The 2014 U.S. National Road Cycling Championship was a lively race, full of unexpected twists, attacks and breaks. When Eric Marcotte crossed the finish line and won the title, he was riding his trusty stead the Wilier Zero Nine. The field was strong. He was racing against favourites like Taylor Phinney, Ben King, Phil Gaimon and Alex Howes.…
Read More The Wilier Triestina Zero.9
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Thank you to Steve Whitmore for sharing this Benotto catalogue from 1979. This is part of the attempt to document all pre 1985 Benotto models. Hopefully this will help others identify or restore their 1979 models. Here are links to the PDF versions of these files: Benotto Catalogue 1979 page 1 of 12 Benotto Catalogue 1979…
Read More Benotto Bicycle 1979 Catalogue
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What is it about some designs that they become more beautiful as time goes on. The same could be said of some artists, and some musicians and some songs. It’s true too of some humans. I think of Mahatma Ghandi or Mother Teresa or Nelson Mandela. If there is one consistent theme to this blog,…
Read More Hans Hartmann, classic design and Machiine
July 22, 2012 Team Sky Procycling rider and leader's yellow jersey Wiggins of Britain cycles during the final 20th stage of the 99th Tour de France cycling race between Rambouillet and Paris
In 2012 British cycling amazed the world by claiming the prestigious Tour de France and 70% of the Olympic cycling podiums. Never before had an English rider won the Tour de France nor had their cyclists performed so well in the Olympics. At the heart of British cycling is Dave Brailsford. He and his team around him…
Read More Triangle of Change: How To Achieve The Improbable
Benotto restoration
The restoration is coming along nicely. Ordered some NOS Benotto forks and they arrived safely today. The forks are made of Columbus SL tubing, the kind found on Benotto modelo 2500 and 3000. Part 1 and Part 2 of the restoration are here. Step 1: Sanding (3-4 hrs) I started with 180 grit sandpaper. Because I had previously…
Read More Benotto Bicycle Restoration – Sanding and Primer – Part 3
Benotto restoration
I made the mistake of painting my Benotto black after first getting it about a decade ago. Today I’m restoring it back to something fitting of the Benotto name. But first I wanted to research and find out the model of my bike. It’s proving really difficult so I’m documenting what I’m learning about Benotto’s and…
Read More Benotto Bicycle Restoration – How to identify a vintage Benotto bike frame’s year and model – Part 2
Ole Ritter breaks the hour record in 1968
The restoration – A background. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a bright sunny morning and I had just gotten a phone call from my friend Ryan, “You’ve got to come quick … there’s another guy that really wants this bike.” The bike was a $5 Benotto at Ryan’s garage sale. It was…
Read More Benotto bicycle restoration – Where the love all started – Part 1
Benotto
This is an attempt to document all of Benotto’s pre 1985 models. I need your help, if you have a photo of a Benotto and know the year/model please send it to me or share a link to it in the comment section. That will really help out the community. About 10 years ago I was…
Read More Benotto Classic – a growing list of Benotto Bicycles from 1931-1985
Moser with Benotto
The 1960s to 80s were the golden years of Benotto bicycles. By the mid 1980s Benotto had numerous 1st place titles including 11 world championships and countless local, national and international competitions such as the Giro d’italia. In 1968 Ole Ritter famously broke the hour record while riding a Benotto Bicycle. He road a staggering 48.653 kms in one hour.…
Read More Benotto Bicycles – The birth of a hero
Kangchenjunga Himalayas
A few years ago I sat in an auditorium listening to David Graham tell the tale of how he, his son, and a family friend were the first Canadians to summit the peak of Pathangtse in the Nepalese Himalayas. One of the stories he told has stuck with me to this day. The mountains in the Himalayas…
Read More Life is easy. Why do we make it so hard?