Which Carbon frames are still manufactured in Italy

[simo1733]

I know most frames are now made in Asia, but which ones are still made in Italy?

 

[dave bonner]

my frame is

I own a Condor from London and their frames are made in Italy. They also run a team Rapha Condor Sharp

 

[Michele]

There are still many done in Italy and many with tubes made in Italy.
Even Cipollini's monocoque ones are made in here (I heard that a frame mold in Italy has a price around 3.5000euro).

 

[Martin318is]

some (but I'm pretty sure not all) pinarellos are made in Treviso near Venice

 

[BroDeal]

some (but I'm pretty sure not all) pinarellos are made in Treviso near Venice

Is there another Venice in Taiwan or China?

I think the only part of Pinarellos that are made in Italy is the paint job, which qualifies the frames to be labeled "made in Italy" even though they are actually manufactured in Asia.

Supposedly De Rosa makes its high end bikes in Italy, but I cannot help but be suspicious of a company that slaps its brand name on generic carbon frames that can be bought from eBay.

Colnago's top end carbon frames, made with a tube and lug construction, are still made in Italy.

 

[forty four]

that question would have meant a lot 10 years ago these days a good frame from the best of asia is as good as anything else or better. i would not pay extra for an italian frame in fact i find them to be inferior to the best scott or specialized made in asia. i laugh at heavy flexy italian bikes such as pinnerello or colnago lol. independent testing agrees regarding stiffness and weight. i find the overpriced italian old school tech to be garbage for racers. its for those more concerned with prestige and showing they have $$$$ than performance and to some degree its almost racist to assume asians cant make a good frame. for me only brands that i really look at now specialized scott cervelo in no order solid quality put simply. campy/italian frames far behind imo living on name alone. single pivot brakes da ****?? lol.

 

[AngusW]

that question would have meant a lot 10 years ago these days a good frame from the best of asia is as good as anything else or better. i would not pay extra for an italian frame in fact i find them to be inferior to the best scott or specialized made in asia. i laugh at heavy flexy italian bikes such as pinnerello or colnago lol. independent testing agrees regarding stiffness and weight. i find the overpriced italian old school tech to be garbage for racers. its for those more concerned with prestige and showing they have $$$$ than performance and to some degree its almost racist to assume asians cant make a good frame. for me only brands that i really look at now specialized scott cervelo in no order solid quality put simply. campy/italian frames far behind imo living on name alone. single pivot brakes da ****?? lol.

I'm not disputing your argument - clearly you have compared both Italian and Asian-made frames, especially Scott, Specialized, Cervelo, Pinarello and Colnago.

Your post, however, would be easier to read if you used some capitalisation, punctuation other than full stops and paragraph breaks, as follows:

That question would have meant a lot 10 years ago. These days a good frame from the best of Asia is as good as anything else or better. I would not pay extra for an Italian frame in fact I find them to be inferior to the best Scott or Specialized made in asia.

I laugh at heavy flexy Italian bikes such as Pinarello or Colnago - LOL. Independent testing agrees regarding stiffness and weight. I find the overpriced Italian old school tech to be garbage for racers. It's for those more concerned with prestige and showing they have $$$$ than performance and to some degree it's almost racist to assume Asians cant make a good frame.

For me only brands that i really look at now Specialized, Scott and Cervelo in no order; solid quality, put simply. Campy/Italian frames far behind IMO living on name alone. Single pivot brakes da ****?? LOL.

 

[BroDeal]

that question would have meant a lot 10 years ago these days a good frame from the best of asia is as good as anything else or better. i would not pay extra for an italian frame in fact i find them to be inferior to the best scott or specialized made in asia. i laugh at heavy flexy italian bikes such as pinnerello or colnago lol. independent testing agrees regarding stiffness and weight. i find the overpriced italian old school tech to be garbage for racers. its for those more concerned with prestige and showing they have $$$$ than performance and to some degree its almost racist to assume asians cant make a good frame. for me only brands that i really look at now specialized scott cervelo in no order solid quality put simply. campy/italian frames far behind imo living on name alone. single pivot brakes da ****?? lol.

What a load. After telling us that Italian frames are overpriced and inferior to Asian made frames, you then pimp Specialized, Scott, and Cervelo, brands that use the "designed by white men but built in Asia" scam to justify their high prices.

