A modern classic, the Battaglin Portofino
03-05-23, 04:17 AM
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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
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
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.
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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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
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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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
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03-05-23, 01:42 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
Of the 4 or so frames I saw this is my favorite. Stephen Roache Triple Crown commemorative https://officinabattaglin.com/
This is pretty too
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.
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.
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
DD
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 $$$$$$ are the main consideration then you should look elsewhere.
Go all in or stay home.
And yes some of the flourish is unique, and maybe odd but a good, welcome part of the deal IMO.
These are fantastic and having seen one in the flesh can tell you they fully exude class and wonder, they are beyond beautiful and you can feel the passion, blood, sweat and tears that go in to and have built this legacy.
One of these would have been way up on my list when I built my Strawberry had I not decided that I had to do it in person so it turned out to be a lot more than one of these and worth every penny.
A custom or off the peg from such a builder is not for the faint of heart or light of wallet, if $$$$$$ are the main consideration then you should look elsewhere.
Go all in or stay home.
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03-05-23, 05:55 PM
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Paging @Oldairhead
03-05-23, 06:00 PM
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Paging @Oldairhead
Let me go back and look at this thread.
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03-05-23, 06:02 PM
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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.
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!
https://utahrandonneur.wordpress.com...n-marosticana/
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!
https://utahrandonneur.wordpress.com...n-marosticana/
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Last edited by Oldairhead; 03-05-23 at 11:04 PM.
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05-19-24, 05:36 PM
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A bit of a zombie thread here but @Oldairhead will probably chime in if he sees this.
These guys were at MADE here in PDX last year and will be here again in August 2024.
Fantastic to see them in real life.
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05-19-24, 06:33 PM
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https://officinabattaglin.com/contacts/
05-19-24, 07:08 PM
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You hit the "Quote" button at the bottom of their post and it brings up a dialogue box for you to ask questions and it pings them.
May not be enabled yet for you as a newb.
Great that you have one already, you can dispatch the newbie deal with 5 posts x 2 days for 10.
I think you're halfway there already.
May not be enabled yet for you as a newb.
Great that you have one already, you can dispatch the newbie deal with 5 posts x 2 days for 10.
I think you're halfway there already.
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05-20-24, 12:23 AM
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A really interesting thread. Beautiful bike.
"Produzione Limitata" has a ring to it.
"Produzione Limitata" has a ring to it.
05-20-24, 09:30 AM
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do you have a portofino?
I do am looking for a shim/cover for the lower head tube bearing. I attempted to build mine Thursday and have very noticeable slop/play in the fork, upon inspection it appears the lower bearing seat was not reamed, or they sandblasted , paint overspray and the lower bearing rocks. Alex told and showed me a shim/cover that goes over the lower bearing. That are sending me one, but am trying to find one quicker. I am not 100% confident that will eliminate the problem 😕
I do am looking for a shim/cover for the lower head tube bearing. I attempted to build mine Thursday and have very noticeable slop/play in the fork, upon inspection it appears the lower bearing seat was not reamed, or they sandblasted , paint overspray and the lower bearing rocks. Alex told and showed me a shim/cover that goes over the lower bearing. That are sending me one, but am trying to find one quicker. I am not 100% confident that will eliminate the problem 😕
05-21-24, 08:42 AM
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Sorry for the delayed response, I was out on my motorbike all day yesterday. It was a beautiful day.
No, I have the Marosticana which has more traditional tubing sizes. It is not yet built except for the Campy Record headset which installed without issue. If you have some play in the headset at the bottom race it's probably just a matter of finding the right ID race to fit the shoulder of the fork crown. A Vernier caliper is quite useful for this purpose and the ID of the race should be no more than 1 or 2 thousandths over the OD of the shoulder. You just have to find the right one! If the shoulder is out of round you may have to file the high points but you would probably need a caliper to find those spots too!
https://utahrandonneur.wordpress.com...n-marosticana/
A custom made steel frame is not a perfect thing and most will display a flaw or two in the finished product. There are fewer shops out there these days that have the skills or tools to properly set up a bike like this. If you are not confident in the process of doing so then you may want to try and find a shop that has an old grey beard mechanic who has done it before!
