The Colnago Arabesque first appeared in the late 1970s and early 1980s, during a golden era of Italian frame-building. Ernesto Colnago designed it with the intention of creating a bicycle that would perform at the highest level while also standing as a true piece of craftsmanship.
For decades, the Arabesque became one of the most sought-after steel frames among collectors due to its limited production and its intricately detailed lugs.
In recent years, Colnago has reissued the Arabesque in very limited quantities, preserving traditional construction techniques while upgrading the materials to modern standards.
Frame material: High-quality steel (typically Columbus tubing or Colnago-specified steel, depending on edition)
Lugs: Exclusive Arabesque hand-cut and polished lugs
Fork: Classic Colnago steel fork with chromed crown
Finish: High-resistance paint with chromed accents and artisanal detailing
Geometry: Classic Colnago road geometry for comfort and stability
Available sizes: Typically 48–58 cm (c-t, depending on the production run)
Headset: 1″ threaded
Brakes: Standard caliper brakes
Seatpost: Ø 27.2 mm
Bottom bracket: BSA (English thread)
Front derailleur: Clamp-on, 28.6 mm
Rear derailleur: Compatible with modern mechanical groupsets
Cable routing: External, traditional routing
Axles: Quick Release (QR)
Wheel size: 700c
Maximum tire width: Approx. 25 mm (depending on brake model and fork clearance)
Frame + fork: 2.4 – 2.7 kg (varies by size and finish)
