This is a dream bike , Freddy Maertens Colnago Super , one of the first frames with rib innovation .
Fully round tubed top tube , down tube and seat tube , with ribs running from the bottom bracket to rear drop outs inside the chain stays …
Author: saarf
Ally Capellino X Saarf
Bike/Gear Reviews, For Sale
I had the amazing good fortune to have been able to meet Legendary London bag designer Ally Capellino back in 2017 when I was a bicycle courier .
I arrived at her Shoreditch shop and atelier , with a delivery for her , and gave it directly to her.
A very nice Lady , who generously gave me time for a chat .
I said I had been to her Soho shop back in the late ‘80’s / early ‘90’s , bought a jersey top and admired her fine bags . We spoke about her doing some stylish bike bags , as I felt they would be brilliant , given her attention to detail and use of high quality materials in manufacture .
I said I had a few creative projects I’m trying to get off the ground , and we kept in contact on social media .
Fast forward to this year , and Ally dropped me a line , saying she has another cycle orientated bag range , and would I like one to test.
Naturally , I said yes , and a few days later , the wonderful Pendle unisex shoulder bag arrived ….
Made with a waterproof Cordura outter , it is robust enough to use daily as a commuter / town bag .
I can fit a D Lock , water bottle , keys , wallet and energy snacks in with ample room ….
The bag has a zipped front pocket with seals , a rear with velcro fastening , a zipped inner pocket and a mesh wall with two pockets . The interior material is rip stop , which is great as it stops any unforeseen tears spreading .
The shoulder strap is made from Duck Cotton , so is soft and non abrasive against thinner material jerseys or skin , and splits in two with a robust clasp
The strap is attached at a 45 degree angle on the bag , so has a pretty much ergonomic fit to the torso .
Ally has named each bag in the Travel and Cycle range after cyclists significant to her. The unisex Pendle shoulder bag is named after British Olympic Hero , Victoria Pendleton .
Ally Capellino has very , very generously given you lucky readers a chance to win your very own Pendle bag , click the link below and enter .
Move as quickly as Victoria , as the competition closes on July 5th.
https://www.allycapellino.co.uk/pages/competition-ally-capellino-x-julian-saarf
In the Travel and Cycle collection is a fabulous ‘tote’ bag , the Saarf , one can only imagine what this Saarf character is like ….
Tommasini Monte Amiata Mountain Bike
Tommasini Monte Amiata MTB
As I said in an earlier post , last year I was fortunate enough to be able to visit the Tommasini bicycle factory , in Grosseto , Tuscany , Italy .
While I was being given a tour of the premises by Don Irio Tommasini’s daughter Barbara , I saw a beautiful mint condition Monte Amiata Mountain Bike , with original Shimano Deore XT group…
A Columbus Cromor OR frame , with Tommasini cut out lug work . It is like museum condition .
I had been thinking about it for some time , almost a year , then , Don Irio allowed me to buy it , and I imported it to London …
saarf.london on tour , Eroica Gaiole 2019
Races and EventsI managed to attend this years Eroica Gaiole , thanks to the hospitality of my Danish friend Claus ( aka Velo Claus ) , founder of Team Patelli Denmark and a sponsor of Eroica South Africa .
I arrived late on Friday , after being foolish enough to miss time my leaving home for the airport , but all was good in the end
The Saturday was spent catching up with friends and meeting Legends .
I caught up with Srs Aldo and Marco Gios on their stall with my good friend Dave , who just had an exact replica of Roger De Vlaminck’s own Gios , painstakingly hand made by Mr Aldo Gios himself , the Gios family still take commissions for bespoke frames …
Dave told that Mr De Vlaminck cut the ends off his Campagnolo pedals to get the tension he wanted with feet in the cages …
Mr Davide Campagnolo was present , with his family brand , Campagnolo sponsor Eroica ..
I had a wander around the worlds greatest vintage bike market and went to see my well regarded friend , one of the most established vintage traders Beppe on his stall .
Beppe is a well connected man , who knows many of the Italians involved in the industry from past to present , and whilst at his stall , I had the honour of meeting the man who made the mythical Cinelli Laser bikes , Mr Andrea Pesenti .
The Legend arrived with his own bike , and very kindly gave me a few minutes to talk about it ….
Staggering piece of work , best bike of the festival for me , fillet brazed , under bb rear brake calliper mount , internal cable routing , integrated seat post , and aero tubes .
