AC Italy Trip, Part 3

Dario Pegoretti's, Caldonazzo, Italy.


One of the great highlights of my time in Italy was my visit to Dario Pegoretti's workshop in Caldonazzo. I have been riding and racing my Pegoretti 8:30am since December, and have developed quite an attachment to it. Going to its "birthplace" and meeting the builder himself was a beautiful experience.

Dario works with two other gentlemen in an airy workshop filled with the smell of espresso and metal shavings and the sounds of miters and welders and very very loud Philip Glass music. Frames, new and old, are scattered everywhere. I can't tell you how many people asked me to check on the progress of their frames when they heard I was leaving for Italy. Here are about a half dozen Responsoriums making their way through the construction process. Yes, that is a mature layer of dust settled on the top-tubes. No, I don't know when they will be ready.The oft-discussed Pegoretti Time Trial frame hangs here in two iterations. "Custom only," said Dario when I asked if he still built any.
Some examples of Pegorettis through the ages hang from hooks in the entry-way.Here Dario is repairing a busted Luigino frame. The top-tube was dented and bent, so he simply cut it out and is putting a new one in. Aside from Calfee's patch-jobs, I've never heard of such a thing happening with Carbon Fiber. [addendum: our friends at Parlee have reminded us that they can completely replace any of the tubes on their Z1, Z2, or Z3, without patches and the result will be flawless, like-new condition. Just another reason why we love handmade. Thanks Tom!].Pietro, or "Perro," helps out with the welding. Perro prefers listening to Dire Straits, and the cacophony of the soaring rock ballads mixed with syncopated minimalist classical symphonies coming from the other room made for a rather unique audio experience.Somebody left this note over the kitchen doorway. I couldn't agree more.

Now, we love Pegoretti bicycles and we love Pinarello bicycles. But that doesn't mean that Mr. Pinarello and Mr. Pegoretti necessarily love each other. In fact, any of you who know the history of the two companies are aware of the emotionally charged beginnings of the Pegoretti brand. Suffice it to say that decades later Italian passions still run hot. Case in point: Fausto Pinarello visited Above Category here in California and saw our Pegorettis intermingled with Pinarellos and couldn't help but let fly with a good-humored quip.
Dario and Pietro met up with the crew from Gita for dinner. Dario has been in need of a new computer for all the graphics work he's been getting in to. Giorgio from Gita arranged a custom laptop for him from Utah, and brought it to hand over to Dario. The computer was a monster. 600 GB of storage space, extra fans, special processors... needless to say it weighed a LOT. When Giorgio passed it across the table Dario took it and let the weight of the machine yank his arm down hard. "What have you brought for me..." Dario asked, "...a Pinarello frame?!"

AC Italy Trip, Part 2

On Monday following the Gran Fondo, we took a road trip to a few factories. First we visited the Giordana factory to see how team kits are made. Here is the floor where all the stitching and finishing is done.
These are the foam pads about to become chamoix. The pads are uniformly heated and then cut in a special oven. Many manufacturers use a hot plate to form the pads, which leaves tough edges and differing foam densities. Giordana's method creates a soft and even pad without seams. Fresh chamoix, hot off the press.
This ink will be mixed to create every possible color for team kit designs.
A kit design is printed on the giant ink jet, ready for transferring.Screens are made for each color, and then the screens are used to layer one color at a time onto the jersey fabric.


Giorgio holds up an almost completed AC skinsuit. For all of you who've asked when we're getting new kits in, the answer is: soon!

Next door to the Giordana factory is the DMT shoe factory. We saw the foot-lasts of some well-known athletes...Now that Mr. Armstrong has switched to jogging, these can probably get pitched.

Part 3 will follow shortly!

AC Italy Trip, Part 1

For the second year AC has taken a trip over to Northern Italy to visit Pinarello, Pegoretti, Giordana, and do a little riding as well.



