Colnago Arabesque Frameset

The Colnago Arabesque Frameset is new for 2016. And it won’t be here long.

There’s a story you should know when it comes to the Arabesque. It was a much-loved frameset when it debuted 30 years ago. It rode well. It looked great. Sumptuous Chrome. Even to a pro, this was a tool you wanted to ride, but didn’t want to scratch in the work stand. It’s era done, Colnago moved on. Then, last year, they found a box of lugs. A fairly big box of lugs that joined the Arabesque’s tubes when the model was a regular part of the Colnago line. As the name suggests, the lugs were ornate. They decided they’d bring it back until they ran out of lugs. That number is somewhere between 400 and 600 bikes worth.

This frameset is nearly all-in on the 1980’s design spec. It features the classic star-shaped tubes of the original design. The one exception is the one-inch threadless steerer tube. Otherwise, you’ll find: an Italian-threaded bottom bracket (the only one in Colnago’s line), a 27.2mm seat tube, a front derailleur hanger, downtube shifter bosses, and horizontal dropouts. The dropouts are chrome-plated and feature micro-adjusters, just as you’d get back in the day.

Colnago is showing off the bike with newly-built retro cockpit from Cinelli, the 1A stem and 64 handlebar, as well as new old stock Ambrosio box-section tubular rims. This was what people wanted to ride back then. You can set it up however you like. Colnago, despite the pics you’ve seen, is selling the frame with a threadless steerer tube.

In terms of geometry, you’re getting a frameset that is designed to take maximum advantage of steel’s best riding qualities. The top tube is parallel to the ground and is part of what many used to term a “square” frameset, where the seat tube and top tube are nearly the same length. When looking at the spec sheet, you’ll see that the head tube lengths are smaller than you’ll find, relative to the frame size, than most Colnagos. Don’t be fooled, these frames are not more aggressive. The shorter head tubes are a function of the frames requiring an external headset. The seat tube angle is sufficiently aggressive most people will need a seatpost with setback.

The Colnago Arabesque is a complicated frameset that yields a ride that is simply wonderful.