Introducing the PORTOFINO Premium

In the 21st century, globalization means that increasingly we see road bikes that are no different from each other. Whatever the label, they come out of the same factories in China. They&manufactured by the same process just perhaps with a slightly different design. In a world dominated by mass production, is it still possible to ride a bike built to be unique? Giovanni Battaglin, the legend of cycling capable of winning the Giro and the Vuelta in just 48 days, 3 years ago asked himself this question. And in the workshop in Italy where he makes his eponymous custom steel frames and bikes, he started working on a frame model that no builder had ever done. He and his son Alex had a dream: they wanted to create a modern steel frame with lugs. Specifically, they wanted to pair the modern aesthetics and performance of Columbus HSS tubing with the traditional Italian lugged construction. It was a tough challenge. In fact, there were no standard lugs on the market that could fit the oversized Columbus Spirit HSS tubing and the tapered steerer. Giovanni and Alex worked to develop proprietary cast lugs, which were then produced by the best Italian foundry. In 2017, the Portofino was born. The Portofino is the first steel frame in the world with oversized lugs that accommodate the oversized Columbus HSS tubing and the tapered steerer. This unusual combination makes for a modern look and the level of riding comfort that you can only experience on a lugged steel...