# Is this Carrera made in Italy or Taiwan?



## User1 (Apr 8, 2012)

Hello all,

I ended up finding a CX bike on CL after my first CX bike that I built up got stolen.  I think I got kinda lucky on finding this Carrera in that it was cheap, wanted $200 but I got it for $150. It did need work, the brakes were non-existent, shifters didn't match, but the wheels did and frame/fork seem pretty descent. Looks like this was a fairly nice bike at one time in that it has some quality components, Ultegra derailleur, cassette, crank, one shifter, Ritchey headset, with Mavic rims and hubs. Brakes were non-matching and the fork, even though it's not original, it is a Surly. It came with no accessories. It looks like something that can be salvaged and brought back to being a fairly good cruiser. I thought for sure this was a Tiawan built frame till I saw the labels below. 

























Now I'm not quite sure where this frame was made at. Anyone think they know? Have a year on this? It seems to have mostly early Ultergra stuff on it.

I know this isn't a screaming jeteye CX killer of a bike, but when someone makes a comment (favorable) about the bike, which was something along the lines of an Italian cross bike, I'd like to be able to add a little more than "yeaaaaap" to the conversation. :idea:

Any and all comments are most welcomed and appreciated.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Made in Italy.



> Carrera was founded in 1989 in by Davide Boifava, head of the prestigious Carrera team. Located in Brescia, Italy as a frame workshop for the prestigious Carrera team, their bicycles have quickly established the mark of excellence for discerning cyclists. The Carrera is a champion's bicycle ridden to victories in the most important races, the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Classics and World Cup. Great champions, Stephen Roche, Claudio Chiappucci, Marco Pantani and Micheli Bartoli have brought heritage and prestige to this bicycle marquee in its short history.
> 
> The bicycle frame shop, called Podium, is directed by Francesco Boifava and Luciano Bracchi and still shares the facility with the professional squad Tacconi Sport-Vini Caldirola. This arrangement is the only marriage of professional team and frame builders in the world of road racing. A visit to the Carrera workshop may find team members returning from a training ride or team mechanics working on the bikes of team members. This close association brings the newest design and technology to the public because they too can ride the bike of champions. Carrera bicycles are created to meet the demands of the gruelling European race circuit, offer the most advanced technology, and gain the highest quality standards.
> 
> ...


Carrera-Podium, The Mark of Excellence - Bike Renaissance New York City on the Upper Westside


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

A friend of mine works in their carbon frame building shop. They still build in house AFAIK. Nice bike.


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## SBard1985 (May 13, 2012)

You got it for 150? I'll give you $200 for that. Haha. Taiwan or Italian, it still looks fun to ride. Hopefully it's a good replacement for your stolen bike.


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## User1 (Apr 8, 2012)

@PlatyPius, I didn't see that reference when I was searching about this bike. I saw some discussion of some of the bike frames were made in Taiwan, but I could never figure out if that was true or not. Seems like if you have something that comes from Italy, you'd do a little better of a job declaring that than some clues. 

I'm not putting down the bike, but am I right? If this is from Italy, it was made about 325 kilometers from where I was made! :cornut:

@SBard1985, thanks for the offer, but I think I'm gona keep it for awhile and fix it up. And no it's not a good replacement for the stolen one, but who knows after I'm done with it. One of the firsts things I'm looking to do is go through the hubs/wheels since I'll be keeping those more than likely. 

Thanks for the responses and I hope there's others that post too.


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## MrB67 (May 6, 2015)

Do you still have the bike? There are Carrera's sold by Halfords bikes in England, which are knock offs of the original Italian Carrera Podium. Those are cheaper quality bikes made in Taiwan. If it is an original Carrera, then it is 100% from Italy. They are a small (16 employees) exclusive high end race bike builder. Everything is made in house, absolutelly NO outsourcing. That would be a insult to the Marque. Carrera Podium from Italy is pure racing pedigree. Read PlatyPius's post, that information is 100% correct. I have a 1995 Carrera Podium, but mine is a Steel Lugged frame, not Aluminum. I'm not an expert on the Aluminum Carrera's. I will say the lettering, and "Carrera" sticker on the bottom of the seat tube, by the bottom bracket look authentic. And if it's a Italian job, I'd say it's worth restoring and putting some $ into. You can contact Red Rose Imports for more assistance ( they are the importers for Carrera Podium) they maybe able to verify if it's the real thing. Not trying to say it's not.



I say it's worth investing $ into the real thing because Carrera frames, even back in the 1990's ran around $2000 new, on par with Pinarello, De Rosa and Colnago. (personally I think much better, but I'm a Carrera owner, so I'm biased!)


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

While there is no love for Halfords or their brand Carrera here in the UK, you are incorrect in terming their Carrera bikes as knockoffs. The brand name was already registered in the UK when Podium started up in 1989. As a result they have never been able to market the brand officially in the UK.


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## MrB67 (May 6, 2015)

ultimobici said:


> While there is no love for Halfords or their brand Carrera here in the UK, you are incorrect in terming their Carrera bikes as knockoffs. The brand name was already registered in the UK when Podium started up in 1989. As a result they have never been able to market the brand officially in the UK.



Ah, didn't know that. Good to know.


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