I walked back into the main square area and then had the good fortune to bump into Mr Federico Stanzani , with whom I have become friends after he told me ride this Cinelli Laser Tandem through Gaiole in 2016
Federico is the Columbus brand manager , 
And he said Mr Antonio Colombo himself , owner of the brands Columbus and Cinelli , was at the festival for the promotion of the centenary edition Columbus Steel tube set. I had actually met Mr Colombo in his Milano art gallery back in 2016…
I left Federico and was wandering around again when I walked straight into Mr Antonio Colombo … I was stunned when he said he remembered me …
Was really good to talk with him and his partner , who is instrumental in design for the Cinelli Winged store . I said I had seen Mr Pesenti earlier , to get a photo of the two of them with the Laser bike would have been pretty much historical .
My friend Simone won a prize for the Masi he built , he told me he took a month and a half to finish it , hand made bike usually take a week .
Simone is the youngest artisan bicycle builder in Italy currently , with a fascinating narrative .
When he was 10 he knew he wanted to build bike frames , so knocked on the door of the late , great legend Dario Pegoretti , who told him to watch him weld .
Simone is now Masi frame builder , working with Mr Alberto Masi at the atelier in Milano , Simone actually works at the late Mario Confente’s bench , and honours him in his work by implementing the Spade symbol .
Here is a Masi Stradivari , hand made by Simone and owned by a Japanese rider , shots taken on the ride , when the Gent’s chain had snapped ..
Some of the other gems seen…
Sunday was ride day …
With blessings from legend , friend and Eroica Global Man Amedeo at the start , we were off to a good ride …
Our group included Iron Man contestant Jean and Jens , a Team Molteni Denmark founder member .
Patelli is an old established artisan frame builders from Bologna , Claus had an aero model
And Jean had an earlier model , also equipped with Cambio Rina…
Vastly underrated , Cambio Rina was practically the best performing Italian gruppo of it’s era .
I rode a 1985 Colnago Nuovo Mexico , with a 1st gen Campagnolo Rally triple crankset , a 2nd gen Rally rear mech , and the rest 2nd gen Super Record
oi
As I was riding later I managed to face plant , not paying attention to riding , ( easy to be distracted by the beauty around ) , but still finished 
with another flash of genius , I managed to get to the airport too late and missed another flight , so stayed in Pisa then flew the next day .
Another magical Eroica , the brand has spread it’s wings world wide , looking forward to many more ..,
Eroica 500 @ Eroica Britannia 2019
Races and Events
I recently attended the U.K. Eroica event , held by Eroica Britannia organisers , the 500 .
Instead of the usual 3 day festival , The Eroica 500 took place for one day only , Sunday the 18th of August , riding out from Bakewell for a scenic 65 mile ride around the surrounding Peak District .
I rode on my circa 1985 Colnago Nuovo Mexico , in the company of legend Doctor D
Eroica globetrotter Mr Amedeo Polito was present , always a pleasure to see , and it was nice to meet the U.K. organisers . True Eroica enthusiasts , they started riding Eroica in Chianti back in 2004 , and managed to secure U.K. rights to run an event in 2016
The region is an excellent choice to host the event , and I look forward to riding the next event .
The start at Bakewell , I managed to be possibly the only one to post there number on the front of jersey , I was always backwards …
The Tommasini Factory …
Mr TommasiniI was in Tuscany recently , and for my birthday , a good friend arranged for me to visit the Tommasini factory .
I had met Mr Irio Tommasini previously , and we talked about his builds , the type of steels he used and who in the current sphere of artisan frame builders he liked …
On this occasion I was unable to see him as he was attending matters on his olive farm , instead , I was fortunate to meet his two daughters , Roberta and Barbara …
The bike in hand is the iconic ‘Diamanté model , named by Roberta on the right , because that is what she saw in the multi shape tubes ..
I was given a tour of the factory very kindly by Barbara , a lady of in-depth knowledge of the science of frame building , fascinating to talk to , aware of geometry , physics and able to predict a frames performance from it’s movement , like a professor ….the gentleman bellow is involved in the iconic frame painting process …
Forks and frames , Tommasini provides restoration services to older frames ..
As well as tailor made frames , a prime example of serendipity striking , at that moment one of Tommasini’s highly skilled in-house frame builders was actually working on Barbara’s personal gravel bike frame ….
Barbara also explained the Tommasini ethos to me .
Irio Tommasini has selected the best of the best to work in the in house production process , all are long serving staff , numbers have applied to work within , but only those that reached Mr T ‘ s exacting standards got accepted .
Only the highest grades of Italian steels , aluminium and titanium are used to produce the frames , no carbon ones are produced as Tommasini are unable to source Italian material .
The lugs are produced in house … one of the latest model , steel framed gravel bike , the , the ‘ fire ‘..
This an anniversary edition Super Prestige made from Columbus SLX steel , only 10 more will be made
It was an unforgettable birthday experience , a chance to see behind the scenes of an iconic artisan’s factory , and learn so much about what it takes to understand the true art of fine frame building , many , many thanks again.
