Scapin - School Me

[CaptStash]

So a really pretty bike just fell into my lap. I am trying to decide whether to build it up as a single speed, or sell it off. It is a Scapin. Rear brake cable is internally routed and it has interesting "internal" lugs for the head tube and top of the seat tube. And it is all chrome! Anybody know what the heck I am working with here? I can get pics in a day or two when I have more time.

CaptStash....

[cadence90]

Great smaller ITA brand...need photos.
.

[ultraman6970]

Ultrm would love to see it, all chromed? Interesting. Probably is a chromobelatto model that got the paint stripped? their characteristic paint job was chromoebelatto. Thats the reason that frame is chrome aswell...

Small manufacturer, never seen a lot of scapin in the us, in other countries they were imported in good quantities.

[cachagua]

Dude, build it fixie and let's ride to Marymoor.

[homagesilkhope]

Scapin was located for 50 years on the main drag just outside of Cittadella in the Veneto, exactly half-way between Pinarello to the east and Campagnolo to the west. (Family names in the Veneto region frequently end in "n:" Scapin, Rossin, Faggin, Battaglin, Alan - Venetian but not a surname, Argentin, Ballan, Bruseghin, Furlan, Moscon, Peron, Trentin.) We shouldn't have been riding on that busy road that day back in the last millenium, but as we made our way mapless back towards Marostica from our first trip to Treviso (er, Pinarello), at one point we looked up and, wow, there's Scapin, right there. Of course, we had to stop and take a look around. Maybe especially as it was nearing sundown, the Scapin family was wonderfully hospitable. The customary offer of coffee led to cheese and bread and wine and finally per forza grappa, and we wound up wobbling home - sometimes on gravel roads through what seemed an endless maze of cornfields - in the evening twilight, the looming blackness of the Asiago massif our only guide. The family shuttered the workshop and sold the brand to Olympia in 2005. Olympia still produces a few Scapins these days at their facility on the south side of Padova.

[macaroon]

Some of my faves. They made loads of really nice frames from OS Columbus tubing in the early 00's.

[merckxman]

I met an old, old, timer atop Monte Grappa (Italy) who rode a beautiful steel Scapin. He rode up every day, weather permitting. When he was younger he had won the Monte Grappa race.

btw, there is an amazing war memorial at the summit.

[jghall]

Had a steel Scapin a while back. Very nice frame. Build up and enjoy.

Above and beyond the reason for, pretty picture above.

[beeemmjay]

Scapin = a dynamite bike.
I rolled around on one of their more entry level carbon bikes (an Anouk) for a little while in wait for the delivery of my Spirit R8.
The Anouk compared to other ‘similar level’ carbon bikes really impressed me. They’re doing some very cool carbon now.
Myself, a sucker for steel, the R8 absolutely delivers. Build is top notch (and I had the rear ended chromed).
Ride that thing!

[colker]

Scapin = a dynamite bike.
I rolled around on one of their more entry level carbon bikes (an Anouk) for a little while in wait for the delivery of my Spirit R8.
The Anouk compared to other ‘similar level’ carbon bikes really impressed me. They’re doing some very cool carbon now.
Myself, a sucker for steel, the R8 absolutely delivers. Build is top notch (and I had the rear ended chromed).
Ride that thing!

Stunning.

[thirdgenbird]

Stunning.

No kidding! Favorite build I’ve seen in a while.

What size tires are those?

[cadence90]

Scapin = a dynamite bike.
I rolled around on one of their more entry level carbon bikes (an Anouk) for a little while in wait for the delivery of my Spirit R8.
The Anouk compared to other ‘similar level’ carbon bikes really impressed me. They’re doing some very cool carbon now.
Myself, a sucker for steel, the R8 absolutely delivers. Build is top notch (and I had the rear ended chromed).
Ride that thing!

Gorgeous R8! Imo the only road Scapins to really consider are the relatively recent but now discontinued Spirit R8 or S8. Those are superb, unique, and have all the great Scapin details, and their "Ice Blue" color is fantastic. The latest pure-Olympia carbon-only frames don't seem very unique at all.

I had an older SPX road; it was great but weighed more than three TIRs. Scapin steels mtbs are very highly prized among ITA mtb riders, for good reason.

Scapin were really a great, innovative company, especially for being so small.
.

[beeemmjay]

Thanks for the Kudos.
Tires pictured were Dugast Roubaixs, 27mm. They felt great, but pushed the clearance limit; am now back to 25s.
And yes, as I understand it mine was one of the last R8s.

[cadence90]

Thanks for the Kudos.
Tires pictured were Dugast Roubaixs, 27mm. They felt great, but pushed the clearance limit; am now back to 25s.
And yes, as I understand it mine was one of the last R8s.

I really hope you never have to sell it, etc.
It is really sublime, and is definitely a classic model/color.
.

[beeemmjay]

Agreed.
I hope to not find myself in a position to have to sell it.
I’m sure at some point I’ll get ‘that itch’ for something new. Ideally I won’t have to purge to purchase.
All said though, if it comes to pass, here will be the first place to put it out there for sale.

