NestorNotabilis

Hi all! I'm a moderate-time lurker and first time poster who's dipping a toe into the world of vintage bikes. I've been eyeing a Scapin KS-25 frameset on Craigslist and am wondering how hard it would be for a first-time project. I've got several questions:

• Is $300 a fair price for a bare frame/fork? Condition looks excellent but there are no decals and no hardware. I'm assuming figuring out the stem and getting a seat post might be an adventure.
• Would it be possible to put a more modern groupset on the frame? I looked at Campy Chorus C prices and have decided that a full restoration is not really in the cards at the moment (but maybe in the future!). What I do have is a Campy Centaur groupset I could pull off an early 2000's Univega
• If possible, would it be sacrilegious to put that groupset on? Will I be struck down by the vengeful Vintage Bicycle Deity?

Thanks a bunch - I've been having a great time just browsing through threads to see everyone's builds and have been learning a lot by just putting <model name I saw on Craigslist> in the search box.

delbiker1 

First of all, make sure it is a Scapin KS-25? Putting a "more modern group set" on vintage bikes is done by a lot of cyclists. It is only wrong if you think it is wrong. I have no comment on value, and no comment on being struck down by some imaginary deity.

Bianchigirll 

NestorNotabilis Is the frame like this one from 1986? I would not put a modern group on this because the "Escrago" or Aero type shifter mounting with internal cables. You's have to use a clamp of sometype for the cable housing stops and that will get ugly. Plus you need to find a nice seatpost in 25MM, most better quality bikes of the era used a 27.2 or 27.0 post.

Pics sourced from this site. That's a beautiful bike. BTW even setting up Index DT shifters on this might be tricky. https://www.veloversum.com/scapin-ks-25


Edit: I'm not sure I've ever heard of this KS-25 tubing before and while it looks like maybe carbon or aluminum it is steel with special internal lugs, similar to a Vitus or other clued AL frames, then they are silver soddered. Interesting

NestorNotabilis

It has the Scapin on the seat stay, the sloping top tube, and the eyelets for the internal cables, so I think it's pretty likely! Not that I've been particularly successful about finding information.

NestorNotabilis

I'm very jealous of whomever ended up with that one - it is gorgeous.

Can you elaborate on why an indexed shifter might not work with the internal routing? How did they originally get the cable housing to work?

jdawginsc 

If I am interpreting BG right, you’d have to have a clamped cable stop on the down tube, and the aero mount just sitting there.

Also indexed shifters are precise one cable throw, and the cable angles might be problematic?

Bianchigirll 

jdawginsc is correct the cable routing tends to bind too much for indexing. You could never go spect to put a regular housing stop on that and insert in the hole and if you use a clamp to mount them, there is no routing under the bottom bracket shell for the cables.

Same with index downtube shifters. I had a customer insist I cut one of those escargot type shifter mounts off on his Battaglin time trial bike and I still tear up today thinking about it.

where is this frame? Do you a link to the sale posting?

NestorNotabilis

Okay, I see what you mean.

Well shoot, here's where my heart sank because the frame looks like your photo. I guess someone already found out the conversion problem the hard way.

Unfortunately, I can't post links or photos yet, but it's on Seattle Craigslist - a search for Scapin turns it up. A couple pictures in there's a close-up of the downtube.

Bianchigirll 

NestorNotabilis This frame looks li it has regular shifter bosses with cable stops bolted on already. So perhaps the Brifters will work. However it is missing a water bottle boss. Can’t tell if this chromed or just stripped of paint. https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/b...710918625.html

Chuckk

Interesting lug work. Sent me off searching and found this: https://www.veloversum.com/scapin-ks-25

smd4

I've got Shimano parts on a Cinelli. If that didn't rile up the cycling gods, then I think you'll be okay.

NestorNotabilis

So I did some more googling and found another listing for a 1988 version on Premium Cycling that looks more like the model here, with shifter levers on the side of the downtube instead of the top. It looks like that version didn't get the paint over the chrome, although it does look like there was either decals or logos on the seat tube and downtube that aren't present on this frame. I also noticed the wear on the bottom bracket lug and am wondering if that's going to be something that needs to be addressed. Might end up with a very handsome garage bike when all's said and done.

Vitma

Very nice looking frame.

Since the KS-25 frame building method involves tubes being pushed over the lugs and soldered with silver solder, similar to glued Vitus frames, which are sometimes reported to have issues with bonding loosening, I’m wondering if the same applies to the KS-25 frames. Does anyone have information on this?

Campagnerdo 

Campagnerdo 

I understand these frames are Columbus tubed. The 25.0 seat post won't be too difficult to find, nor the stem. These were commonly chromovelato finished, colored lacquer over chrome. I believe this one on Craigslist has been stripped of its lacquer. The water bottle rivnut can be replaced. Being a steel frame, I don't think there is any concern over debonding, these aren't bonded with a glue or epoxy. It's a handsome frame that one does not encounter often.

ashwath22

Hey!
Not sure if you ended up buying the frame.

I own a Scapin KS-25. Its a size 56, which is a little big for me but I make do with a short stem and short seatpost height

Its actually quite light and rides like a dream! In the 8 years I have owned it, I built it up with Full vintage Campy parts for Eroica, Ultegra Di2 for some time and now it has Dura Ace 7700 + carbon wheels. It works great with all 3 builds.

Its so versatile and well worth the $300 IMHO
Cheers!

georges1

Very nice frame and well worth it