# Italian Steel Bike Builders



## pin96 (May 26, 2003)

Looking for some advice on Italian Bike Builders. My wife and I are taking a trip to Italy in March and will be based in Siena for a week or so. I would love to find a nice Italian bike builder and order myself up a nice steel road frame. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Here's some:
http://www.derosanews.com/
http://www.wrcompositi.it/home.html 
http://www.bassobikes.com/en/product...php?PHPSESSID=
http://www.carrera-podium.it/english/home.html#
http://www.c4carbon.com/eng/bikes/default.htm
http://www.ciocc.it/english/home-page-eng.html
http://www.fondriestbici.com/collezione_08.htm 
http://www.frwbike.it/
http://www.guerciotti.it/inglese/biciclette.htm
http://www.kuota.it/english.html
http://mrgud.it/eng/index2.htm
http://www.parkpre.it/2008/it/bici.php
http://www.sab.sm/

I've been riding a steel DeRosa for the last 16 years. It's a wonderful bike.


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## OldSkoolFatGuy (Sep 6, 2007)

Mr. V you forgot Mr. Masi at the vigorelli velodrome in Milan. How dare you....lol

OP---I'm sure Alberto would love to see you.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Jul 25, 2005)

http://www.pegoretticicli.com/#

Grumps


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## cs1 (Sep 16, 2003)

Why buy a bike built in Italy when some of the best builders in the world are right here in the US? I can't imagine any Italian frame being better or more desirable than a Sachs. The 2 - 3 year wait at least confirms his desirability. Waterford comes to mind as being one of the best factory produced frames made anywhere. You can even get one done in stainless.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Jul 25, 2005)

cs1 said:


> Why buy a bike built in Italy when some of the best builders in the world are right here in the US?


I can pronounce Waterford. I'm never sure if I'm pronouncing Colnago, De Rosa, Cinelli, Pogliaghi or Geurciotti properly. That's why they're exotic.  

As an Aussie I'd say "I see your Waterford and raise you a Llewellyn or a Baum" but I don't see anyone saying "I'm going to Australia I want to get a custom bike when I'm there. Hey, there's great frame builders all over the world. CS1, you're right, you don't need to go to Italy to get one, we all have them in our own back yards.

Grumps


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## The Green Hour (Jul 15, 2008)

Uncle Grumpy said:


> I can pronounce Waterford. I'm never sure if I'm pronouncing Colnago, De Rosa, Cinelli, Pogliaghi or Geurciotti properly. That's why they're exotic.
> 
> As an Aussie I'd say "I see your Waterford and raise you a Llewellyn or a Baum" but I don't see anyone saying "I'm going to Australia I want to get a custom bike when I'm there. Hey, there's great frame builders all over the world. CS1, you're right, you don't need to go to Italy to get one, we all have them in our own back yards.
> 
> Grumps


My frame uses Llewellyn lugs and dropouts and they are very nice... 
The Llewellyn frames look awesome as do the Baums. My builder likes Dazza and says his work is second to none. Yes, the US builders are good, but it doesn't end there...:thumbsup:


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## BikeFixer (May 19, 2009)

If you are in Modena
Paletti bicycles. They don't seem to even have a website. I went there in '97 and it's out on this highway in an old house they have the manufacturing in back and a little store front in the front. It's pretty cool


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## JohnStonebarger (Jan 22, 2004)

Viner.
For 62 years, hand built in the heart of Tuscany. 

http://www.vinerbikes.com/


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Anywhere else besides Siena*

Most the builders being suggested are 250+k from Siena. Unless you're in Europe, you're not flying directly into Siena. Not sure if you're coming in through Roma or Milano and have any layover time as that's your chance. If Alfredo's still using the torch, the Vigorelli is a pretty easy shot in Milano although the last time I visited was 2002 and given the recent proliferation of Masi's, I believe he's doing a significant amount of outsourcing. Some of the names being suggested won't even let you in the front door without an appointment so plan ahead and make arrangements. Paletti is a good suggestion and Chesini in Verona, Pinarello in Treviso are worth looking at but again, it gets down to your location and timing. Having traveled to Italy frequently when living in London my advice would be to enjoy the food and drink plenty of wine, much of which is not exported outside of Italy.



pin96 said:


> Looking for some advice on Italian Bike Builders. My wife and I are taking a trip to Italy in March and will be based in Siena for a week or so. I would love to find a nice Italian bike builder and order myself up a nice steel road frame. Anyone have any suggestions?
> 
> Thanks.


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

1) Tommasini Tecno or Sintesi is you are lighter
2) De Rosa Neo Primato
3) Colnago Master X-light
4) Gios Compact


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## ARP (Mar 7, 2002)

*I was in Palermo for 10 days*

WITH people that spoke Italian, friends with a super small shop owner. He wanted to sell me what HE was selling, did not really care or understand that I WANTED steel. He could not get past why steel when alu was cheaper and lighter. He wanted to sell me a Cannondale, Ernesto was the #1 seller of Cannondale in Sicily. 

