One of the bike industry's finest, Dario Pegoretti, has been diagnosed with lymphoma. You can read his letter to his customers here (labeled "message from Dario").
I first saw a Pegoretti frame in the Gita booth at the 1996 Interbike show. It was a beautifully deep powder blue with white decals. I saw right then, that these were frames of unparalleled beauty. I was a poor bike shop guy/racer at the time, so I never had the means to actually pay for one, so I simply marvelled at them and told myself "Someday..."
This past March, "someday" finally came and I ordered Dario's latest creation, the uber cool, stainless steel, Responsorium. I was prepared to wait several months for the frame when I placed the order. I am resolute in my decision and now prepared to wait as long as it takes.
Hope your recovery is swift, complete, and without complications, Dario. My thoughts are with you.
9 comments:
Is that thing carbon?
I read this with great sadness this morning.
I spoke to Dario for just a few minutes this past year at Interbike. Dario is a master among masters. I simply told him, "I love your bikes".
I am praying for a speedy recovery for Dario, even if for the selfish reason that I get to see more of his bikes.
God speed, indeed.
King- Dario has no dalliance with carbon. He knows his market and stays true to his heart with precious metals. Bikes with soul, not epoxy.
Tim- Coming from a man that represents the pedrigree of Masi, I know that your "selfish" reasons are also selfless.
Nothin wrong with epoxy my friends. One can look to Formula1 and Americas Cup boats too see that. Carbon is able to BEAR and handle forces in excess of 50,000 pounds on those boats....strong like OX. That said the "no soul" plastic should be able to handle the feeble legs of most bike shop folks.
Additionally, I may not have aced my science classes but I don't recall steel ever being put into the likes of Gold, Silver, Platinum, Iridium, Palladium and the like... True precious metals. Precious metals are less reactive than most elements, have a higher luster, and have higher melting points than other metals such as steel.
An interesting case of a once-precious metal that is now common is that of aluminium commonly found in many of todays mass produced, low end bikes. Although aluminium is one of the most commonly occurring elements on earth it was initially found to be exceedingly difficult to extract from its various ores. This once made aluminium more valuable than gold. Steel didnt even have that nugget of good fortune.
Put that Bullion in your pipe and smoke it.
Awww King, you make me gush.
I owned a Pegoretti (Fina Estampa) and it was a distinctly mediocre bike. Paint peeled within 18 months, my heel occasionally clipped the massive chainstays, and it wasn't light. It did descend nicely however. But, my CAAD9 is a better aluminum frame.
I've never ridden a Fina Estampa, but have test ridden the Marcelo and Duende, both of which were exemplary steel bikes. Some of the finest I've ridden, topping, in many respects, my Colnago Master Olympic. Sorry to hear your Fina wasn't what I have experienced his bikes to be.
I have a schwinn collegiate for you if it dont work out
Dude, you liked a mass produced Crack and Fail more than a low-end market demand satisfying afterthought of a bike from Pegoretti? You don't know enough. Steel the real deal. Aluminum is for beer cans.
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