Happy Birthday Mr Colnago
Mr ColnagoI was blessed to have been invited to the London unveiling of a very , very special road bike ….
Made in honour of Mr Ernesto Colnago ‘s 87 th birthday ,
A one of a kind Colnago ‘ 87 ‘ , a 24 carat gold plated 2nd generation Colnago Arabesque , with Campagnolo 50 th anniversary gruppo …
I managed to wish Mr Colnago happy birthday …
And thanked Mr Alex Colnago …
And I managed to meet the Steve McQueen of pro cycling , Mr Giuseppe ‘ Beppe ‘ Saronni , 
Happy Birthday Mr Colnago , thanks for the joy you bring !
Colnago C64 Disc Gold Private Collection
Dream bikes and framesWhilst at the Rouleur London show I stopped by the Colnago stand , and managed to get around the limited edition Colnago C64 Disc Gold Private Collection…
One of only 64 C64 Gold Private Collection models , to celebrate Mr Colnago’s 86 th birthday and 64 years of the Colnago company , only available via the factory at roughly £15,000 .
The most advanced of the ‘C’ range yet , with wider tyre clearance and disc brakes …
Mr and Mr Gios
Mr GiosWhile attending L’Eroica Gaiole , Italia 2018 , I had the pleasure of bumping into my friend , Mr Marco Gios again at his family stall ….
Marco’s father , the Legendary Aldo Gios was also there …
some fantastic examples of Gios bikes at the stall too
And this custom built for a friend of mine…
Marco also had a modern example of Gios design , a gravel bike , which he kindly let me test briefly …
Disc brake set up , carbon forks and a Columbus steel frame , quite striking I thought with the blue and orange decor.
Also of note are the wooden rims on the wheels , I met an ex pro who used to compete on steel , he said he used wooden rims on Paris Roubaix as they helped absorb the cobbles , so handy on the Strada Bianca then!
L’Eroica , Gaiole in Chianti , 2018
Races and EventsThis years festival was a little different , I got a little ‘behind the scenes’ action .
Instead of riding , I helped my good friend on his stall , and catching up with everyone …
My good friend Beppe , proprietor of the best stall of the festival … here with fellow trader , colleague and friend , Matteo….
Some of the treasure in Beppe and Matteo’s corner …
An Art Decor Colnago C35
A rare Ortelli , made by ex rider Vito Ortelli from Faenza , Vito taught Masi and Cinelli how to build frames …
A Cinelli Pista and Super Corsa …
I also managed to see my friend Paolo at his stall , full of prestige vintage treasure , here with a rare Colnago C35 MTB…
Paolo also had this show stopping Colnago Oval CX ….
And this very rare Colnago Mexico ‘Moscow’ Crono bike , the only Mexico produced with ribs inside chain stays …
plenty of treasure on other stalls in the market too .. like this F Moser Crono 
I said ‘Hi!’ to the organisers of Eroica , the founder , Mr Giancarlo Brocci ….
legendary Mr W N Hakateyaman …
Seen again here with my good friend and colleague from Retro Velo Romania , Alexandru
And Mr Amedeo Polito..
Also caught up my friend Joshua , (far right) who has arguably one of the best life / work balances I know , Campagnolo global communications , and who very kindly introduced me to Mr Davide Campagnolo , the third generation of his family running the legendary prestige Italian cycling components brand ….
Joshua also kindly introduced me to the author of legendary derailleur blog http://www.disraeligears.co.uk , Mr Mike Sweatman , with whom my legendary colleague Alexandru had a great chat over beer with …
Alexandru and I working hard …
I also had the pleasure of seeing Mr Marco Gios and his father Aldo , of Gios bikes ,,,
At the Gios stand a new gravel bike was on display , which Marco let me ‘ test ‘ …
Also attending the festivities was the legendary Mr Irio Tommasini …
It was fantastic talking with him ,he spoke of the Super Prestige model , we talked about the Diamanté model with it’s asymmetric Columbus MS tubing , Mr Tommasini also spoke of his regard for U.S.A builder Mr Richard Sachs , and for my friend Simone , Mr Alberto Masi’s frame builder and business partner , I asked if young Simone is “the new Mario Confente” , to which Mr Tommasini replied ” Simone is better, more dynamic ”
This is Simone D’Urbino T’omby , the youngest artisan frame builder in Italy at just 22 , he started learning his trade aged 10 from the late , great , Mr Dario Pegoretti …
The day of the ride , it was raining when we started opening up Beppe’s stall at around 6 am , by around 9 am , things were better ….Even though I was not riding , I still had a great time , down for 2019 Eroica Gaiole certainly .
