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Breakaway Beauty

This Ritchey titanium/carbon

If you've ever travelled with a bike, you will appreciate this new Ritchey Breakaway model. Not only does it transport in a suitcase-size pack, but once you get there, it's a snap to assemble. Plus this new model is a titanium-carbon job!

On target for comfort

To support a prestigious San Patrignano auction

This Hesperius carbon fibre prototype

Clean machine

15 years ago, master bicycle designer Andrea Pesenti began collaborating with the recovering substance abusers of the San Patrignano community based near Trento, Italy, teaching them how to build high-end bicycles. Today, the community bike workshop is flourishing, building under their own name and for others.

To support a prestigious San Patrignano auction last June at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, Pesenti and the guys built "Balestra" (meaning crossbow), a unique city bike (top L). Pesenti told Cyclingnews that "the structure is like a bow, with suspension compression in the seat tube from a tuneable elastomer, while for the top 'bow', we used a steel structure with 17 percent elongation.

"Regular Chro-Mo steel has about 11 percent elongation, so this flexes more and then we've connected the flexible top tube to an air shock with lockout. Not only is the suspension adjustable depending on the rider and road conditions, Balestra has the special retro-modern, urban look we wanted."

Andrea Pesenti is one of the true pioneers using carbon fibre in bicycle design and construction. In 1989, he debuted his Modular One carbon fibre track bike at the Milano show and went on to design the Mizuno Raffica 333 a few years later, one of the most important carbon fibre bicycle designs of the 1990s. Pesenti has also designed all the Mizuno carbon fibre bicycle forks and tubes that are used today around the world.

Once again collaborating with San Patrignano, this Hesperius carbon fibre road prototype (L, 2nd from bottom) was on show at Milano to demonstrate some new, patented carbon fibre technology coming from Pesenti. "This new design is unique because it uses adjustable carbon fibre lugs where the geometry can be changed as needed. And unlike most 'wrapped' carbon fibre frames where three layers of carbon fibre are used to wrap the lugs, we can use only one with this design for lighter weight," he said.

Pesenti's Hesperius carbon fibre prototype track frame (bottom L), made in monocoque carbon fibre, was also on display.

Sixty years and counting

Celebrating their 60th consecutive year

Comfy Contour

Italian cycling clothing De Marchi is celebrating their 60th consecutive year in business and to celebrate, they have created an exclusive, limited edition Maglificio De Marchi collection, including this fashionable superfine 100 percent merino wool Polo (top L).

De Marchi also featured an all-new version of their famous Contour Plus shorts (bottom R), with an improved fabric mix and special anatomic elastic interface chamois.

Corratec carbon conquers

These lightweight Corratec carbon fibre rigs

Detail of sleek rear triangle

The headtube's smooth lines

At this year's Giro d'Italia, the take-no-prisoners Colombia-Selle Italia team were riding lightweight Corratec carbon fibre rigs, individually crafted by Italian Mauro Sannino. Mini-me Jose Rujano rode to the maglia verde of best climber on his Corratec and next year, the German firm will offer the same bike to the public.

The headtube's smooth lines (bottom R) are done by wrapping carbon fibre around the head-lug assembly, then adding a bond-type filler that is sanded down.