No, I have the Marosticana which has more traditional tubing sizes. It is not yet built except for the Campy Record headset which installed without issue. If you have some play in the headset at the bottom race it's probably just a matter of finding the right ID race to fit the shoulder of the fork crown. A Vernier caliper is quite useful for this purpose and the ID of the race should be no more than 1 or 2 thousandths over the OD of the shoulder. You just have to find the right one! If the shoulder is out of round you may have to file the high points but you would probably need a caliper to find those spots too!
https://utahrandonneur.wordpress.com...n-marosticana/
A custom made steel frame is not a perfect thing and most will display a flaw or two in the finished product. There are fewer shops out there these days that have the skills or tools to properly set up a bike like this. If you are not confident in the process of doing so then you may want to try and find a shop that has an old grey beard mechanic who has done it before!
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Last edited by Oldairhead; 05-22-24 at 05:38 PM.
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05-21-24, 01:37 PM
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do you have a portofino?
I do am looking for a shim/cover for the lower head tube bearing. I attempted to build mine Thursday and have very noticeable slop/play in the fork, upon inspection it appears the lower bearing seat was not reamed, or they sandblasted , paint overspray and the lower bearing rocks. Alex told and showed me a shim/cover that goes over the lower bearing. That are sending me one, but am trying to find one quicker. I am not 100% confident that will eliminate the problem 😕
I do am looking for a shim/cover for the lower head tube bearing. I attempted to build mine Thursday and have very noticeable slop/play in the fork, upon inspection it appears the lower bearing seat was not reamed, or they sandblasted , paint overspray and the lower bearing rocks. Alex told and showed me a shim/cover that goes over the lower bearing. That are sending me one, but am trying to find one quicker. I am not 100% confident that will eliminate the problem 😕
I would also strongly recommend consulting the best framebuilder you can find close to you, whatever that is, they can be few and far between but may be needed for this.
If there is a framebuilder nearby you could consult them now and see what they think.
Again, proceed with caution and be patient, these things often are not easily sorted without the help and eyeball of the right fixer.
05-22-24, 10:58 AM
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Thanks, there was a frame builder(albeit a steel MTN bike fabricator) at the shop with me and the head mechanic ( very well versed in Campy) .
he is the one who opined the bearing seat was either not reamed or sandblasted afterwards. I’ll post a photo when I drop the fork to install the shim .
he is the one who opined the bearing seat was either not reamed or sandblasted afterwards. I’ll post a photo when I drop the fork to install the shim .
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05-22-24, 11:32 AM
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Hi Darthsteven - Can I ask - Do you have the Portofino long? Unusual for the bearing to have play in it without some heavy impact type use.
Other than this, what do you think of the bike? I am contemplating buying one, but the current prices are very high.
Is the weight an issue at all?
Any flex noticeable when out of the saddle on climbs?
Thanks, Shane
Other than this, what do you think of the bike? I am contemplating buying one, but the current prices are very high.
Is the weight an issue at all?
Any flex noticeable when out of the saddle on climbs?
Thanks, Shane
05-22-24, 01:45 PM
#25
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Thanks, there was a frame builder(albeit a steel MTN bike fabricator) at the shop with me and the head mechanic ( very well versed in Campy) .
he is the one who opined the bearing seat was either not reamed or sandblasted afterwards. I’ll post a photo when I drop the fork to install the shim .
he is the one who opined the bearing seat was either not reamed or sandblasted afterwards. I’ll post a photo when I drop the fork to install the shim .
I would really want a current state of the art builder weighing in.
I assume you sent Alex good pics to make sure all are on the same page, I will admit it seems strange to me that a shim that could be needed was not included.
They were at MADE last year and are coming again this year. I looked them over pretty good but didn't see this, they did seem a bit odd at the headtube transitions but most newer frames do now days IMO.
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