Ever since I was just a small tot and peeped under the sheet covering my older friends Paganini race bike, decked out in full C Record glory with Deltas and Shamals I instantly fell in love and wanted one. Only being around 10 years old at the time, I didn't fully understand what I was looking at, but knew it was a very special bike. The lovely pantographs, the top finish of C Record, those blinding Shamals and the gorgeous Delta brakes, OH the DELTAS, you didn't have to be an expert to appreciate this bike!
Over a decade later, I saw a Paganini for sale and instantly all the memories of that fabulous Paganini I saw all those years ago come flooding back to me.
Its no Cinelli Laser, but I couldn't believe my luck when I found this bike. The memories and sentimental value were overwhelming and I was in love! My friends Paganini was the bike that got me hooked on Retro bikes and I now owned a Paganini.
When I bought this bike it was in pretty original early 90's condition with full C Record era Athena groupset fitted, including Athena hubs on Mavic Open 4 CD rims, Cinelli XA stem and Crit bars and the good ol Selle Turbomatic.
I stripped the bike bare, got the frame realigned in a jig for good measure and coated all the inside tubing with fish oil. Front forks got sent away for a re-chrome and new Columbus stickers applied to frame and fork. Then started the long process of reassembly, buying parts and the overhauling of EVERYTHING.
The wheels I trued perfectly and overhauled with all new genuine ball bearings, cups and cones along with a Record Titanium freehub with all new SKF sealed bearings. The Ergo shifters I rebuilt with new parts including new rubber hoods, rear mech pulled apart and new jockey wheels fitted etc etc I could talk all day about what I've done to this bike, essentially every single part on this bike I have rebuilt and cleaned. The Cinelli stem, bars and Record headset have had the anodising stripped and hand polished.
I was not aiming for a Period correct build, a specific groupset build or a full NOS build. I added my own personal touches, such as the engraved Cinelli stem badge, white rubber stem spacer, see-through Columbus downtube sticker (enabled the frame colour to show through) plus many more little touches.
The frame, though in excellent used condition, does show signs of use and has the odd chip here and there including some very bad paint touchups. Majority of the components on it are likewise, very good condition, but show signs of use and have real Patina.
I like this and wanted to build it up using in my opinion what is the nicest looking 8S compatable Alloy Campagnolo parts available. NO CARBON ALLOWED.
Funds limited this to a certain extent, but the bike will continue to evolve with hopefully some 5th gen Deltas, a Record Titanium 8S rear mech and a few other little things making its way on board in the future.
Paganini was the house brand of Belgium Bike Shop Plum Vainqueur. They were built in Italy alongside Concorde's and Ciocc's under the direction of master frame builder Giovanni Pelizzoli.
With the frame being made in Italy, this is also a bit of a National build, with as many products from Italy used.
This is the full list,
FRAME - Paganini Columbus SL 58cm
CASSETTE - Campagnolo 9S with custom alloy 8S spacers
WHEELS - Campagnolo Record Shamal 16 8S
FREEHUB - Campagnolo Record Alloy 9S
CRANK - Campagnolo Record 10S
CHAIN RINGS - Campagnolo Record 10S with custom chainring shims
PEDALS - Campagnolo Record Titanium
SHIFTERS - Campagnolo Record Titanium 8S
REAR DERAILLEUR - Campagnolo Record Titanium 8S (recently updated)
FRONT DERAILLEUR - Campagnolo Record 8S
HEADSET - Campagnolo Record (current model)
CABLE DOWNTUBE ADJUSTERS - Campagnolo Record
BRAKES - Campagnolo Chorus Monoplaner
BOTTOM BRACKET - Campagnolo Chorus (current model)
CABLES - Campagnolo
SEAT POST CLAMP - Campagnolo
SEAT POST - Campagnolo Athena Aero
SEAT - San Marco Regal Leather
STEM - Cinelli XA 115mm
BARS - Cinelli Criterium 42
BAR END CAPS - Cinelli
TYRES - Vittoria Open Corsa SC
BAR TAPE - Brooks Leather
COMPLETE WEIGHT - 10.4kg
Heres some pics (bad lighting), I hope you all like it. I will try get some better pics outside in good daylight. Bike looks alot better in the bright light.
