Celeste
In grade school, a teacher once asked me to name my favorite color, a query to which I responded with the only logical answer for any prepubescent boy surrounded by scary girls in a small classroom: “Celeste.”
“No, you have to pick a real color.”
While the rest of the world believes the most iconic color in Cycling is made-up, our little world is fascinated by it’s legend. Bianchi once proposed to do away with the color and replace it with another more usual hue and the public overwhelmingly rejected the notion, permanently cementing that particular shade of hangover-green as the official color of the brand.
No one knows the origin of the color, but there are two prevailing theories on the matter. The first is that Eduardo Bianchi matched the color to the Queen of Italy’s eyes, whom he was teaching to ride a bicycle. I don’t buy this theory, personally. I mean, this was before color photography or the internet and no one has a good enough memory to match a color to anything without having a photo to work from. It’s too far-fetched.
The other theory is that Eduardo needed paint and was feeling a bit pinchy with the pennies when he came across an enormous quantity of gray and blue paint at a price – possibly from the Italian Navy which was trying to unload an inventory of paint after it realized that fighting a war on the seas is the worst kind of war you can fight because you have to ration the vino rosso. Eduardo mixed the two colors and out came this iconic shade.
My beloved Bianchi TSX is red, a fact which has me constantly wondering whether I should have it repainted in celeste. A red Bianchi? I love that bike, but who let that sneak out of the factory? My other beloved Bianchi, my XLEv2, is black and yellow with celeste lettering. When I ordered it, the owner of the bike shop – Grand Performance in Saint Paul, Minnesota – pressed me on the fact that only the black frames were available as all the celeste ones had been sold. He wound up giving me a discount out of pity.
I love the fact that no one I interact with outside the Cycling world has any idea that this color exists, or that legends have formed around its existence. These are the sorts of things that separate us from the masses. Vive la Vie Velominatus.
1 Fausto is not, in fact, riding a Bianchi in this photo. The photo is simply too rad not to use, and its black and white.
@cognition
I will need to find a crowned fork as well; I have the fork @Oli has on the Bianchi photographed on the top above. I love how the one you’re showing has the chromed crown. Beauty.
@cognition
That’s turquoise not celeste, but I agree; a non-Bianchi brand doing a celest-ish color is similar to one of us tools riding around in the rainbow jersey.
@Oli
Damn Oli, is that your garage door with all the tags on it?
@Phillip Mercer
I think if you have a celeste Bianchi, you’d find yourself loving it every day.
@Bee-An-Key
Team Bianchi 2003, such class. The VMH has the XLEV4 of that year, which Jan rode for part of the season but it was a bit light for him so he preferred the XLEV3. The line of bikes from the EV2-EV4 were probably the best-handling bikes I’ve ever ridden, and many of the Pros who raced them echoed the same thing.
@Celeste
I bet you spend a lot of time in therapy.
@ChrisO
I have a funny thing about over-cooked vegetables. High heat, quick sear or go home, I say. Except potatoes and tomato assuming you’re making the tomato into a red or green sauce.
@cognition
Is that real gold inlay or just paint? Either way, it’s Class.
Great thread! And while I don’t for a minute suggest that the new carbon bikes have the panache of the classic photos already posted I thought I’d throw this out. I acquired my celeste frame at a charity auction. It wasn’t even on the radar before I bid on it and I actually had no intention of buying it at the time – I was just trying to get the bids up to the reserve price so that it would sell and the charity would get the money. It has since become my favourite colour.
https://picasaweb.google.com/101664482593222908911/September302015
Great thread! And while I don’t for a minute suggest that the new carbon bikes have the panache of the classic photos already posted I thought I’d throw this out. I acquired my celeste frame at a charity auction. It wasn’t even on the radar before I bid on it and I actually had no intention of buying it at the time – I was just trying to get the bids up to the reserve price so that it would sell and the charity would get the money. It has since become my favourite colour.
@Hans
Wow, I must find this place if I’m ever in Milano again. God help me from putting the plate under my shirt on the way out the door. Outstanding.
@Sue Woollatt
Everyone loves the cactus! It’s about 40 years old, apparently…
@wiscot
Haha! Nope, it’s the garage for a house up the road.
@Stephen
Sorry about the double post above – just new to the website. This is what I was trying to post.
@Stephen Schwartz
That’s a beauty and the photo reminds me of Portet d’Aspet in the South of France, just over the Col from Aspet. Stunning!
Hotness.
Felice Gimondi at L’eroica (picture by L’eroica)
@Teocalli
He is amazing.
@wiscot
And you, Meh-cialized.
@frank
It feels like Bianchi and Colnago are the only two big players that have maintained an element of their heritage in the modern world of cycling. Many boutique brands can offer that chichi bike, but few large companies.
Notice you are at The Rouleur Classic event. I look forward to it.
@frank
You are absolutely right. That photo was taken this past summer during mid morning espresso at a tiny outdoor “cafe” in the square of a small town en route from Bagneres de Luchon to Saint Girons via Portet d’Aspet, Col de Menthe & Port de Bales. I don’t remember the name of the town.
If you’ve ridden in the area you might also appreciate this photo taken the day before:
Superbagneres
@Tartan1749
I’m quite sure it’s paint. (Personally, I think gold inlay would be over the top, and more befitting something like a Colnago or a Tomassinni or Somec; your opinion may vary)
@Mark
I will be indeed and I’m looking forward to it! It will actually be my first trip to London!
@Stephen Schwartz
I’ll have to go find my photos of portet d’aspet, because I’d place some money on that being the town! All told I’ve spent about 8 weeks riding those roads. Superbagniers is one of the best!
@Bianchi Denti
Quoting just because we need to have more of this hotness on here. Fuck me.
2001 Aluminum with 11 speed Ultegra as it came with full 9 speed Ultegra when new. Bad #baaw photo, but we’re just talking color here.
2004 Aluminum and carbon. Now it has gears. This version was an interesting ride, I’ll say. Again, let’s focus on the color.
I’m really enjoying the celeste in this thread, thanks!
@frank
I spent 12 days riding in the Pyrenees this past July. Hot and hard but gorgeous. The locals were friendly and encouraging, unlike local riding. They shout ‘Allez allez’ instead of ‘douchebag’ for example. I’d love to go back and do it all again. I’ll send you a lot of no to some more photos if you like.
@Bianchi Denti
It’s about time you got rid of that shitty seatpost though bro…
@logan.sholar
I like the amount of seatpost you’re showing, my good man.
@frank
Yeah, you know the game. Downsize and stretch it out. I could always ride a bigger frame, but then I’d be riding a bigger frame. Shudders.
@frank
Look at everyone else on their climbing wheels. Fuck yeah Yarny!
@Beers
The guys in front seem to be on Ksyriums and Hincapie is on Bontragers – I’m betting Jan’s Lightweights are the lightest wheels in that picture!
http://eroica.cc/journal/preview-of-bianchi-l-eroica-bike