Every year in July Pinarello hosts a Gran Fondo (which loosely translates to "Grand Ride"). It's a bit like doing an organized century ride in America, except that it's raced (there are Gran Fondo teams competing for series points, and everyone gets a timing chip), and it's 200km long (approximately 124 miles). Cycling in Italy is incredible, and to participate in a 200km race with about 4,000 cyclists is as good as it gets.As a guest of Pinarello, I got one of these beautiful 2009 Princes to ride for the weekend. Here you can see the bikes fresh out of the factory and waiting for their riders.
The day before the Gran Fondo we took a spin around Treviso (home to Pinarello) and the surrounding countryside to get accustomed to our new bicycles. This didn't take long, as the Prince is truly a dream to ride. Here's Above Category triathlete Leanda Cave with Fausto Pinarello and Giorgio Andretta (owner of Gita, who is responsible for bringing Pinarellos--and a few other incredible Italian lines--into the States), recovering after the tune-up ride with a little bubbly.
Preceding dinner that night was a presentation on all the 2009 Pinarellos. Here are Fausto Pinarello and Miguel Indurain discussing the merits of the Valverde-edition Prince.
The 2009 line-up is kept under wraps. This is all we can show you from the presentation, sorry. All right, just kidding. Pinarello has come out with a couple new bikes, but our favorites (the Prince, the Dogma, and the FT-1) are unchanged except for new paint.
Here is a 2009 Dogma with super-record. The flagship bike in the line-up is unchanged from 2008.
This was my favorite new color for Prince, shown here with Chorus 11-speed. The 2009 Prince frame also goes unchanged save for new color options and slightly updated paint work.
Another Prince, outfitted with the Prince Lightweights. These are the Gen-3 deep-dish Lightweights with unique decals. Classic Italian style!
This is the new Black-on-black paint scheme. It's matte black with gloss black accents. Super-record and lightweight wheels round out this very stealth Prince. This is the new FT-3. It's Pinarello's highest-end offering for Triathletes, featuring top-of-the-line 50HM1K Torayca carbon (the same used on the Prince). Seat angle is steeper than the time-trial-specific machines to accommodate the Tri position. Here are an array of Pinarello's new integrated carbon stem-handlebars. Now, for racing, we'll opt for our Deda aluminum for it's trust-worthy crashability. But when you're putting together your Italian dream-bike, nothing compliments the swooping lines and luscious paint like a matching stem/handlebar.And what better way to compliment your bright matching handlebars than with a patent leather saddle? Hot.

After an incredible dinner, we all tucked in to rest up for the Gran Fondo the next day. Here's a montage from the ride:


Stay tuned for Part 2 of the trip!

Pegoretti Big Leg Emma for Rupert

I was so excited when I opened the box this frame came in. I have had a stock BLE in the shop for quite a while now (size 57cm for anyone who wants a BLE and does not want to wait!) but this is my first custom one. Rupert changed the color but kept the same paint scheme. This is my favorite blue, so I think it's beautiful! We also tweaked the Geometry a little. Mostly a stock 58cm but with an extra 2cm in the top tube. Sizing turned out perfect thanks to Craig Upton's fit.





Started by prepping the frame...




Campagnolo prepping tools of course!




Derailleur hanger threads getting chased. You can see why this is important.




Head tube getting chased and faced just like the bottom bracket shell. Yeah, this is a Park tool, but at least to my knowledge Campagnolo only makes a 1" version...




End result of the bottom bracket facing, perfectly parallel faces for a perfect start to a smooth drive train and long lasting bearings...




Bike was built up with a Campagnolo Chorus groupset and Rolf Elan RS wheels. We used Deda bar and stem, San Marco Regal saddle (very nice choice), Continental GP 4000s clinchers and Look KEO pedals. We finish it up with King ti water bottle cages.


Beautiful!



Strong and stiff front end matches look and feel of the frame...




Big is an understatement!







You can see the deep drop Deda bars here, and the San Marco Regal saddle...





Another shot of the massive chain stays on the Big Leg Emma. Rupert (and even me a little) was worried that this might be TOO stiff of a bike. So far, not true. He says it's one of the smoothest bikes he's ridden (like my Marcelo) but without a bit of flex. Perfect bike for a big and powerful cyclist!




Nice touch and attention to detail. Helps keep paint from flaking on the dropout...









Here you can see one of the unique features of this frame. These "tabs" are part of a steel i-beam if you will that adds structural rigidity to the down tube and is what, combined with the over-sized chain stays, makes the Big Leg Emma such a great bike for those big and powerful cyclists...




Rupert and the Pegoretti Big Leg Emma. Enjoy!