flyfisherbob

Hi all,

I am heading out of town, so won't be around for a couple of days, and don't have pics yet; but can anyone fill me in on Scapin bikes? I don't find much searching the interwebs, but it looks like a sweet ride. Thanks for any help.

Bob

MikesChevelle

I dont know a ton about them but I did have one a while back, it was a tad big for me but it was VERY nice. I dont remember which Campy set it had, but it was friction which was fun. Its funny you are in STL, that is where this pic was taken when I lived there, may you have my old bike

KonAaron Snake 

I had one as a flip, an SLX model with panto'd Super Record. I don't remember the exact issue, but they misapplied primer over chrome and the paint had fallen off in most places. It was too large to ride, so no comment in that regard. My overall impression was that it was generic also-ran Italian with the sloppy paint issue. I also remember the engravings in the lugs were very poorly done and sloppy. The aesthetics didn't appeal to me at all.

unworthy1

Scapin has a reputation for being above the average quality compared to most Italian brands, quite the opposite to Mr. Snake's observation above, but there will always be exceptions.
I think Citoyen du Monde (Maasland) has a high regard for Scapin as a builder, either it was him or one of the other big names in this small pond, like Angel of Italian Bicycle blog fame. Whoever it was I only have had 2 pass thru my hands and neither was a size I could ride so no opinion from me on that count, either.

KonAaron Snake 

I don't know that much about them, and only saw the one. It was not a frame I'd have gone out of my way for based on appearance, but I've never ridden one. My opinion is VERY limited in scope. They're a smaller Italian builder that's been around for a while. I think I remember seeing one on Craigslist that was more entry/mid-level. It's likely similar to anything else - who was the builder(s) when it was made and did he have a bad day. It could very well have been an exception.

There are so many Italian builders...and no one knows them all (except for Mr. Maasland).

RobbieTunes

I've seen two in person.
1-Very nice.
2-Bring your wallet.

MikesChevelle

Pics?

flyfisherbob

Some pics of the bike. I will work on getting more detail. Cinelli stem and bars, everything else Campy, including delta brakes and high flange hubs. Exception are the bar end shifters. I've never seen anything like them. Maybe I can find some downtube levers and convert back.

RobbieTunes

whoa.

MikesChevelle

Looks clean, who would have thought there were two Scapin in STL???

Citoyen du Monde

Before I got married, when I was living in Vicenza and my then fiancée was in Treviso, I would drive past their workshop at least a half dozen times a week because they are located on the state highway linking Treviso to Vicenza. They had a very good reputation in the Veneto. I would consider them to be among the better second level builders that could easily compete with the first level builders if they had ever supplied bikes to a big-name professional team.

I would be happy to have one myself.

flyfisherbob

A couple more pics and some questions. What component set are these? I confess to knowing nothing about Campy. The shifters may go and be replaced with downtube shifters. Is the RD index compatible? What are the chances I can fit 25s; It has 23s and they look pretty close.

KonAaron Snake 

I'm no sure hat you paid, but some of these parts are extremely valuable. Part of why they're valuable is that some aren't that prized as riding gear.

The front hub is a sherrif star...campagnolo c record high flange. I can't see the rear, but it probably is too. Those hubs are worth quite a bit, and they look clean. I don't keep track of exact values, but those hubs are 500 easy. That's a campy freewheel...probably aluminum. Looks clean. They wear out if you look at them cross eyed, but they're not cheap. If not worn, at least $125. Delta brakes are either c-record or CDA, I can't tell from photos. They wok well when set up properly...One of the more Beautiful brakesets that have been made. Typically they sell for 2 to 300. C record crank, one of my very favorites.

I can't tell the shifters from photos - can you take better photos?

flyfisherbob

Thanks Aaron. For what I paid, I could make quite a bit by parting it out, loathe as I am to do so. You're right, the rear hubs match the front. I don't like the bladed spokes, and suspect they are not original. Here is a better picture for the shifters, which I also suspect are later additions.

unworthy1

FWIW I have seen pics online of the "Sheriff Star" hubs with broken flanges, and I'd venture to say that those laced radially would be more stressed than those laced with a cross-pattern, but then again there's this famous interchange with Sheldon Brown concerning one that's laced X-3 and so...YRMV.
Still, a very handsome and sought-after hubset, I just wouldn't lace it radially if mine.
Campgnolo Record Track Hub Failures

thinktubes 

Hot-dog!

lotekmod

In Philadelphia back in the early '90s, when I was getting into racing and fast club riding, there were quite a few Scapins in the city. If my memory is correct, someone affiliated with one of the teams or clubs made a connection with the Scapin factory and would order directly from them and have the frames shipped together in small group buys. I recall looking over the sales literature and the frames were a couple hundred bucks cheaper that other similar Italian frames. The frames appeared to be good quality but with very simple decals and paint jobs which would appeal to me now, but back then I really lusted after the brightly painted Colnagos, Tommasinis, Merckxs, etc. A plain white frame with a simple black or blue decal was just too plain for me then.

Yours appear to be a nice one!

Zoku620

I worked in a shop (Bike Tech) in the philly area when I was a kid. We sold Scapin frames, they looked awesome with their translucent paint over chrome. When it came time to replace my Allez (hit by car) it was a toss up between one of these smd the Grandis I eventually bought. The Scapin was nice but a little common in my area. Always my downfall - I didn't trade my '94 Ducati to a coworker for his Honda RC30 because I knew two guys who already had them. That motorcycle (Honda RC30) is highly sought after now.

1stovertheline

Hi people here is mine Scapin i had it for the last 17 years add to it over the years.

Bianchigirll 

Hello and welcome to the forums. The system won’t let you post a link until you have ten post. Head over to the introduction thread and say Hi a few times.

bassogap

Those shifters are Grip-Shifts...I believe Sram's first product. For about a season everybody had to have them...

shuru421

The seller def. put some love into that Scapin. Must be a nice bike.

flyfisherbob

Fun to see this old thread come back to life. To fill out some more of the story, as you can tell I had a local shop build the wheels as 3 cross after reading about cracked hubs when radially spoked. I replaced the Delta brakes with a set of campy centaur. I'm pretty sure the brakes are the c-record models, which I plan to sell. The grip shifters were replaced with a generic pair of shimano friction shifters until I can find a set of campy.

I found the local shop that originally sold the bike. Evidently, STL had one of only a couple of shops in the states that sold Scapins. Interestingly,I heard from another source that one of the others was in the Philly area. I does ride really sweet. I took it on a 50 miler this summer, and other than a flat, it rode like a dream. Got some commentary about the funny looking "older bike".