1995 Principia 700 (new pics on page 6)

[Konsta]

Hello everyone!

I just bought a very good condition Principia 700 frameset. The size is 56.

Photographs from the German seller.

The geometry chart. The bike has 553mm (C-C) top tube so it might be a tiny bit too long for me but we'll see.

To tell you the truth I was not familiar with Principia before but it seems that the company was Danish and the frames were handmade in Denmark through the 1990s.

Brief history of the Principia can be found here. Some catalogue scans can be found here.

The frame decals look a little different from the models in 1996 and 1998 catalogues.
Could this be a 1997 model?

edit. Have since found out that the frame is actually from the year 1995.

 

[bartsince1975]

Re:

Very nice early Principia, the later models had an anodized finish that was also gorgeouis. I have a cracked 650 that is awaiting repair should be around the same age as yours. They are very nice frames.

 

[foz]

Re: 199X Principia 700 -> Project started

I like that! Blue, especially electric blue like this, has always been (and always will be) the best colour for a bike

what's the build plan? all silver parts, hopefully!

 

[Konsta]

Re: 199X Principia 700 -> Project started

All silver of course! I'll go for a mixed set of Campy stuff: 10 speed Veloce shifters and a Chorus rear mech. Older cranks (either 1st generation Chorus or Athenas, have not made up my mind), very nice Record brakes, Nitto bars. Maybe a Kingsbery seatpost.

Of course this will never look as nice as your Arthur Caygill. But I'll try my best.

Actually the whole project started because of a wheelset. I recently bought a remarkably cheap set of Campy Record hubs laced to Mavic Open Pro Ceramics so I wanted a nice frame to hang those to.

I fear this project will get as expensive as so many before. Already thinking should I spend money on a Record threaded headset or would a noname headset with cartridge bearings do. :facepalm:

 

[Konsta]

Re: 199X Principia 700 -> Project started

Some parts to go with the frame.

10 speed Veloce shifters. New and unused. Weight is 366g. I think these are 2007 or later. Bit dissapointed that these have plastic ratchet mechanism inside!

Also I bought some cranks from Tel a few weeks ago. So I have a few options now.

Athena cranks. Polished and shiny! But the weight is terrifying 617g.

A bit beaten up Chorus cranks. They weigh 493g.

Very nice condition Chorus RD. Weight is 211g.

 

[Konsta]

Re: 199X Principia 700 -> Project started

The frame and the fork arrived. Condition is good as promised.

Frame weighs 1535g and the fork 542g.

Handmade in Denmark!

The frame has two stickers of a bike shop in Roth, Germany: 2-Rad Müller Gmbh. The original retailer?

Tried on these shiny cable stops with titanium bolts (12g) and I think they look very good.

Paint is flaking a bit around the hole for the internal brake housing. Size is ~6.5x15mm

I'm going to run full lenght housing all the way to the rear brake. Don't want the housing to rattle around in that hole so I think I now have two options.

A) a rubber grommet:

I calculated that a grommet sized for a round 11mm hole would sit nicely on that oval hole.

B) Cinelli cable guide:

A friend of mine has a axtra pair of those but apparently they are meant for a 6 x 12mm hole. I'm going to try them anyway, hopefully they will fit.

 

[Konsta]

Re: 199X Principia 700 -> starting to put it together

Ok. So I went to a car and motorcycle supply store and bought a boxful of different sized rubber grommets.

Rubber grommet in place. 11mm was just the right size. With a sharp knife I made a small bevel to the edge where the cable housing exits.

Front hole.

But I do have a pair of those Cinelli cable guides in the mail so maybe I'll try those too when they arrive.

Also this little jewel arrived from the UK:

Brass cable adjuster. Classy, huh?

 

[mattr]

Re: 199X Principia 700 -> starting to put it together

I should put mine back together........ Except i'm over the weight limit for it.

 

[Konsta]

Re: 199X Principia 700 -> starting to put it together

These things have a weight limit?

Was planning to use a very nice looking SR FourSir quill stem but unfortunately I was not able to get it through the tight bends of those compact bars. So I have to use a noname quill instead.

80mm quill stem with titanium bolts (240g) and 42cm Deda Piega compact bars (293g).

 

[mattr]

Re: 199X Principia 700 -> starting to put it together

Yeah, the pro versions have been acid etched to reduce weight. It also increases the risk of fatigue failure.

So the RS6Pro and Rex Pro (and ellipse versions) all have an 80 kilo weight limit.