I dropped in to Retro Day 2025 at Heffron Park and displayed my 80’s Neo Retro Paino bike in the Show and Shine. The Paino got more than a few odd stares, the best reactions came from people that spotted the UCI Illegal sticker and lifted the bike up! Managed to catch up with a few old bike friends, as well as meet new ones, but my day was made when I got to meet Frank Paino himself!
Was pretty hot under the sun, and I was feeling pretty rough from last night’s boozy adventure so I decided to bail out of the show early. As I was leaving this guy came up to me, pointed at my carbon forks, and wanted to know why I chose to replace the steel forks with carbon forks. I explained that I was going for the lightest steel bike I could build, and the carbon forks were a lot lighter than the original forks. I also suggested that the bike felt a lot stiffer with the carbon forks. He looked me up and down, grabbed the bike off me, put his foot on the pedal and proceeded to flex test the frame. He let me know that at my size he doubted I could even begin to flex the frame!
I expected to ruffle some feathers with my build, but I wasn’t quite prepared for in-my-face trolling!
I proceeded to explain that the bike has been with me for many years, and that I found the guy who originally painted the frame for Frank Paino (Peter at Star Enamelers) and on that note the guy who was standing next to the guy who was drilling me said “this IS Frank!”. Holy shit! I asked him for a photo, but he refused lol! But hey I’ve got the gift of the gab, right? So I went on about not riding the bike for many years, but late last year this bike got me riding again, and over this year I decided to transform the bike to re-spark my passion for building and riding bikes.
I let Frank know that people who acquire a Paino find my build online and reach out to me to find out more about him. I also let him know that all I’ve read on him being a colourful character is true (to which he said only half of what I hear is true haha!). In the end Frank warmed up to me, and said that despite not liking all the carbon bits on the bike he now understands what I was trying to achieve, and that ultimately he’s no-body to tell anyone what they can’t and can’t do with their bikes. We had a few laughs, shared a few stories and then he let me take that photo with him!
DAY MADE!
Retro Day is put on by Randwick Cycling. For more info, visit: https://www.randwickcc.com.au
Meeting Frank Paino, the man who made my frame!
Paino on show.
Love the chrome paint on both these Williers.
Mark’s De Rosa.
Love this paint job!
My fave bike of the show.
Jewellery, pretty much.
Paul Hillbrick.
Got to meet Darrin who put on the show. Great show, great guy!
Race in progress.