Here's an idea. If you want an Asian made frame then buy a Giant. It is the largest manufacturer with the most bicycle engineering and technical expertise. Your frame won't be designed by white men in a cubicle in California. It will better designed by Asians with the same schooling but are who are intimately familiar with the manufacturing process and get to witness first hand the practicalities and quirks of bringing a design to manufacture.

 

[M Sport]

Ciocc top carbon model still made in Italy, along with their steel frame.

Casati.

 

[Martin318is]

Is there another Venice in Taiwan or China?

I think the only part of Pinarellos that are made in Italy is the paint job, which qualifies the frames to be labeled "made in Italy" even though they are actually manufactured in Asia.

Weird..... I physically watched them building Dogma frames in their Tr viso factory 3 years ago..... are you saying that they have packed all that up and shipped the entire operation off shore? (note that I had already indicated that only some of their frames were made there)

 

[BroDeal]

Weird..... I physically watched them building Dogma frames in their Tr viso factory 3 years ago..... are you saying that they have packed all that up and shipped the entire operation off shore? (note that I had already indicated that only some of their frames were made there)

Maybe I am wrong, but it is my understanding that Pinarello's carbon frames are made in Asia. One of the problems they have faced with the fakes, the "Chinarellos", is that people have a lack of remorse about a fake Pinarello paint job when the real Pinarellos have fake "made in Italy" stickers.

Tommasini still makes frames in Italy.

 

[Martin318is]

Jury is out on Pinarello - They may have only been making the prototypes there. If I find anything out I will post it here.

 

[DirtyWorks]

What a load. After telling us that Italian frames are overpriced and inferior to Asian made frames, you then pimp Specialized, Scott, and Cervelo, brands that use the "designed by white men but built in Asia" scam to justify their high prices.

Here's an idea. If you want an Asian made frame then buy a Giant. It is the largest manufacturer with the most bicycle engineering and technical expertise. Your frame won't be designed by white men in a cubicle in California. It will better designed by Asians with the same schooling but are who are intimately familiar with the manufacturing process and get to witness first hand the practicalities and quirks of bringing a design to manufacture.

Some people can't let go of Italian/French/Whatever heritage in cycling and the brands have been relying on that for a long time to keep their product moving. I beat the Look drum pretty hard because they weaved their own fabrics and then built them. The giant sucking sound coming out of East Asia may have turned them into another reseller to stay in business by now...

Bottom line: there is very, very little that differs between most carbon frames. Asian build quality is excellent, finish quality varies depending on price.

If you want to pay for the privilege of Italian branding on your Asian carbon, fine. Ride it often and say 'Ciao! Ciao!' to others when riding.

 

[M Sport]

All carbon Pinarello's are made in Asia and then the top models only are QC checked and painted in Italy, all base models are completely finished in Asia.

Source = a magazine article I read about one year ago inside the Pinarello factory, there was a direct quote from the owners/management about the actual carbon manufacturing being done in Asia and then extensive QC back in Italy before painting.

 

[JTPato]

Italian frames

Pinarello Carbon Fibre frames are made in Asia. We were told this on a visit to the Pinarello factory in 2007.

 

[Michele]

Italian cycling industry isnt limited to Pinarello.

Some under rated brands I have in mind:

-Grandis (carbon and steel, but steel is their flagship)
-Visual (carbon, supposed to have provided Lampre custom frames)
-Sarto (carbon, works especially for other brands, like Bottechia high end)

I remember a video of De Rosa custom frames being made in Italy (probably just custom ones?).
As for Cervelo/Scott/Specialized, they are supposed to be made all in the same factory, Carbotech.

 

[LugHugger]

that question would have meant a lot 10 years ago these days a good frame from the best of asia is as good as anything else or better. i would not pay extra for an italian frame in fact i find them to be inferior to the best scott or specialized made in asia. i laugh at heavy flexy italian bikes such as pinnerello or colnago lol. independent testing agrees regarding stiffness and weight. i find the overpriced italian old school tech to be garbage for racers. its for those more concerned with prestige and showing they have $$$$ than performance and to some degree its almost racist to assume asians cant make a good frame. for me only brands that i really look at now specialized scott cervelo in no order solid quality put simply. campy/italian frames far behind imo living on name alone. single pivot brakes da ****?? lol.