You might consider it fun but my experience was a whole lot of mental masterbation just trying to find someone to sell me a frame that was steel (at the time the steel/cf rear triangle bikes were coming into being, think Bianchi and Torelli) If you are hoping to find a little ol italian puffing on a mini cigar in his back yard welding up pieces of art work to your specifications, save yourself alot of time and energy and enjoy your vacation, find well stocked shops and buy stuff. Come home call the Tommasini rep up and order up some eye candy stateside.

What you will run into is: a lack of urgency on their part to get the job done. Even if you found the right guy for the job on the first day, you risk paying for the job before the work begins thus removing any incentive for the job to get started or finished. Your best shot at coming home with a frame from Italy is to find an off the rack size frame finished with the frame in hand before leaving the country. It's your money and vacation, unless you have some super solid connections in getting a frame welded up, they could give a tinkers flip about what one individual wants done in 1 week. Sorry about removing the whole romantic notion you might have had,


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## cdhbrad (Feb 18, 2003)

Best of both Worlds: US Custom Builder / Columbus Steel tubeset. That's the route I took and I love the frame Carl Strong built for me using a custom selected Columbus Spirit tubeset. I like it so much that my four Italian bikes: 2 Fondriests, a Colnago, and a Viner will be gathering some dust while I'm out riding it.


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## TWB8s (Sep 18, 2003)

Zullo was at the NAHMBS ( or Nambla) and I was re-impressed. I'd seen a few Zullo's on the road back in the 80's and they were the cat's pajama's.

http://www.zullo-bike.com/


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

TWB8s said:


> Zullo was at the NAHMBS ( or Nambla) and I was re-impressed. I'd seen a few Zullo's on the road back in the 80's and they were the cat's pajama's.
> 
> http://www.zullo-bike.com/


You forgot the NSFW tag on that website! Pure unadulterated Bike Porn.
Visited his place almost 10 years ago and wanted to die there.


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## bikemoore (Sep 8, 2005)

*Italian steel long gone*

Your experience illustrates something about the bike market in Italy that people in the US really don't understand today:.....Italian steel bikes are a thing of the past. Italians don't want them....Americans do. I lived in Italy from 1994-1998 and got to know Italian cycling pretty well. What I saw is that Italians love the latest, lightest, swoopiest bike they can find......preferably one that pro teams ride. During the time I was there, I saw a huge shift from steel to aluminum in Italian bikes. Once carbon came on big (after I left), I knew that carbon is what would dominate the Italian bike market. Sexy Italian steel really is largely history. There are a few makers still around and some of the better known makers occasionally issue a throw-back steel frameset, but they've moved on. If you want quality steel today, you are much better off buying an American frameset like Strong, Kirk, or Waterford.

I was there when Cannondale first started sponsoring the Saeco team. Within 6-months, there were Cannondales everywhere in Italy. And they paid big money for them. Had some good chuckles meeting Italian riders on the road: me the American on my Pinarello that I bought in Treviso after I got there and the Italians on their new Cannondales that they travelled hours each way to buy. They still like Trek, Specialized, and Cannondale far more than we Americans think they would.

OK....I must insert some icons for my 6-year old son (he gets to choose).:aureola: :mad2: :cryin:


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

bikemoore said:


> Your experience illustrates something about the bike market in Italy that people in the US really don't understand today:.....Italian steel bikes are a thing of the past. Italians don't want them....Americans do. I lived in Italy from 1994-1998 and got to know Italian cycling pretty well. What I saw is that Italians love the latest, lightest, swoopiest bike they can find......preferably one that pro teams ride. During the time I was there, I saw a huge shift from steel to aluminum in Italian bikes. Once carbon came on big (after I left), I knew that carbon is what would dominate the Italian bike market. Sexy Italian steel really is largely history. There are a few makers still around and some of the better known makers occasionally issue a throw-back steel frameset, but they've moved on. If you want quality steel today, you are much better off buying an American frameset like Strong, Kirk, or Waterford.
> 
> I was there when Cannondale first started sponsoring the Saeco team. Within 6-months, there were Cannondales everywhere in Italy. And they paid big money for them. Had some good chuckles meeting Italian riders on the road: me the American on my Pinarello that I bought in Treviso after I got there and the Italians on their new Cannondales that they travelled hours each way to buy. They still like Trek, Specialized, and Cannondale far more than we Americans think they would.
> 
> OK....I must insert some icons for my 6-year old son (he gets to choose).:aureola: :mad2: :cryin:


You are making great sense. If you find a small builder who just does steel, then maybe, but why go thru the hassle of language, etc? Go to italy for vacation. go to Bozeman MT for a steel bike...

b21


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## murbike (Jan 22, 2004)

ARP said:


