’t be 100% happy with later, I continued the search – primarily focussed on a Gios, but at the same time, keeping my eyes open for possible alternatives…   …and I continued the search…

In fact the search continued for some weeks – “mmm, nice”, “ah, close”, “Nice!, oh, wrong size 😩”

I was getting to the point of maybe I do have to go down the full respray route, or buy a whole bike, strip it and change components when all of a sudden, what should appear in my searching, but:

BIKE PORN!!!

(if you disagree, remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and maybe you need to get your eyes tested!! 😉😁)

This beautiful frame appeared in my searching on eBay Italy and from all the photos it appeared to be exactly what I was looking for.
Some rapid research and quite a few questions back & fore with the seller later and – as a certain character on “Storage Hunters” would say – “MIIINE” (the way she pronounces it, I think there may even be a “Y” in there!).

Yes!! – a frame has been bought and the build is up & running!!
(just the small matter of the frame being delivered, choosing and buying all the other components, any restoration work & assembly…)

Watch this space…