Pete,
The steerer isn't a bad place, although often the paint isn't applied intentionally and the part on the steerer isn't exactly like the bike itself. Also as you mentioned, greas stains are common there. Under clamps and decals one often finds the truest color, given the age of the bikes. A little rubbing compound also helps bring up better samples of the true color by removeing some of the yellowing clear.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
> Chuck,
> I would expect that a Pantone color match can be found for that color. The
> question on my end would be "which version" of the color? Most of those
> paints were quite different when new than even 5 years after it was
> painted. The main thing that happens to these old original colors is that
> the clear topcoat turns yellow rather rapidly. One may have two bike the
> "same color" and they will not be the same color. I've had issues where
> there was not complete agreement as to which shade is being replicated. I
> guess you need to decide which variation is most to your likeing.
>
> Brian Baylis
> La Mesa, CA
> Bianchis come in about 100 shades of Celeste!
Brian, Wouldn't the fork steerer tube be a pretty safe bet for color matching? It's been out of the sun all those years, and if not tinted by grease stains it seems like it would be a lot closer to the original color. This seems to be the case on the limited number of bikes I've worked on.
Pete Geurds
Douglassville, Pa