> WITH people that spoke Italian, friends with a super small shop owner. He wanted to sell me what HE was selling, did not really care or understand that I WANTED steel. He could not get past why steel when alu was cheaper and lighter. He wanted to sell me a Cannondale, Ernesto was the #1 seller of Cannondale in Sicily.
> 
> You might consider it fun but my experience was a whole lot of mental masterbation just trying to find someone to sell me a frame that was steel (at the time the steel/cf rear triangle bikes were coming into being, think Bianchi and Torelli) If you are hoping to find a little ol italian puffing on a mini cigar in his back yard welding up pieces of art work to your specifications, save yourself alot of time and energy and enjoy your vacation, find well stocked shops and buy stuff. Come home call the Tommasini rep up and order up some eye candy stateside.
> 
> What you will run into is: a lack of urgency on their part to get the job done. Even if you found the right guy for the job on the first day, you risk paying for the job before the work begins thus removing any incentive for the job to get started or finished. Your best shot at coming home with a frame from Italy is to find an off the rack size frame finished with the frame in hand before leaving the country. It's your money and vacation, unless you have some super solid connections in getting a frame welded up, they could give a tinkers flip about what one individual wants done in 1 week. Sorry about removing the whole romantic notion you might have had,


You don't mention the exchange rate. We spent a week in Florence in October, and were spending around $1.50 per Euro. Today's rate is $1.43, making the romance way more expensive than if you bought a frame from a US welder....unless they're totally ignorant of the amounts people will pay for a handmade Italian frame.


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## ARP (Mar 7, 2002)

*And actually*



murbike said:


> You don't mention the exchange rate. We spent a week in Florence in October, and were spending around $1.50 per Euro. Today's rate is $1.43, making the romance way more expensive than if you bought a frame from a US welder....unless they're totally ignorant of the amounts people will pay for a handmade Italian frame.


my trip was about 5? years ago so CF was just coming into grand scale popularity and I was at a decision junction; steel with CF in the rear triangle or Ti with CF in the triangle. I wanted steel at the time, was willing to spend $1500US at the time for a frame and the exchange rate was favorable.

What will trip anyone up without solid connections will be the cultural difference. I tried 3 times to find/buy the frame I wanted. " No, that frame/company, not so good. I can get you top Cannondale frame, 3 weeks" I could drive to the Cannondale factory in 1.5 hours and buy direct if I wanted Cannondale, why would I fly 10 hours to wait on a frame for 3 weeks? So when that plan fell thru, my guide and I began walking to shops in Palermo, lots of walking, I did run across one shop in particular that was the best of the 3 but he did not have anything that interested me. Rather than buy something just to buy something I held off until I got home searched around and ended up buying an Airborne Manhatten Project, Ti and CF rear, my main ride today.


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## gomango (Aug 30, 2006)

We have been to Italy three times in the last 7 years. Lovely visits with kids in tow and without. The last visit was to Tuscany and we rode Italian carbon bikes. Could barely find an Italian steel bike to purchase much less ride. Lots of Treks, Specialized, and Giants. Here's the issue. It is difficult to have a custom bike completely built while you are there. Most of us aren't there long enough for the process to happen. Send your measurements ahead, and pickup, ok. We ended up buying 3 used frames while we were on our last vacation, a DeRosa Primato, a DeRosa Replica 65, and a Colnago Master Piu. We used family connections to find these before we arrived. We had these shipped back, and they arrived a month after our return. For a custom bike though, I would schedule an appointment with one of the great Twin Cities/U.S. builders like Curt Goodrich or Chris Kvale. These guys are incredible craftsmen, and will build what I want for a very reasonable price. Ten minutes to drive over there, 45 minutes if I take light rail. The hassle factor is gone with this method, leaving the fun and high expectations.


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## landrover1970 (Mar 28, 2009)

*Colnago- the stuff dreams are made of*

Here is my daily ride...72 Colnago Super w/nuovo record...pure Italian and rides like the wind....


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## pin96 (May 26, 2003)

*Classic*

Now that is a beautiful ride! Thanks for sharing it.


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## landrover1970 (Mar 28, 2009)

*Remember this logo.. stuff of dreams*

Pure Italian frame builder....at least they used to be in 1972......remember this logo...


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## CActuskid (Sep 3, 2008)

I seen at least one bike shop here next to a Pizza joint, close enough


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## ARP (Mar 7, 2002)

*Not to hijack the thread*

checked out the Irwin frames that are on a popup add here at RBR? Tiawan i think 4130?cromoly butted steel with lugs. I checked his website but the biggest advertised frame was a 56. Hard to tell if the guy is a mass marketer or selling individual frames. The cobalt blue paint is calling my name, like to dress one of those up like a Columbine with rhinestones


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## merckxman (Jan 23, 2002)

*LEGEND Bikes*

Check out this new framebuilding company, LEGEND Bikes:
http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2009/12/legend-bikes-new-italian-custom.html


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