OK - most of you have probably seen the vintage Italian frame I built up in this thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/298282-first-modern-build-vintage-italian-frame-modern-10sp-campy-drivetrain.html

Emboldened by my success, I'm now starting my build on a Modern Italian - sort of a yin and yang kind of thing I guess, I need a new one to balance out the vintage one.

I picked up a NOS 2002 or 2003 (not sure) Pinarello Surprise frame set on closeout from GVH bikes. I had to give $300 for it. Even though it is just a bottom end Pinarello, I still could not resist. As received, it was a bare frame with standard black carbon fork. I had the fork professionally painted to match the front end of the frame, and the painter (our own BF member Dr. D) did a fantastic job on it.

I've decided to go with Campy Centaur 10sp on this one, and just started hanging the bits on it tonight.
So far, all I have is an "as received" photo and "end of tonight's work" photo. I'll detail the build as I go along.

As Received:


Progress so far:

Your newly painted fork really pulls the colours together...

Very nice.

You're a dog !! But then again, nobody ever SAID you weren't. The red one came -out tits BTW

+1 the red is much nicer than the naked carbon finish. Even if it's bottom end Pinarello the geometry is what will make the bike. Any ideals on wheels?

I concur on the red fork, looks great. I fear you will beat me to finishing yours before I finish my Angliru bigbossman I had a setback as I was building. Turns out the Pinarello headset was jacked and had to order one in from my LBS. It comes in tomorrow and they are installing it for me.

Uh, no carbon stem, seatpost, spacers? And you call this a modern build?

It's gonna look great, BBM

Now I loves me some Pinarello, but I think either removing the "Surprise" decals or painting over it would be a great touch. "Surprise" has got to be one of the weirdest names for a bike I've seen in a while.

Looks great, though, and I do like the red fork with the rest of the frame...

What's the wheel choice? I think some silver Zondas would be great on there...

Lokks Awesome John!

(I'm still drooling over the red one)

Ya know, it's not the "Surprise" that bugs me so much, it's the "Pinarello.com" cheesiness on the seat tube/chain-stay that I think ruins the aesthetics somewhat. I consulted with the painter on this, and it was not a trivial matter to remove them - or at least not trivial enough that I was willing to cough up the dough for!! So, I'm willing to live with it. Actually, painting the fork was my 11 year old daughter's idea, quickly seconded by mom. As soon as I pulled the frame from the box, she exclaimed, "Daddy, that fork is UGLY!! You HAVE to get it painted!!". Mom said nothing but nodded vigorously, so off it went.

As a reward for being my 1st string enablers (the painter lives close to Monterey), I drove down to Monterey with the girls in tow to hand deliver the frame and treat them to a weekend on the beach. Plus, I had Dr. D. paint their initials in script on the trailing edges of the fork near the crown. They liked that.....

Don't know about wheels yet, but silver is a must. This bike will be all about silver, and will not be sporting any black if I can help it. I'm tired of blacked out bikes - it's boring. Zonda's might be a good choice, but here's the deal.... I weigh 230lbs, and those low spoke count Campy wheels look scary to me. Anyone know what the weight ratings are on them?

I race the Fulcrum 1's, cousin of the Campy Eurus. They're 16F/ 21R. I'm 200-205# and they've held up better than my 32H Powertap wheel. IIRC there's no rider weight limit on Campy's wheels.

Another big hit coming. I can already see it.

1. Any Pinarello is a hit in my book. Yes, even the Taiwanese ones.
2. Agree about the dot com thing. It assumes the gazer's inability to Google for a rather simple web address.
3. Solution: a good automotive paint store can tint up a 1/2 pint of enamel to match that sky blue. Very carefully scratch off the ".com" and touch up with a fine paint brush. Wet color sand with 2000 grit, then buff. You will never see it unless you get your nose right up to it.
4. Silver is good. Let's get some color and naked shiny metal on there. The sea of blackness is one of the major letdown when I came back to cycling. Is the bicycle industry so corporatized that color options are streamlined & costcut out of production?

Speaking of things I don't like about the new Pinarello branding. The new "P" logo doesn't do anything for me, either. Much prefer the old "3-leaf olive branch" or whatever it was supposed to be.

Man - I like you.


I'm not going to fool with the .com thing until I'm sure I like the way the bike rides and decide to keep it. But by then, I'll probably be used to looking at it.

Silver stuff is getting a bit hard to find. I had to go with 2006 Centaur, and stems? No one has them in silver. The Easton I have on the bike right now was on the closeout table at the local Performance for $5. I hope it works out, because finding another might be an issue! I've got a grayish 3ttt Prima bar in the parts bin that I'm planning on using, but I really need to get on the stick and find a good silver alloy one.

I already had to turn down a very nice set of American Classic Hurricane wheels because they were black.

What color bar tape do you guys think I should use? White would be an obvious front runner, but I hate to go to that well too often.....

I noticed that too...i was also struck by the .com all over the bike. You'd think Pinarello would be enough.

Nice looking bike for sure though.

Ideally, I'd like to see red bar tape and brifter hoods, but the hoods might be costly. Then add blue saddle and whilte cables to follow the frame color scheme. Blue saddle would be difficult, though not impossible, to find. White saddle would be my next choice.

Stay black on the tires though. God made vulcanized rubber black, and that's the way they should be.

A chainstay protector could cover the pinarello.com on the right chainstay. A professionally-created white decal with either a crest or PINARELLO could be made for the seat tube. Apply it and then spray a couple coats of clear without having to do anything to the rest of the bike. I'm kind of thinking out loud here...

nice...

https://www.amclassic.com/420_slv.html or not

Apparently they agreed with you, because the .com has since gone away. My '06 frame has no .com on it, and I haven't seen an '07 anywhere with .com...

But I guess it hearkens back to the days when it was super-high-tech and sophisticated for a bike company to have a website. That's so 2001.

I was thinking red for the tape, as well. Brifter hoods will stay black, though - I found some colored ones somewhere but they were $60/pair. That's not gonna happen.

I was thinking silver/light gray cable housings to sort of blend in with the alloy colors up front. There won't much housing anywhere else, as the bulk of the cable will be exposed on the bike (notice the brake cable guides under the top tube). Most of the housing that will be used will be right up front by the stem/headset.

I have a very nice blue Selle San Marco ERA that isn't doing anything, but the blue is darker and does not match the frame. I may use it anyway. Perhaps, if I go with red bar tape, a red saddle?

As far as tires are concerned - I'll probably go with whatever the blackest Pro Race 2's are. I'm sold on those tires as far as performance is concerned, and now that PBK has re-instituted free shipping to the US.....

"Surprise" is a good name for that thing. What ever happened to classic Italian looks. Where's the streamers hanging from the handlebar ends and the bunting in the spokes?

I work in a bike shop, there are some bad names for bikes out there; for instance:
? Jack Thrasher
Giant Awesome
Giant Boulder
? Imitation
? Imposter
and all you need to do to find more is look in front of my LBS at the bike waiting to be picked up.

Agreed! I get awfully sick of the standard naked carbon black weave look on almost every carbon fork out there.

As soon as you commit to purchase, I'll be happy to add them for you.

What you you think of the Fulcrum Racing 5 Evolution's?

They've gotten very favorable reviews from folks on here, and if I didn't have a powertap they'd be my training wheels. Just my $0.02...

<< Blue saddle would be difficult, though not impossible, to find. White saddle would be my next choice.>>

My Pinarello Galileo came with a blue saddle.