There's no dispute that quality knows no physical boundaries but individual companies attitude towards QA does differ. Have you checked out the Cervelo forum and read the number of owners who have issues with their aero but fragile 2011 frames? Solid quality? I'm not so sure.

 

[oldborn]

Top Moser model 001 are made 100% in Italy, and yes all top Viner models also.
I am not sure for Basso bikes? I heard all best for Basso.

 

[Boeing]

Parkpre carbon frames are allegedly hand made in Italy now.

http://www.parkpre.it/

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Pinarello is made in Taiwan by the same company that manufactures my carbon rims. They have 25 years experience working with carbon fiber, more than most companies on this planet.

What kinda irks me is this whole assumption that Asian made somehow means cheap or low quality, couldn't be a more misguided notion. It's absolutely undeniable that China/Taiwan leads the world in everything bicycle manufacturing, especially carbon fiber. There are some bike makers outside of China/Taiwan who do bond their frames in-house, but more often than not the tubes are sourced from C/T as well.

When people are shopping for these blank open mold frames on ebay and other online shops to try and save money, they're not really getting a brand X, or Y, or whatever with no paint or decals, actually far from it. Most of what you're finding out there are just test molds and rejects, or some kid who's uncle owns a carbon mfg plant and wants to make a quick buck.

If you have 6k to drop on a carbon race bike that's visible in the pro ranks, that's fine, not really bang for your buck though. The educated choice isn't off-the-shelf because most of what the pros ride aren't, they're customs. If you spend your money wisely you go with a custom builder who specs a frame for your body, just like the pros, not off-the-shelf. Anyone who spends 3 grand or more on chassis that isn't custom made for them no matter what the material is, well,,, quite foolish IMHO.

 

[Master50]

Pinarello is made in Taiwan by the same company that manufactures my carbon rims. They have 25 years experience working with carbon fiber, more than most companies on this planet.

What kinda irks me is this whole assumption that Asian made somehow means cheap or low quality, couldn't be a more misguided notion. It's absolutely undeniable that China/Taiwan leads the world in everything bicycle manufacturing, especially carbon fiber. There are some bike makers outside of China/Taiwan who do bond their frames in-house, but more often than not the tubes are sourced from C/T as well.

It disturbs my sense of style to acknowledge anything but Italian built are worthy. Only bikes copied under licence from an Italian builder out of Asia are worthy of a second look. In terms of artisan builders the Italians are pretty tried and true but I might quietly acknowledge a few American builders as finally getting it. If Cannondale can actually learn to make a good race bike then it can be done anywhere.
Until I started lusting after a Calfee Tandem I have only ever lusted for Italian bikes and Colnagos more specifically

 

[Michele]

Anyone who spends 3 grand or more on chassis that isn't custom made for them no matter what the material is, well,,, quite foolish IMHO.

This is a totally different subject.
Going custom has its own reasons and not going custom has others.

 

[Speedneedle]

This is a totally different subject.
Going custom has its own reasons and not going custom has others.

A custom frame is not better than the guy that makes the measurements for you. I have seen too many wrongly made custom frames to make a blanket statement like that. Also, I have spent hours on an extra stiff, custom made Parlee Z1 that fit me quite well. Nice, nice bike but not nearly as stiff or responsive as eg. the production race bike I have currently, a Storck Fenomalist, which in fact has an ideal geometry for me. Nothing there could be improved if I went custom.

But if I were to buy a more expensive bike than that, it would certainly not be a Pinarello Dogma or Colnago C59, but indeed a Parlee, Kirk Lee or maybe Guru, as Italian frames are grossly overpriced IMO, and also not technically up to date. I don't care if they are actually made in asia, like the Dogma. As soon as that "Made in Italy" sticker is there, you pay too much and I don't get that "euro-pro" thing anyway...

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

As soon as that "Made in Italy" sticker is there, you pay too much and I don't get that "euro-pro" thing anyway...

This is the biggest problem with Italy right now, bike companies in particular. There's a bit of resentment amongst the Italian bicycle fanatics that "Made in Italy" doesn't hold the same panache as it once did. A fancy paint job by itself just doesn't cut it anymore for me, especially when just a name somehow warrants a 600% markup.

 

[Michele]

A custom frame is not better than the guy that makes the measurements for you.

I meant that I would suggest a custom bike in case;

- you're not able to fit any standard geometry
- you want a particolar geometry
- if you're very tall and big

Wherever it's made.