Colnago Master X-Light build - let it shine....

[open roader]

Ok, I used a coach bolt with a long thread - problem fixed!

[singlespeedscott]

Good work.

[open roader]

Ok, with the headset sorted it's back to advancing the build.

Today's nicely relaxed task was to fit some cable stops.

As you may have read at the start of this protracted extravaganza; my aim is to build plenty of shiny polished metal onto the bike. So with this in mind I have made another potential philistine decision and have gone with Shimano cable stops as they have the shapely polished alloy body I want but I have swapped out the grey plastic barrel adjusters for pure white BBB barrel adjusters - for two reasons
1) I think white looks better against the frame
and
2) I will be fitting white Campagnolo cabling to the bike.

The Campagnolo cable stops do not look good enough in the few online images I have seen and the Velo Orange alloy cable stops I ordered ( bleary eyed at 1am in the morning) turn out to be grey anodised finish (it pays to read the advertisment details )........ which simply shall not do........ I have lightly hand polished the cable stop bodies before fitting- this did yield a degree or two better shine.

One small detail I'm happy to defer to Mr. Shimano with assistance from Mr. BBB

[Dan]

can't argue there - I've not seen the alloy campag cable stops available for a while now.

[singlespeedscott]

There is a guy on ebay currently selling some. I've hoarded a few for myself.

[munga]

looking gorgeous, man.

the thing i do love about the black plastic campag adjuster's is that you can simply file them down to a flat version for those times when you really need a flat adjuster rather than the common curved version.

[dayne]

Very nice,
One other tip is to find some small rubber o rings that just fit over your cables, slide them on and they wil rest where your cable hits the frame.
If not you can buy white clip on rubber ones from bbb I think.

[Madrider]

Great project and for me I like the style/shape of the stem but would prefer the aero campagnolo post

A fantastic Winter project and Look forward to the next stages of the build

If you wish you may be able to remove the Athena etc decals from the callipers using Acetone (very carefully of course). I think that's what I used to remove the decals from the cranks (Sram) on my Colnago Technos build

Have a liking for the 'nago Art Décor paint jobs and have a red Master Olympic & a Blue Technos and have had a yellow one like yours on my wish list for years.
Unfortunately my wife has drawn the line for any more bikes

Keep up the great work

[The 2nd Womble]

Does a bike get any better looking? Nice attention to detail on this build so far. Get it finished already!

[dayne]

Yep acetone on a clean white cloth will wipe it straight off.

[singlespeedscott]

Why would you wipe off the Campagnolo branding? It's part of owning the stuff. It says your no Shimano/SRAM sheep.

[The 2nd Womble]

Why would you wipe off the Campagnolo branding? It's part of owning the stuff. It says your no Shimano/SRAM sheep.

Athena has that dull crappy Cinelli-ish dull milky anodising on it. You need to be able to buy a Campag branded punch to let everyone know once its been stripped and polished.

[singlespeedscott]

My bike has a mixture of all alloy 10 speed Campagnolo parts and I certainly wouldn't say it was milky. It's certainly as shiny as my 1980's Campagnolo Pista hubs on my fixed gear.

It's only the current Cinelli Giro d'Italia and Criterium bars that have the milky colour. They have been that colour since the late 80's. The current 1A stem is as shiny as my Campagnolo parts and matches that of the Nitto stems and seat posts I have had on other bikes.

You won't get the super mirror finish that you saw in days of past because companies like Campagnolo and Nitto cant afford to pay people for the time it takes stand there all day at a buffing machine covered in buffing compound.

[The 2nd Womble]

So a quick polish is all they need? I'm fairly shocking with my colour blindness btw I have been looking at prices for laser engraving and it's less than I was expecting. Just a thought if you want a classic Campag look

[dayne]

The new Athena is anodized, but the acetone on removed the black logos, it just makes it look a little more period but I'd probably keep it on my bike.

[open roader]

My bike mechanic has promised to make a start on the wheel builds this coming week and I'm informed the tubulars are in the mail too so I got sick of adding just one component at a time and took advantage of the first sunny afternoon in what seems ages to set up in the shed where my trusted new tool chest lives, turn on the radio to listen to the footy and go to work one some more building.

Today I added the cable guide under the BB, the rear brake caliper, the rear derailleur and also the front derailleur.

Check out my not so pro work stand set up.........

[jacob_T]

Ah man,

This is seriously one nice build. The SMP really suits too!
Looking excellent.

[TDC]

Why would you wipe off the Campagnolo branding? It's part of owning the stuff. It says your no Shimano/SRAM sheep.

That's right, everyone should know that you are a Campag sheep.

[Zynster]

Love this build. Great thread.

[singlespeedscott]

Why would you wipe off the Campagnolo branding? It's part of owning the stuff. It says your no Shimano/SRAM sheep.

That's right, everyone should know that you are a Campag sheep.

Damn straight. I'm a Campagnolo sheep through and through.

Shimano is the shiz on the dirt though.

I won't touch SRAM, I think it's plastic rubbish.

[lloyd83]

Why would you wipe off the Campagnolo branding? It's part of owning the stuff. It says your no Shimano/SRAM sheep.

That's right, everyone should know that you are a Campag sheep.

Damn straight. I'm a Campagnolo sheep through and through.

Shimano is the shiz on the dirt though.

I won't touch SRAM, I think it's plastic rubbish.

I don't discriminate, I like them all. It's the only way I can justify more bike projects ahahaha

[Dan]

I'd like to see this built up with tenys and Microshift.

[open roader]

Rims /Spokes/Hubs dropped off to mechhanic today - lets see what happens and when..........

BB cups torqued up and cranks fitted.


I like the match with the frame

[TDC]

BAAAA!

and the bike is looking great.

[humanbeing]

This is going to be a very nice looking bicycle,
the suspense is killing me!
Have a great ride,
Peter