OUTDOOR PICS ON PAGE 2!
Over a decade later, I saw a Paganini for sale and instantly all the memories of that fabulous Paganini I saw all those years ago come flooding back to me.
Its no Cinelli Laser, but I couldn't believe my luck when I found this bike. The memories and sentimental value were overwhelming and I was in love! My friends Paganini was the bike that got me hooked on Retro bikes and I now owned a Paganini.
When I bought this bike it was in pretty original early 90's condition with full C Record era Athena groupset fitted, including Athena hubs on Mavic Open 4 CD rims, Cinelli XA stem and Crit bars and the good ol Selle Turbomatic.
I stripped the bike bare, got the frame realigned in a jig for good measure and coated all the inside tubing with fish oil. Front forks got sent away for a re-chrome and new Columbus stickers applied to frame and fork. Then started the long process of reassembly, buying parts and the overhauling of EVERYTHING.
The wheels I trued perfectly and overhauled with all new genuine ball bearings, cups and cones along with a Record Titanium freehub with all new SKF sealed bearings. The Ergo shifters I rebuilt with new parts including new rubber hoods, rear mech pulled apart and new jockey wheels fitted etc etc I could talk all day about what I've done to this bike, essentially every single part on this bike I have rebuilt and cleaned. The Cinelli stem, bars and Record headset have had the anodising stripped and hand polished.
I was not aiming for a Period correct build, a specific groupset build or a full NOS build. I added my own personal touches, such as the engraved Cinelli stem badge, white rubber stem spacer, see-through Columbus downtube sticker (enabled the frame colour to show through) plus many more little touches.
The frame, though in excellent used condition, does show signs of use and has the odd chip here and there including some very bad paint touchups. Majority of the components on it are likewise, very good condition, but show signs of use and have real Patina.
I like this and wanted to build it up using in my opinion what is the nicest looking 8S compatable Alloy Campagnolo parts available. NO CARBON ALLOWED.
Funds limited this to a certain extent, but the bike will continue to evolve with hopefully some 5th gen Deltas, a Record Titanium 8S rear mech and a few other little things making its way on board in the future.
Paganini was the house brand of Belgium Bike Shop Plum Vainqueur. They were built in Italy alongside Concorde's and Ciocc's under the direction of master frame builder Giovanni Pelizzoli.
With the frame being made in Italy, this is also a bit of a National build, with as many products from Italy used.
This is the full list,
FRAME - Paganini Columbus SL 58cm
CASSETTE - Campagnolo 9S with custom alloy 8S spacers
WHEELS - Campagnolo Record Shamal 16 8S
FREEHUB - Campagnolo Record Alloy 9S
CRANK - Campagnolo Record 10S
CHAIN RINGS - Campagnolo Record 10S with custom chainring shims
PEDALS - Campagnolo Record Titanium
SHIFTERS - Campagnolo Record Titanium 8S
REAR DERAILLEUR - Campagnolo Record Titanium 8S (recently updated)
FRONT DERAILLEUR - Campagnolo Record 8S
HEADSET - Campagnolo Record (current model)
CABLE DOWNTUBE ADJUSTERS - Campagnolo Record
BRAKES - Campagnolo Chorus Monoplaner
BOTTOM BRACKET - Campagnolo Chorus (current model)
CABLES - Campagnolo
SEAT POST CLAMP - Campagnolo
SEAT POST - Campagnolo Athena Aero
SEAT - San Marco Regal Leather
STEM - Cinelli XA 115mm
BARS - Cinelli Criterium 42
BAR END CAPS - Cinelli
TYRES - Vittoria Open Corsa SC
BAR TAPE - Brooks Leather
COMPLETE WEIGHT - 10.4kg
Heres some pics (bad lighting), I hope you all like it. I will try get some better pics outside in good daylight. Bike looks alot better in the bright light.
OUTDOOR PICS ON PAGE 2!