[velomateo]

I had a Scapin like the OP describes. Unfortunately I didn’t have much luck researching. I did find a catalog scan, but the quality was very poor and I couldn’t read what tubing they were constructed with. Mine came as a partial bike with a seat post, they use an odd ball size - I believe it’s a 25.2 diameter. Cool frames though, mine was just tad too large for me. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180416/4253c8f5143293b4fd831ee5abdf5582.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[spacemen3]

I had a Scapin Atec for awhile, but I didn't think it was anything special and sold it. That said, I would love, love, love to own a Scapin Dyesis road bike or a Nope MTB.

[CaptStash]

I had a Scapin like the OP describes. Unfortunately I didn’t have much luck researching. I did find a catalog scan, but the quality was very poor and I couldn’t read what tubing they were constructed with. Mine came as a partial bike with a seat post, they use an odd ball size - I believe it’s a 25.2 diameter. Cool frames though, mine was just tad too large for me. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180416/4253c8f5143293b4fd831ee5abdf5582.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is the same frame! Photos coming today. Only the one I have had all the pain stripped.

CaptStash....

[cadence90]

That is the same frame! Photos coming today. Only the one I have had all the pain stripped.

CaptStash....
It must have been a pain to strip all that pain! :banana:

But, seriously, I hope that yours will be a gem.

I think that 55/Rad may have sold this Montello not so long ago, but one could certainly do much worse than this look (somewhat similar story):
Full Chrome '88 Pinarello Montello (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=22952).

I look forward to seeing photos of your Scapin.
.

[colker]

It must have been a pain to strip all that pain! :banana:

But, seriously, I hope that yours will be a gem.

I think that 55/Rad may have sold this Montello not so long ago, but one could certainly do much worse than this look (somewhat similar story):
Full Chrome '88 Pinarello Montello (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=22952).

I look forward to seeing photos of your Scapin.
.

If i had a full chrome frame i would build w/ black carbon chorus all over. Black wheels, cables, saddle... everything.

[cadence90]

If i had a full chrome frame i would build w/ black carbon chorus all over. Black wheels, cables, saddle... everything.

Definitely.
.

[CaptStash]

Some quick pics of the bike. Apparently I broke the rules clamping on the top tube. :-)

CaptStash....

[ultraman6970]

Interesting bike :)

[mtechnica]

Scapin was located for 50 years on the main drag just outside of Cittadella in the Veneto, exactly half-way between Pinarello to the east and Campagnolo to the west. (Family names in the Veneto region frequently end in "n:" Scapin, Rossin, Faggin, Battaglin, Alan - Venetian but not a surname, Argentin, Ballan, Bruseghin, Furlan, Moscon, Peron, Trentin.) We shouldn't have been riding on that busy road that day back in the last millenium, but as we made our way mapless back towards Marostica from our first trip to Treviso (er, Pinarello), at one point we looked up and, wow, there's Scapin, right there. Of course, we had to stop and take a look around. Maybe especially as it was nearing sundown, the Scapin family was wonderfully hospitable. The customary offer of coffee led to cheese and bread and wine and finally per forza grappa, and we wound up wobbling home - sometimes on gravel roads through what seemed an endless maze of cornfields - in the evening twilight, the looming blackness of the Asiago massif our only guide. The family shuttered the workshop and sold the brand to Olympia in 2005. Olympia still produces a few Scapins these days at their facility on the south side of Padova.

Thanks for posting this :beer:

[colker]

Some quick pics of the bike. Apparently I broke the rules clamping on the top tube. :-)

CaptStash....

Internal lugs? Like the Masi 3v?

[CaptStash]

Internal lugs? Like the Masi 3v?

That's what I have been told they are called. The bike looked sort of hideous with the Shimano 105 group on it. I am hemming and hawing as far as keeping it. It's a little big for me, so will probably get sold. It's still kind of cool when things like this drop into my lap. I have good friends...

CaptStash....

[foggypeake]

I love my Scapin. Performance used to sell them and I bought this when they were blowing them out and I was working there. The bike rides like a dream and handles like it is on rails. Coincidentally, the seatpost is also a strange size (29.4). I always wanted to repaint it and now 20+ years later it is still the same color.

[colker]

I love my Scapin. Performance used to sell them and I bought this when they were blowing them out and I was working there. The bike rides like a dream and handles like it is on rails. Coincidentally, the seatpost is also a strange size (29.4). I always wanted to repaint it and now 20+ years later it is still the same color.

It looks so balanced and elegant w/ the stem and handlebars.

29.4 is the size of the fat chance yo eddy seatposts. Dario Pegoretti used the same size for the Marcelo´s first iterations.

[bigflax925]

I vaguely recall an article in a midish '80's Bicycle Guide (I think) about these Scapins. I seem to recall Excell tubing?

I remember the emphasis more on the amount of polishing the frame endured prior to painting than I do anything else. The bike was garnet red over chrome and a real beauty.

[oliver1850]

Mine is much more run-of-the-mill: conventional construction and Cromor. I've never liked silver plus the neon yellow and decals are badly faded. Would like to paint it more to my liking but probably will never get around to it.