Okay, I am planning my Spring build on a very pretty CIOCC frameset that I have just taken under my wing. The frame is a dark candy-apple red metallic, with smoked chrome stays and fork. Because of the dark red and smoked chrome, I could go either way with the build.
I will be going completely modern with the build - most likely Athena 11 with a decent wheel set with mid-profile (30mm) rims. NOTE: The spokes in the mockups look black, but I'm planning to go with stainless.

So, how would you build it? Here are some snaps of the frame plus some bikecad mockups. The 3 options are 1) all black 2) alloy with black post/stem 3) all alloy.

Thanks!






MOCK-UPS:

All Black



Black/Alloy




All Alloy

I'm going to debate this one. I have three bikes, and I intentionally built one with each of these color schemes.

edit:

im going to add examples from my personal stable. I think it may help. I hope to dont mind.

Black:


Mixed:


Silver:

Can you not do alloy groupset with alloy rims/spokes?

All alloy. With silver box section rims and silver hubs if possible.

Wheels should match either way you go, but both all black or all alloy look nice, the mix not as nice.

The silver/black might be too busy with the smoked chrome.

Silver is always a safety net, but sometimes it is fun to challenge the accepted norm.

you already have black parts, and maybe I'm partial from my recent build, but that all black mockup looks great.

to confuse things further, there is always century gray Campagnolo

Bikecad does not allow me (in the free version, anyway) to put a machined brake track, which would be present on the rims, and would add a nice flash of silver.

I'm probably going to get a set of the UBI DT Swiss 370/rr465 wheels due to the unbeatable price. Otherwise, Campy Zonda or Neutron would be high on my list. My final wheel option would be silver Record/Chorus hubs with silver Open Pro rims (or similar).
I actually prefer black rims with silver brake tracks to all alloy, but that's just me. It was certainly the norm in the mid 80's when this frame was new, so not out of place IMO. I'd definitely remove any gaudy decals if present.

Hmmm...... Century gray.... Which grouppo? The current options seem to be either alloy or black in the Centaur/Athena offerings.

Is been a few year. I think it was 2006 centaur. I just put a kit on Grady's tommasini



i updated my first post with practical examples. Seeing a real photograph can help

Like this?

I really like that^

Can't use a silver headset either?

Pretty. I wonder why Campy discontinued that finish.

As always, Thirdgen, your rides are a source of inspiration.
If the chrome on my frame was clear/bright like you Tommasini, I think bright alloy would be a no brainer for me.

As you know, I'm headed towards black with my build, but I still think it would be pretty sharp either way. I've held both up to my frame (black, alloy) and they both look great IMO.

I certainly could. I have an old Gipiemme on there now (black), but it would be a cinch to change out if need be.

It was probably a combination of production cost and low sales.

i appreciate it. If you are ever in Iowa, you are welcome to borrow something from my stable. They probably reasonably fit you.

i agree on your assessment. Silver would be a no brainier if it was bright chrome, but I really think all black has potential. Can you throw the post and stem on and get us a taste?

Stem, saddle and post should be here early in the week. The bars got here on Friday. I'll get the peripherals on the frame for some pics as soon as I get them.
I also have an old NOS ITM Eclipse stem - pretty blingy, but it offers a good sense for pure chrome. I threw it on there last week to give it a look, and it was too much for the smoked chrome.

And, thanks for the offer if I ever pass your way. I'll definitely take you up on it if I plan a road trip out that way. My sister lives in Minneapolis, so ya never know

silver or gunmetal components
hard anodized rims (H+Son Archetypes would look awesome)
all black tires, saddle, tape, and housing

Ahh, a shift from the white saddle/tape. Something like this?

Wheel wise, I'm hard pressed to get anything other than the UBI DT Swiss wheels, at least to start, because they are a really good deal - I can't even buy two rims for a build for the price of a set of RR465 with 370 hubs. Not bad. The H Plus Son's look like great rims, though. Who knows? The UBI deal is a crap shoot - sporadically available depending on how many of the wheelbuilding certification students buy their wheel set after the course.

I'm about to do a similar build with an blue/gray frameset, built by the same guy (pelizzoli)

my plan is all black everything...i wanted to do all-gray everything, but it's impossible to find a headset/BB combo in gray.
I can't even find a black italian-thread GXP bottom bracket.

Is that a road bike with 26 inch wheels?

If or when the black color rubs off on just a small part of a bicycle part, I find it makes the bike look dirty. I only buy black parts if they're on sale.

Chris King does the headset.

Bottom brackets are English-only though.

I'll let you guess how I voted.

The camera distorted the picture.

that is a 59cm cross bike with 700c wheels. The seat tube and head tube are close to the tommasini. The stand over is taller due to the extra clearance and larger tires.

I like classic red bikes with all black stuff except hubs and spokes. Period dark grey ano rims are close enough to black, maybe the same with a little crabon here and there.

Like this one - new frame, but old style... (imagine it with super shiny silver Campy hubs.)

Nice looking rides!
I have some options with which way to go. I'm inclined to go with white saddle and bar tape - the frame seems to be wanting that - sort of like your Paramount. I have an SLR flow saddle that is mostly white with black around the back.

If Athena or Centaur were available in a smoked finish, that would be my first choice. I'm thinking of a black/alloy mix. Alloy components, black/charcoal chain rings, black stem and post. I prefer the look of anodized rims with the machined (silver) brake track to the all silver look, with gumwall tires (like the Veloflex Master or Vittoria Evo cx).

I'm getting a seatpost in the mail in a few days, and can get the post/saddle/stem/bars on there for some initial pics. I have an old Ital BB that I can throw in to play with a couple of cranks to see how they look.

I tend to agree with this - particularly with the smoked chrome and deep candy apple paint.

I think no matter what I do, the bike will look really nice