Colnago Arabesque: a Steel Jewel with Precious Details

Colnago has accustomed us to excellence and precious details. An example of this is the recent Gioiello in limited edition.

But patron Ernesto has been inspiring enthusiasts for a long time. In the early 1980s, he had already achieved numerous sporting, commercial, and technological successes.

In 1983, he presented an icon that still exists in the Cambiago catalog: the Master with star-shaped profile tubes produced by Gilco.

However, for Colnago, that was not enough. They had to do more. Colnago has an obsession with moving forward, innovating, and aiming for the future and excellence. In addition to technology, they need to emphasize the refinement, exclusivity, and preciousness of a high-end artisanal product, which each of their frames represents.

Thus, on the occasion of the company's 30th anniversary in 1984, the Arabesque was presented to the world.

The very first version - already created in late 1983 - used round tubes known as Super Profil, with crimping on each side (right and left) of the horizontal and diagonal tubes.

The Arabesque was sold as a frame kit or a complete bike, featuring the contemporary Campagnolo 50th-anniversary groupset.

However, the most iconic, well-known, and sought-after version is the second series, which utilized Nuovo Mexico tubes with crimping on each side of the horizontal tube and two on each side of the diagonal tube.

But above all, the elegance of this frame is emphasized by the presence of two 24-carat gold-encrusted Asso di Fiori (Colnago's symbol) in the seatpost caps.

This detail pairs perfectly - on complete bikes - with the Campagnolo Super Record groupset, also embellished with 7 or 8 (depending on the type of seat post used, round or aerodynamic) gold Asso di Fiori.

The arabesque junctions are also used in combination with Gilco's star-shaped frames, giving rise to the Master Arabesque.

As the decade comes to an end, new technologies and materials emerge: titanium and carbon experience a period of brilliant exaltation. However, steel and sophisticated craftsmanship never go out of style.

In fact, the Colnago Arabesque returns to the Cambiago company's product lineup, and it is now available again, reintroducing the fundamental concepts of the first model, born forty years ago.

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