gthomson

Can anyone tell me more about this group set?

• what year did they become available?
• was there a specific bike they were made for?
• were they used in professional racing?
• and why do they look so ornate compared to other Shimano components which are usually quite plain?

I really like them and for friction shifters, they shift smooth as butter. I also would think they were a bit old for this Sakai bike they are on which I believe would have been more late 80's?

rccardr 

Arabesque 600EX, also called 6200, sold from 78 to 83 when 6207 was introduced.
Shimano Arabesque 1978 - 1983 or 600EX groupset

bikemig 

Now you'll need to track down a matching crank!

ave416

That water bottle is a true Canadian classic : )

randyjawa 

I think that I have the matching crank set. Let me know if you need and I can post it on the For Sale forum.

gthomson

LOL shoot, didn't think anyone would notice that and yes it is! One of my many hockey water bottles that wasn't too big.

gthomson

I didn't even think about the matching crank and just assumed it would just be paired with a Shimano crank of the day. randyjawa Let me think about that and I'll PM you, if that's alright.

T-Mar

Shimano 600EX (1978-1983) was the 2nd generation of Shimano' s 2nd tier, mid-range, 600 series component group that had been introduced in 1974. It was spec'd on a wide variety of mid-range bicycles. It was not used for professional racing but was popular with sports riders, club racers and lower category amateur racers. There was an optional crankset with a 110mm BCD that could accommodate a 34T inner chainring and, as of 1980, a long cage rear derailleur, so you could also find 600EX them on some light touring bicycles. Often, a manufacturer would spec 600EX only for the derailleurs and shift levers, knowing that most consumers judged the level of a bicycle by the rear derailleurs. Consequently, it could sometimes be found on upper entry level bicycles. While Shimano used the term arabesque to describe the cosmetic stlying, it was not part of the formal group name and is more of a nickname used by cyclists to aid in identification.

Murray Missile 

I just acquired a full set today......... frame and fork are no longer roadworthy but everything else is in great shape.

markk900

My wife’s Norco Magnum has the full Arabesque- it looks great in my eyes and shifts pretty nicely too. If you can get the crank from Randy.

gthomson

Nice Murray Missile and look at all those reflectors!

jamesdak 

Sure is nice looking, I've yet to ever run across one of those ornate groupsets.

bikemig 

Is this another example of you purging the herd,

Or this is a parts donor? The bike looks like it was crashed . . .

Murray Missile 

The first thing I used to do was take them off and throw them away. Now when I get an old bike that still has them I'm tickled. I still remove them on higher end bikes but now they get labeled with what bike they're from and stowed away. I am pretty stoked about the generator set on it, it even works. It may end up on my Raleigh 3 speed.

Murray Missile 

Strictly an organ donor and yes it has been crashed HARD. Fork has been straightened but it looks like it was pretty badly bent, lots of cracked and chipped paint on both blades about 4 inches down from the crown. I'm going to practice frame straightening on the frame and then rebuild it with parts bin orphans and give it a permanent home on my stationary trainer. The Arabesque stuff is probably going on my Gitane Interclub and the generator set on my Raliegh 3 speed. For $40... I couldn't pass it up and he delivered it right to the parking lot at work at lunch time!

repechage

That was a hard won $40.

Murray Missile 

He said he lived about 5 minutes away and had an appointment across town so he would be going right by there and could drop it off, from his truck and the way he was dressed my guess is he had a 1 o'clock tee time at the country club. Who am I to argue?

jdawginsc 

i found pieces in lots I have bought but not whole shabang...golden eagle is cool too.

rccardr 

Plus the RD has that neato take-the-chain-off-without-breaking-a-link feature, just like DA7200.

dmark 

In an earlier thread on BF I learned some 600 Arabesque 6200 cranks were swaged and others forged. I think it was around this time Shimano absorbed Takagi who was a contractor for Shimano.