Steel Charlie

Is there an identified "Gios" blue? A person that I know has one rather in need of a resto and I'm sort of reluctant to pick it up without a path for the repaint.

Thanks

CO_Hoya 

Others will chime in with more informed responses, but I believe that Gios used a red primer, which was the trick to getting that distinct blue color.

See responses from repechage and others in this thread, for example.

3alarmer 

...yes, +1. The red underlying primer is the key to getting a true Gios blue. My Gios is lavender in color, and the paint is still relatively good, so I've never felt the urge to repaint it.

Velo Mule

I've heard a rumor that Gios went to Iran to get true Prussian Blue. This would have been going around sanctions at the time. I don't know if that is true though but going around sanctions would not surprise me since this is their signature color.

Yellow Jersey claims to have the correct color.

Yellow Jersey Gios

Do you need to repaint? Would it be acceptable as a road warrior?

We love seeing Italian bikes, Any pictures @Steel Charlie?

repechage

It is not that Gios went to Iran, but Lapis is the mineral that gets one to that blue.
their paint supplier may indeed have used Lapis, so in an around about way, yes.

there are a number of current model cars that have a very high chroma opaque blue.
Maserati comes to mind and surprisingly a few Korean CUV’s.

I would go to an automotive paint store, most have color books that have an oval window in the color chip that one could hold say a fork up behind in the window and compare.

the note about the primer color is quite proven.
Blue, almost any Red, are not perfectly opaque.
if one wants to faithfully copy the F40 Ferrari red, the primer must be a pink.
those clients are fanatical.

uncleivan 

The primer they used is more of a brick red.

xiaoman1 

S.C.,
I used "HardCore" paint by Montana to spray touch-up my GIOS and the blue that I used was a "perfect" match for the original blue on my frame.
you can find the paint at your local art store.
I the 3 blues in the photo below will give you an idea of the colors offered.....I would bring your frame in to the store for a better match etc.

I don't remember what the name of the color that I used, but it was perfect and has held up quite well.

Better screen shot
They also have a great Celeste for Bianchi fans


Good Luck, Ben

jamesdak 

If this helps at all, I found multiple references to a fingernail polish that matches the Gios Blue.

My Fishlips bike is painted in Gios Blue with a red primer and I can confirm that this is perfect match to my my eyes.

xiaoman1 

James, thanks for finding my post on the nail polish......I couldn't remember the name/brand that I used...Drawings still look good to my old eyes
Best. Ben

El Chaba

I’ll throw this out there…..I have seen quite a number of Gios frames over the years in their original paint. I have to conclude that “Gios Blue” is not a single color but a range. There is no question that the red primer is an important factor in giving the distinct hue, but the end result varies a bit from there. So, my opinion is that there is a bit of a range, but I know what Gios blue is not.

jamesdak 

I couldn't remember either and didn't feel like going to look in my parts cabinet for the bottle, LOL! It truly is a perfect match for my bike.

satbuilder 

Joe Bell said House of Kolor Marine Blue SG110 over red primer is Gios blue.
Over white primer is Colnago blue.

And it’s pretty hard to argue with Joe Bell