Officina Battaglin has launched a new 2-color paint scheme and oversized tubing and lugs for its most innovative steel frame, the Portofino.
Introduced in 2017, the Portofino’s oversize Columbus Spirit HSS tubing and lugs were designed to enhance comfort, while its contemporary aesthetics remained faithful to the Italian tradition of artisan steel framebuilding.
“We worked on the Portofino and on the proprietary lug castings for more than a year”, said legendary Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana champion Giovanni Battaglin.
“The idea was to create a contemporary lugged frame from today’s lightweight oversize tubing. We love lugs. I rode lugged bikes for all my career as a pro. And when I started building my eponymous frames, they were all made from steel tubing and lugs. But when we started the Portofino project, there were no standard lugs that could fit oversize tubing and tapered steerer.”
“That’s why we had to make our own molds for the lugs, for the bottom bracket shell and the dropouts. And then in the foundry, we made the castings. The result is a unique design, which no builder has ever done.”
The frame was initially launched with a cromovelato (colored lacquer over chrome) paint scheme recalling the Italian national flag.
Now a new paint scheme is available, which features an exclusive 2-color scheme with a dark mocha brown base color and a dark amber for the engraved and painted details.
Custom size experience
Like every frame at Officina Battaglin, each Portofino is custom-made in Italy inside the Battaglin workshop.
The construction starts after a discussion with Giovanni Battaglin in person regarding the perfect frame design based on the client’s body measurements and riding style.
The Portofino is available as both a frameset, well as a complete bike.
The Portofino that’s featured belongs to Sangsern Painutaiwat of Thailand, who spec’d his bike in all manner of Italian fashion with none other than Campagnolo’s new 12-speed Super Record groupset and Bora Ultra wheels.
“How does the Portofino ride? I love every bit of it. It’s stiff when you put the power down, thanks to the oversize down tube. It’s springy and lively. It’s very comfortable and plush, but not sluggish. You can easily fit 25mm tires, and it feels fast as well.”
You can learn more about the Portofino by visiting Battaglin’s website here.
Magnifico!
You must be logged in to post a comment.