Pegoretti
About
Though artist is a much-overused term, Dario Pegoretti truly was an artist, a once-in-a-generation maestro. No builder of our time matched Dario in his combined mastery of tubing design, ride geometry, brazed and TIG welded construction, and frame finish. And no builder has ever surpassed the stunning art of his finished frames.
In 1975 Pegoretti entered an 8 year apprenticeship with Verona's most renowned frame builder, Luigino Milani. Though typically decaled with the names of other makers, the best teams of those days often had up to half their racers on Milani frames. Roche, Pantani, Battaglin, Chiappucci, Indurain, Tafi, Cipollini, Ghiroto, and Fondriest are among the long list of in-the-know racers that relied on the Milani workshop for their most prized race bikes.
Dario finished his apprenticeship in 1983 but continued building in the Milani shop until 1999. He then moved to his own workshop near Trento. There, with his son Andrea and long time assistant Pietro, Pegoretti carefully crafted a mere 250 frames a year - for the entire world. Extraordinarily well balanced geometry from the soul of Italy, exquisite craftsmanship, and unrivaled finish combine to make every Pegoretti frame a singular masterpiece of art. You could proudly hang any Pegoretti frame on your wall. Many do. But a Pegoretti is even more stunning on the road.
Models
There is a Pegoretti model for every road and gravel rider. If you’re exploring Pegoretti options, you are likely already familiar with the Responsorium. The “Respo” is Pegoretti’s premier frameset, Columbus stainless steel tubing with a buttery smooth ride. The Duende is Pegoretti’s most comfortable frame for long, steady distance. New in 2024, the Rock & Roll brings the legendary Pegoretti ride to both gravel and overnight touring. At the other end of the spectrum, the Big Leg Emma is the stiffest model; it’s made for powerful sprinters. The Marcelo is a notch less stiff than the Big Leg Emma, perfect for bigger riders that perhaps aren’t full-out trackie style sprinters, but still crave an especially solid frame under them. Round is the same design as the Marcelo but upgraded to stainless steel rather than heat treated cromoly. And for the lightest option and quickest option, choose the Love #3. Made of heat treated aluminum alloy, the Love #3 is #1 for climbers. See below for more info on each model.
Responsorium
The Responsorium is Pegoretti's flagship model. Frame tubing is Columbus XCr stainless steel in Dario's custom dimensions. Stainless steel may not truly be magic, but in Dario’s dimensions it gives a near magical ride with extra spring and liveliness in every crank rotation. Its extra strength also allows for a little lighter frame. Dario's specially drawn stays provide an especially comfortable ride without giving up the responsiveness Pegoretti frames are known for. The cylindrical, non-tapered stays coupled to Pegoretti's signature hooded dropouts keep the rear triangle plenty stiff for excellent power transfer while the tubeset provides a buttery smooth ride that’s comfortable for even the longest days in the saddle.
Marcelo
The Marcelo is Pegoretti’s purest steel race frame. TIG welded of seamless cold drawn Columbus Spirit HSS Omnicrom steel alloy tubing in Pegoretti’s exclusive design. The triple butted main frame absorbs road shock and vibration while the noticeably oversized rear stays bring a stiffness and efficiency that is a dream for big and powerful riders as well as the sprinter in all of us.
Love #3
First launched in 2006, the Love #3 was an instant hit. Riders fell in love with its fast, fun, and predictable handling as well as it's superb climbing ability. It was an alloy frame unlike any other - aggressive yet smooth, a rocker with good manners. The new Love #3 retains the original killer ride but boasts a larger diameter, even more secure front end with a headtube of 43mm, up from the 39mm original.
Day is Done and Luigino
A very special frame for those coveting a state-of-the-art Italian classic. Each Luigino and Days Done is built around investment cast lugs, cast bottom bracket, and cast fork crown with low temperature brazing in the tradition of the greatest Italian masters. The Luigino uses traditional Columbus 1” tubing with matching cromoly fork. And for aficionados who cherish classic lugs but in contemporary oversized tubing, there is the Day is Done. The DiD uses a 1-1/8” headset, oversized tubing in heat treated Columbus cromoly, and non-tapering rear stays attached to special dropouts designed just for this frame.
Round
For some time Pegoretti aficionados have asked for the powerful performance of the Marcelo but in the finest super-tubing, Columbus XCr stainless steel. For those riders, the Round is now here: an incredibly reactive frame built for the rider seeking a no-compromise steel speed machine.
The Round blends Dario's custom designed Columbus XCR tubing with 3D printed stainless steel dropouts (a first on a Pegoretti), and an oversized rear triangle and brake bridge for exceptional lateral stiffness. Think Responsorium with a shot of steriods.
Duende
The Duende is Dario’s most comfortable endurance ride. These days, as cyclists search for ever more comfort they’re discovering that Dario’s initial all-purpose design, the Duende, is pretty much a perfect endurance ride.
Big Leg Emma
The Big Leg Emma is the stiffest frameset in the Pegoretti lineup, likely the stiffest steel frame ever made. Dario designed it with massive chainstays (4mm wider than a Marcelo or Round!) and oversized seatstays for a rock solid backend. And using a technique he learned building track frames for world class sprinters, Dario added internal I-beams to the oversized downtube to further lock down this dream machine for big, powerful sprinters.
Rock & Roll Gravel
New in 2024 - Pegoretti Rock & Roll. Made for every kind of surface, asphalt to gravel, this newest design from Pegoretti is like a Duende but in the finest stainless tubing. And it’s made for disc brakes to fit tires all the way to 40cm.
Every Pegoretti is a work of art. And you can make it your own! Select from dozens of designs. Then pick your favorite base color and your favorite top color. Or let us know your favorite hues for an individually painted ciavete. We’d love to help. Email us your thoughts or questions. AT Cycles BiKyle, we speak Pegoretti!
