Arabesque - Trying something "real" Built p4

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Look565w
Posts: 225
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 1:25 am
Location: West of Scotland

by Look565w

Hi All,

I happened to stumble upon this on Ebay a month ago & the seller was local to me, took it back home with me after seeing it in the flesh & it looks almost new, lucky find indeed - just couldn't resist it!
This is very much an impulse buy even though I've always fancied a "real steel" bike, I think this should be a good example to try it out :-)

Anyway, this is obviously NOT the old Arabesque frames that where made briftly for a few years back in the 80's, these are made with "old" new found lugs & as far as I know with Deda tubes instead of the original Columbus tubings, just like the current Masters.
This is a traditional geometry size 53cm, so it should fit me just fine, be it with a "few" spacers as the head-tube is tiny at 108mm :shock:

The chap I bought it from hardly rode it & the condition reflects that, he said it was "too nice" to ride it & he mostly ride MTB anyway :shock:

As I said, it was an un-expected purchase, so funds are limited for the build & cannot justify splashing out on expensive parts.
I could have gone the easy route & went for a full Potenza or Athena silver grouppo to run the chrome theme. But I thought this could be a fun winter project to search ebay for some older (less chunky) Campag parts to compliment the frame's thin tube aesthetics.
So, I thought parts from late 1990's & early 2000's 10-speed would be my aim, didn't want downtube shifters which probably would look appropriate. But I intend to ride this bike properly even though it does have that poser/cafe bike look about it :D

So, I have been busy on eBay & the internet, manged to get some decent used stuff, nearly new & NOS. Couldn't manage a full matching grouppo, but items are a selection of:
Daytona - 10s Shifters
10s Rear Mech
Chorus - 1" threadless headset (this one is lovely from Italy :mrgreen: )
Brake-set front dual, rear mono
Aero Seat-post
Square Taper Bottom Bracket
Record - 10s Standard Chain-set 53/39T
10s chain

Cassette will be 10s Veloce 13-29T as it's cheap & massive :D
The control will be Japanese I'm afraid (because of the polish chrome finish & -17 to work with the traditional frame geometry), Nitto NJ-89 -17 degree stem with M174 Bars in Traditional bend.

I'm still short of a Front Mech, so still looking.
As for saddle, I want to try a Brooks Cambium C13 with ideally some stainless steel cages, probably Chris Kings or some Condor branded ones.

My plan is to see how this all goes before I think about the wheels, I do have a few sets of alloy clinchers & tubs that should work but you always want something new, eh :mrgreen:

Depending on my final wheel choice, I would be very, very happy if my Arabesque comes under 8kg, sorry no WeightWeenie I'm afraid :oops:
(the steel fork alone is 730g :shock: )

Here's a few photos just to get started:

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Hope you like it & I'll update as it progresses!

Cheers
Last edited by Look565w on Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Fluffman
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2012 4:31 am

by Fluffman

Looks gorgeous! Looking forward to see how the build turns out.

by Weenie


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Look565w
Posts: 225
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 1:25 am
Location: West of Scotland

by Look565w

Fluffman wrote:
Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:38 pm
Looks gorgeous! Looking forward to see how the build turns out.
Thanks Fluffman!

Just realised my photos are pretty crap, sorry! Weather here today hasn't been great :shock:

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Calnago
In Memoriam
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Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:14 pm

by Calnago

Its going to build up to be a very pretty bicycle. It may look a little bland as it is but unlike a graphics monster once the build is done it will come into its own in a very subtle elegant way. Whereas the graphics monsters can be striking on their own then once some big deep logo’d wheels get thrown on and some blingy anodized bits here and there it can quickly become overblown. Each has their place.
Last edited by Calnago on Sun Dec 30, 2018 2:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
Colnago C64 - The Naked Build; Colnago C60 - PR99; Trek Koppenberg - Where Emonda and Domane Meet;
Unlinked Builds (searchable): Colnago C59 - 5 Years Later; Trek Emonda SL Campagnolo SR; Special Colnago EPQ

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Gearjunkie
Posts: 877
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:17 am
Location: NZ

by Gearjunkie

Amazing.

Stunning blue, beautiful lugs and chrome.

So jealous.👍✨👌😎

markyboy
Posts: 1123
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 10:22 pm
Location: Bristol uk

by markyboy

Looks lovely,im sure thats the same one i was looking at on ebay but it was to big for me so bought my master 52cm :D
Steel rides lovely.
Colnago arabesque campagnolo super record 12
Colnago c64
Cinelli zydeco grx di2

mike
Resident Pro
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Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2003 9:42 pm

by mike

Put delta brakes!

