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a modern classic,the Battaglin Portofino

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a modern classic,the Battaglin Portofino

Old 03-05-23, 04:17 AM
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georges1
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a modern classic,the Battaglin Portofino

Good morning

A very interesting classic frame from Battaglin, the Portofino made of Columbus Spirit
Battaglin Portofino

Have a nice read

Very best regards and stay safe

Georges
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Old 03-05-23, 07:54 AM
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One of the classic steel bike makers still producing new steel bikes.
Would be great to have a new chromovelato show bike ...

Don't like the matte brown and coppertone?
It's apparently also available in a chrome finish with "chromovelato" colors applied over it - like storied Italian bikes of the '80s.

Also cool that an old steel is available as a new steel build ...

. . . for those who want their traditional lugged steel bike to look a little more . . . well . . .
traditional, Battaglin also makes a model called Marosticana - made with Columbus SL tubing and more "normal" tubing profiles.
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Old 03-05-23, 01:12 PM
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THere are no prices listed on the website, but I would imagine the price is certainly way more than I would pay for a frame unless it is being built exactly how I want it.

Of the 4 or so frames I saw this is my favorite. Stephen Roache Triple Crown commemorative https://officinabattaglin.com/



This is pretty too

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Old 03-05-23, 01:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Bianchigirll
THere are no prices listed on the website, but I would imagine the price is certainly way more than I would pay for a frame unless it is being built exactly how I want it.

Of the 4 or so frames I saw this is my favorite. Stephen Roache Triple Crown commemorative https://officinabattaglin.com/



This is pretty too

They are very nice bikes but past 2500$ in a steel frame,I expect something much higher end than sl or slx tubing, I would rather buy a Tommasini Tecno Extra or a Tommasini Sintesi or Tommasini Fire Spirit or a Basso Viper. The Columbus Neuron, Columbus Nemo, Columbus Spirit and Dedacciai Dr Zero Uno are vastly superior to the Columbus SL and its derivatives. The SL is a midrange tubing for me.
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Old 03-05-23, 05:36 PM
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Check out their youtube videos, really cool stuff. Anyway, Battaglin is not a manufacturer who still makes steel, but one who said, "well, enough BS, we stop getting dragged with the trends and stop building carbon and anything else which is not steel".
Bold move, but paid out well for them, they successfully transformed the company into a boutique steel-only business instead of letting the craftsmen go since the polishing/brazing/filing skills are not needed on the Made in Italia (Sichuan Province PRC) carbon frames. Unfortunately, this will lower the chance for people with smaller money to get an italian steel on the used market, since the anyway not hyper interesting Cromor or SL models were kicked around for 150-300 EUR range, but the newly acquired hype make people think these worth a lot more.

I don't remember who, but one of the regular members here ordered one last year, and my brother has an alu model which is like a twin sister of my CAAD4 Cannondale.
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Old 03-05-23, 05:47 PM
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IIRC, a member had one of the chromovelato versions custom-made for him, but the member's handle escapes my feeble memory. Perhaps he might see this thread and report his findings. And pics - we gotta have pics

DD
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Old 03-05-23, 05:54 PM
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Tough crowd here, $2500 is a pretty good bargain for anything with this much chrome, style and panache.

And yes some of the flourish is unique, and maybe odd but a good, welcome part of the deal IMO.

These are fantastic and having seen one in the flesh can tell you they fully exude class and wonder, they are beyond beautiful and you can feel the passion, blood, sweat and tears that go in to and have built this legacy.

One of these would have been way up on my list when I built my Strawberry had I not decided that I had to do it in person so it turned out to be a lot more than one of these and worth every penny.

A custom or off the peg from such a builder is not for the faint of heart or light of wallet, if $$$$$$ are the main consideration then you should look elsewhere.

Go all in or stay home.
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Old 03-05-23, 05:55 PM
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Paging @Oldairhead
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Old 03-05-23, 06:00 PM
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Originally Posted by merziac
Paging @Oldairhead
What? Hello? Did someone mention my name?

Let me go back and look at this thread.
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Old 03-05-23, 06:02 PM
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Originally Posted by georges1
They are very nice bikes but past 2500$ in a steel frame,I expect something much higher end than sl or slx tubing, I would rather buy a Tommasini Tecno Extra or a Tommasini Sintesi or Tommasini Fire Spirit or a Basso Viper. The Columbus Neuron, Columbus Nemo, Columbus Spirit and Dedacciai Dr Zero Uno are vastly superior to the Columbus SL and its derivatives. The SL is a midrange tubing for me.
They build to their strengths, which they have plenty of, plenty of lesser tubed frames outperform lighter "better", "hype"r tube ones all day long after a good builder has their way with it.
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Old 03-05-23, 07:07 PM
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Okay, I see what all the hubbub is about.

As it turns out I do know a little something about these very pretty frames. In 2020, just at the start of Covid I ordered one and it arrived in about 4 months. Three years later I have not yet built it and I have no immediate plans to do so. I know, that might be some kind of a crime in this forum of beautiful bike lovers but I will admit to a few other NOS subjects that have not progressed either, such as a 1974 Hetchins Italia, a near perfect 1999 De Bernardi and an 84 Lino Messori painted by Joe Bell. But I digress.

The workmanship and attention to detail on these bikes is supreme and this shop turns out true works of art, individually made in my case as I believe they all are. The ordering process is a lengthy one, with many measurements taken by you and filled out on their order form. You are also asked about other bikes you ride and more about you as a cyclist to get you to the next phase. What follows is a phone call from Alex Battaglin in what may be more of an interview than a sales call. Once you are accepted as a customer then you can put your money down and get things started. Several more phone calls from Italy followed for me and many emails as well indicating the progress on the build. If this sounds a little elitist I would argue that it is not. They are protecting their concept and design theory from possible competitors and copy cats. They are happy to sell you the best possible complete bike or frame and fork, they just don't want to tell others how they do it.

In my case I was told that Giovanni himself did the design of the frame from the information I provided, though that may not still be the case. These bikes are built on "their" ideas of what a bike should be and they give you very little latitude in the design outside of your measurements. If you want a Battaglin it will be the bike that they want to build, not something compromised by amateur input, as they see it.

Each production run of bikes seems to be a limited edition, with mine being #3 of 10 made. This designation is boldly stated in a raised chrome plated badge brazed onto the top tube, which assures that each one is virtually unique. Anyone who orders one of these lovely frames will certainly be entitled to the respect of any knowledgeable group of cycling enthusiast peers. These bikes are as special as anything made by almost any custom builder anywhere! The paint is spectacular, with mine being a combo of blue chromovelato and white, with chrome accents and white lettering.

I know that some people will scoff at the price, and I am not privy to current pricing but, in this case I do believe that you do get what you pay for! Some will say that "I can get a lovely old Bianchi or a Colnago for a lot less, and that is true! But if you want that "classic era" quality in a custom frame from a legacy builder, that is designed to use modern components, well then, that is a very short list indeed! And, the trifecta of Italian craftsmanship, tradition and legacy is simple not available elsewhere in the US!

It should also be noted that Battaglin was in a particularly unique position to re-enter the steel frame market. They already possessed the factory and equipment that was needed to build these bikes on a large scale. They still had the recently retired talent to bring back in to train a new generation of builders. With all of these assets at hand and a proud legacy, the family was able to reclaim their heritage and upscale what had been up until this point a niche market. Battaglin is not just building lovely bikes, they are sustaining the legacy of the old Italian masters, and that is worth supporting!

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Last edited by Oldairhead; 03-05-23 at 11:04 PM.
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