Readers’ Rigs: Gios Torino Perfection!

Carbon, titanium and aluminum is all very nice, but the modern materials can’t come close to the class and style of Marco’s 1973 Gios Torino, which was actually bought in Torino. The acquisition was inspired by Roger De Vlaeminck, although Marco’s Gios is not on the Flemish cobbles, but under the California sun.

Name: Marco Louie
Location: Oakland, California, United States
Bike: 1973 Gios Record
Groupset: First Generation Campagnolo Super Record
Wheels: 36 hole Campagnolo Record hubs, 14/15 DT Spokes laced 3 cross, Mavic Or 10 Rims, 14-23 Regina Oro 5 speed freewheel, Vittoria Rally tubulars
Pedals: Campagnolo Super Leggeri track pedals, Ducson toe clips, Binda toe straps
Saddle: Cinelli Unicanitor
Other: Cinelli 1R stem, Cinelli 64 Giro d’Italia Bars
Weight: 20 lbs

When did you buy it?
2018 from Art Bikes in Torino, Italy.

What made you choose this bike?
I fell in love with this bike after seeing “A Sunday In Hell” as a kid in the late 70s. The bike’s history with the Brooklyn team and Roger De Vlaeminck in Paris-Roubaix and other Classics was very appealing to me.

Have you done any modifications/additions to it?
I purchased the frame by itself, so all the components and wheels might be considered a modification. That being said, the original factory spec likely called for a Nuovo Record rather than Super Record. The brake levers, crank arms, stem, handlebars, and seat post were badly worn and scratched when I acquired them. I removed their anodized finish and polished them for this build.

How many miles/kilometers do you do a year?
Approximately 6000 miles a year distributed between 6 bikes – 5 vintage steel and 1 modern carbon.

What do you love about this bike?
The ride characteristics of a steel frame are something of a cycling cliche by now. Suffice it to say that this bike has a “Goldilocks” quality to the way it handles. It is nimble and responsive climbing and cornering, yet stable and predictable on descents. To complement the quality of its handling, this bike is the epitome of a 70s cycling aesthetic: classic, uncluttered and understated. And who cannot love that Gios blue?

Favorite riding area?
My own backyard, here in the San Francisco Bay Area, particularly the East Bay hills.

Favorite riding experience on your bike?
The San Francisco Bay Area was among the first areas of the country to go into lockdown from COVID 19. Fortunately, we were able to continue outdoor cycling. Being able to keep riding throughout the past few months has definitely has helped me maintain my physical and mental equilibrium during this stressful period.

Future upgrades?
A 13-26 freewheel would definitely help on the climbs. A pair of silk racing tubulars would be nice if just to hear the hum of the tires on the road. However, I no longer ride fast enough to justify their addition!

Last words?
I enjoy restoring vintage bikes as much as riding them. It’s very satisfying to give a second life to frames that have sat neglected in garages and basements and getting them back to their natural habitat on the road.

I am an unabashed cycling Luddite. For me, cycling is a means to escape all of the digital and technological stimuli of everyday life. These bikes from the 70s and early 80s represent cycling in its essence, free from concerns about wattage output, aerodynamics and Strava KOMs.

Thanks to Marco for sharing his ride with us. Got a bike that you’re proud of? Well how about sharing it with fellow PEZ fans and getting it featured in Readers’ Rigs so we can all stare at it! Send us a Readers’ Rigs submission direct to [email protected] and your bike could be featured in all its glory here on the pages of PEZ.