Why is there more love for Italian Steel bikes?
#101
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Why is there more love for Italian steel bikes?
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#103
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So to gather the consensus of the thread, let's say Monica Bellucci, riding a Colnago, toting a Beretta pistol (and a Bertuzzi shotgun, for good measure) while playing a '60s Vox guitar and preparing an espresso with a nice old Gaggia machine...
That's pretty good afternoon, yes?
That's pretty good afternoon, yes?
Monica Bellucci on a bike. Any bike.
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Nice bike.
I've never seen a Lamborghini in person. I've seen maybe 4 Ferraris.
I've heard it matters if they're fast and handle well, and they're expensive.
I have, however, seen many examples similar to Monica Belluci.
My appreciation is not deterred by matters of speed and handling.
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but the team drivers cannot avoid each other on the track. No help to the cause.
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As for F1, the top is always the top. Winning in the lessor categories just isn't the same...
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What's wrong with a V8? And not all wedges are created equal. The 308/328 is still gorgeous, all these years later. Plus, a wedge is better than a land whale, right? (the only form that comes to mind when thinking of Porsche).
As for F1, the top is always the top. Winning in the lessor categories just isn't the same...
Don't worry, the tradition continues. This is the millennial Monica Bellucci, aka Raffaella Fico (sadly, she has had things done to her face recently, making it worse. Just stick with the original paint!)
As for F1, the top is always the top. Winning in the lessor categories just isn't the same...
Don't worry, the tradition continues. This is the millennial Monica Bellucci, aka Raffaella Fico (sadly, she has had things done to her face recently, making it worse. Just stick with the original paint!)
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What's wrong with a V8? And not all wedges are created equal. The 308/328 is still gorgeous, all these years later. Plus, a wedge is better than a land whale, right? (the only form that comes to mind when thinking of Porsche).
As for F1, the top is always the top. Winning in the lessor categories just isn't the same...
As for F1, the top is always the top. Winning in the lessor categories just isn't the same...
As for the V8, you have to be joking, right? It is a US thing that Ferrari did miserably. Feeling still butt hurt from what Ford did to him, Enzo tried this joke of a dalliance. Gutless pos. 12s and 6es, that the sweet spot, nothing in between. An that wedge isn't fit to suck the exhaust from the 365, which was Enzo's weak attempt to better the E-type (spoiler alert, he did not). And finally, comparing a 550 to a whale is so desperate, it isn't worthy of anything. The only thing somewhat comparable is the P3, but it does not have the elegance.
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I was into inline skates in the ‘90’s (actually thinking about digging my old pair out of storage) and I remember the brand “Rollerblades” becoming the generic term for all skates. They had really good quality, for a while, then it dropped of considerably.
Turns out when they started, they were branding Roces brand skates. Roces is an Italian company, and they’re still making skates.
I wanted a pair of Roces, and I’ll never forget the ad copy.
“From the country that makes fast cars and comfortable shoes, comes a combination of both.”
Turns out when they started, they were branding Roces brand skates. Roces is an Italian company, and they’re still making skates.
I wanted a pair of Roces, and I’ll never forget the ad copy.
“From the country that makes fast cars and comfortable shoes, comes a combination of both.”
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#117
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I have have owned bikes made in the US, Canada, France, Mexico, England, Belgium, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands. About half of my current fleet are Italian made and for good reason. They are pretty, well made and go fast.
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#119
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It's not marketing. It's experience. I'm not the only person that noticed.
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Just change "stunning" to "cheesy", and my "Mens sana" Cinelli would resemble that remark. I do like riding it, though.
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There's nothing intangible about what the original Italian builders did. They leveraged a tradition of riding, racing, engineering, craftsmanship and artistry to produce some of the best and most iconic bikes on earth. In the process they influenced generations of other craftsmen world-wide - particularly in Japan and the USA. If you prefer French, though - "À chacun ses goûts."
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Well.... it must be something unexplainable for me. All I can say is that I have a lot of bikes that I ride a lot. I've also had a lot come through the fleet. As bikes get moved on it seems to never be the Italian built ones that I have.
I've passed on quite a few beautiful, dang near mint bikes over the years. But as I think about them they are ones like my Team Fuji and Fuji Club, Schwinn Prologue, and even my mint serial #1 1987 Paramount. Also a Trek built Lemond, a highly respected Trek 560 Pro along the way. Heck, as I consider needing room in my bike cave for a couple of new builds I'm even thinking of selling my 1987 Schwinn Circuit that's got a full Campagnolo 11 speed setup on it. I've posted pretty much every one of my Strava KOM's on this bike yet for whatever reason I can deal with selling it over any of my Italian rides. Don't ask me why, that's just how it is.
Yesterday was a 30 miler on my Billato built Giordana XL Super. Every mile was pure heaven and sex on wheels. Can't get better than that.
Out on the road under me, this is my best Italian bike. Not the De Rosa, not the Basso, not any of the others...
I've passed on quite a few beautiful, dang near mint bikes over the years. But as I think about them they are ones like my Team Fuji and Fuji Club, Schwinn Prologue, and even my mint serial #1 1987 Paramount. Also a Trek built Lemond, a highly respected Trek 560 Pro along the way. Heck, as I consider needing room in my bike cave for a couple of new builds I'm even thinking of selling my 1987 Schwinn Circuit that's got a full Campagnolo 11 speed setup on it. I've posted pretty much every one of my Strava KOM's on this bike yet for whatever reason I can deal with selling it over any of my Italian rides. Don't ask me why, that's just how it is.
Yesterday was a 30 miler on my Billato built Giordana XL Super. Every mile was pure heaven and sex on wheels. Can't get better than that.
Out on the road under me, this is my best Italian bike. Not the De Rosa, not the Basso, not any of the others...
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Steel is real...and comfy.
Steel is real...and comfy.
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There's nothing intangible about what the original Italian builders did. They leveraged a tradition of riding, racing, engineering, craftsmanship and artistry to produce some of the best and most iconic bikes on earth. In the process they influenced generations of other craftsmen world-wide - particularly in Japan and the USA. If you prefer French, though - "À chacun ses goûts."
#124
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It's not limited to bikes, is it? Italian architecture, cuisine, art, design, it's all put up on a pedestal as some of the most wonderful contributions to humanity. The blending of art and engineering that can lift the spirit is not something that comes easily.
The downside is they've been doing it for so long anything can have a red, white and green sticker these days and it's immediately desirable and marked up $$.
Italian cycling was obviously a massive influence on frame builders globally. Paconi, Conceicao, Beretto, Euro - they're all Australian frame builders in the 80's/90's. Nagasawa has the Italian colours in its logo. 3Rensho's logo includes part of the Cinelli flying C.
The downside is they've been doing it for so long anything can have a red, white and green sticker these days and it's immediately desirable and marked up $$.
Italian cycling was obviously a massive influence on frame builders globally. Paconi, Conceicao, Beretto, Euro - they're all Australian frame builders in the 80's/90's. Nagasawa has the Italian colours in its logo. 3Rensho's logo includes part of the Cinelli flying C.
Marked up? Sure and it's also very expensive to produce things in Italy - certainly a lot more than China where 90% of bikes are made.
Nagasawa went to Italy and worked for De Rosa in the 1970s building frames.
Last edited by Biketiger; 07-26-20 at 03:44 PM.
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#125
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Yes, I was referring to 'Italian' products that aren't produced in Italy. (Did laugh at the tag on my Columbus t-shirt - 'styled in Italy, made in Bangladesh.' It's a t-shirt FFS, how much styling was required?)
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