Italmanubri: High Technology Bike Accessories in the Italian Artisan Tradition - Part 2
By Cyclingnews Staff in Loria, Italy
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ITM's sleek Uniko monocoque seatpost is 250mm long and comes in two diameters; 27.2mm and oversize 32.4mm. Light weight, and the sturdy, stable Grip Wedge System (GWS) to hold the saddle securely in place are other key technical features of ITM's Uniko seatpost. All of ITM's UNIKO monocoque carbon fiber accessories will be available at top bike dealers worldwide in May 2003; ask you ITM dealer for further information.
Flavio Tizian further explained the philosophy of team sponsorship at ITM to Cyclingnews, saying that "we not only have our test bed and product labs, but we are actively sponsoring pro-teams, who provide us with valuable input for product development." The legendary Mapei teams have always used ITM bars & stems, as does Rabobank and many others; today 19 squads in the pro peloton as well as the Italian, UK and Ukranian national teams are sponsored by ITM.
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One of ITM's key testers for the Uniko set has been Italian ultramarathon cyclist Fabio Biasolo, who has put in over 16,000km of riding in 7 months of training on the Uniko. "Through all of my riding, in all the extremes of weather and temperature, I noted that Uniko maintained exceptional torsional strength, despite its exceptionally light weight", Biasolo told Cyclingnews.
Another innovative new product from ITM for 2003 is the Millenium Carbon set of handlebars, stem & seat post. Available at top bike dealers worldwide in May 2003, Millenium Carbon offers the next generation of ITM's popular Millenium equipment.
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The Millenium Carbon bar has a special non-slip zone where the brake levers are positioned to avoid slip, and a front double cable groove providing a round cross-section on top for easier grip. Offering a standard clamp diameter (25.8mm) and available in three widths (420-440-460), the Millenium Carbon bar weighs in at a reported 225g.
ITM's Millennium Carbon stem is an all-new stem, with both the head and steerer clamp machined from Ergal 7075 T6 aluminium, and both mated to a carbon fiber central body for light weight and rigidity. Designed for the standard clamp diameter (25.8mm) of the Millenium Carbon bar, the 80-degree stem is available in six lengths (90-140) and weighs in at 145 grams according to ITM.
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The third part of the Millenium Carbon set is the seat post; available in two diameters (27.2mm and 32.4mm oversize), the 170 gram post has a machined Ergal 7075 T6 aluminium head with precise micro adjustment. And soon, ITM's Millenium Carbon oversize bars will join the new Millenium Carbon stem in their kit.
When Cyclingnews visited ITM's factory in Loria, Flavio Tizian made an interesting point to us about his firm. "We have endeavored to create product synergy through our kits like the Uniko. We have done all the testing and development we need to do to bring the best possible product to the marketplace. Due to our tradition of "Made In Italy" quality and the investments we have made in research and development and sponsoring, we firmly believe that Italmanubri offers bike accessory consumers the best quality and widest assortment of products for their needs."