Look565w
Posts: 225
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 1:25 am
Location: West of Scotland

by Look565w

Calnago wrote:
Sun Dec 30, 2018 2:27 am
Its going to build up to be a very pretty bicycle. It may look a little bland as it is but unlike a graphics monster once the build is done it will come into its own in a very subtle elegant way. Whereas the graphics monsters can be striking on their own then once some big deep logo’d wheels get thrown on and some blingy anodized bits here and there it can quickly become overblown. Each has their place.
Haha ........ thanks Calnago, "graphic monster" I like that description :D .......I'm with you there, the attractive details on the Arabesque is the lugs, so I think that should be the center of attention. Probably why the new Arabesque only comes in plain colour finishes!
mike wrote:
Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:41 am
Put delta brakes!
Have you seen the price of them? Also, I like my bike to stop when I brake & I brake a lot :mrgreen:

rajMAN
Posts: 213
Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:20 pm
Location: UK

by rajMAN

Beauty :D

c60rider
Posts: 872
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:12 pm

by c60rider

+1 on Deltas!! Mine stop me well enough. Just as long as I plan it far enough ahead! The fine details on this might be tricky, bar tape colour, brake cable colour, saddle etc I wonder if white tape and cables would suit as black cables would stand out too much against the frame. And the frame is the star of the show here.

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kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Deltas stop fine alu rims. IME they perform better than many brakes on carbon rims. They just have to be installed by someone who knows what he is doing.
In any case deltas look good on a full C-record groupset. Otherwise they lose part of their sexiness.

Look565w
Posts: 225
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 1:25 am
Location: West of Scotland

by Look565w

c60rider wrote:
Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:50 pm
+1 on Deltas!! Mine stop me well enough. Just as long as I plan it far enough ahead! The fine details on this might be tricky, bar tape colour, brake cable colour, saddle etc I wonder if white tape and cables would suit as black cables would stand out too much against the frame. And the frame is the star of the show here.
Um ............ the thought of white bar tape, saddle & cables have certainly been considered ........ but really not sure about all that since white bar tape is a real pain to keep "white" (I've had experience of that) especially in our wet Scottish weather. My saddle choice is Brooks Cambium for this build & unfortunetly the C13 "only" comes in black :noidea:
................. ok, maybe white cables then :mrgreen:

Either way, I envisage this build of mine will be a process of "evolution" where I will no doubt start changing things as soon as I get it finish.
I suppose thats the beauty about these old style frames, where if done correctly, old & modern part can both work well!

Thanks for the comment & Best wishes for the New Year, guys!

KotP
Posts: 176
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:31 am

by KotP

Beautiful looking frameset, I agree with your component choices too. -17 is a must.

I'd probably go with a chrome headeset, but parts can be swapped out as they come available in good condition and at the right price so eventually it all matches.

c60rider
Posts: 872
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:12 pm

by c60rider

Look565w wrote:
Tue Jan 01, 2019 9:31 pm
c60rider wrote:
Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:50 pm
+1 on Deltas!! Mine stop me well enough. Just as long as I plan it far enough ahead! The fine details on this might be tricky, bar tape colour, brake cable colour, saddle etc I wonder if white tape and cables would suit as black cables would stand out too much against the frame. And the frame is the star of the show here.
Um ............ the thought of white bar tape, saddle & cables have certainly been considered ........ but really not sure about all that since white bar tape is a real pain to keep "white" (I've had experience of that) especially in our wet Scottish weather. My saddle choice is Brooks Cambium for this build & unfortunetly the C13 "only" comes in black :noidea:
................. ok, maybe white cables then :mrgreen:

Either way, I envisage this build of mine will be a process of "evolution" where I will no doubt start changing things as soon as I get it finish.
I suppose thats the beauty about these old style frames, where if done correctly, old & modern part can both work well!

Thanks for the comment & Best wishes for the New Year, guys!
There was a recent thread about how to keep white bar tape white but clean but it's the cheapest thing to change on a bike if it gets tatty. But definitely old and modern go well together which is exactly what I did on my own steel refurb 18 months ago.

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/foru ... 0&t=148462

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



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kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

IMO Brooks is not a good match for this frame. A leather San Marco Regal or Regal evo is a much better choice.

https://www.merlincycles.com/san-marco- ... 01295.html

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