43) 1987 Fiori Firenze

SPECS

Status:  For Sale at $870
Made in Italy
​Size: 56cm/22"
Frame & Fork: Columbus Aelle
Groupset:  Gipiemme Crono Sprint (World Championship Edition)
Wheelset:  Ambrosio 19 Extra rims on Gipiemme Sprint hubs with Vittoria Zaffiro Pro 700x25c tires

BEFORE

When I first saw this bike, I was intrigued because of the unusual groupset and the quality frame but I thought it was priced way too high for the amount of work it needed so I passed.  I just couln't get it out of my mind, though, and a year later, I contacted the seller to see if it was still available.  We settled on a reasonable price and I brought it home.  From my research, I understood that Fiori was a Canadian bike company but that some of the bikes, especially the early ones, were brought over from Italy.  Others were made in Japan and even Canada.  This must have been one of the Italian ones.  

AFTER

I love white frames with black accents so I decided to give this frame a pearl white paint that I think looks amazing with the black in the decals, wheels, brake callipers and crankset.  The Gipiemme derailleurs (made by Simplex) work really well and the shift levers look and feel elegant.  The black accents make it look almost like a modern build, or at least a neo-retro build, but everything on it is original, except for the stem.  The previous owner had a shorter stem installed and had lost track of the original.  I had a black on in my parts bin so I thought it would go well with the headset and other black components.  Since everything on the bike is Italian, it needed a Selle Italia saddle and to me, nothing looks as better on an 80s bike than a Turbo.  Luckily, they still make them.  I don't think I could be any happier with the results!