In the Chinese lunar calendar, the dragon holds a special place of honor, symbolizing power, strength, good fortune and success. To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, Passoni has created a special edition bike limited to just 24 pieces that perfectly embodies the qualities of the mythical beast.
Based on Passoni’s titanium Vinci model, which was created for the Itaian brand’s 30th anniversary, the Year of the Dragon is decorated with a sinuous dragon design inspired by 19th-century Chinese artwork that winds around the frame from the fork to the seatstays and is hand-painted in signature gold by Passoni’s artisans in its studio in Vimercate.
The contrasting background color is a deep candy gloss red with a translucent finish so that Passoni’s industry-leading carbo-titanium weave – which includes titanium filaments within carbon-fiber – is visible through the paint of the top tube, seat tube, upper chainstays and fork, like a modern supercar.
The head tube, down tube and chainstays are made from grade 9 titanium manufactured by Reynolds in the UK to Passoni’s specific design, double and triple-butted, while the parts machined from solid pieces are in titanium grade 5, produced for Passoni by skilled workshops near the company’s factory.
As with all of Passoni’s bikes, each one will be made to measure, and all include an engraved titanium badge on the seat tube depicting the head of the dragon, ‘Year of the Dragon’ written in Chinese characters, Passoni’s Vitruvian Man logo and the individual number from the 24 produced.
The Passoni Year of the Dragon will be offered as a complete bike with Campagnolo’s Super Record WRL wireless groupset with Bora Ultra C23 wheels and Vittoria Corsa Pro tires, while a custom Selle Italia Passoni saddle completes the all-Italian build.
Passoni’s owner Matteo Cassina said: “The Vinci model that we used for the Year of the Dragon bicycle is already the perfect blend of titanium and carbon. Now adorning it with this beautiful and extraordinary design represents the perfect meeting of Italian craftsmanship with Chinese art. It is an instant icon.”
The Passoni Year of the Dragon complete bike is priced at €19,299, while the framekit is available at €11,999.
Passoni
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