{"id":908,"date":"2020-07-16T11:29:48","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T09:29:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/?p=908"},"modified":"2020-08-08T16:55:16","modified_gmt":"2020-08-08T14:55:16","slug":"risking-the-shirt-off-his-back-nani-pinarello-and-the-fight-from-last-to-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/2020\/07\/16\/risking-the-shirt-off-his-back-nani-pinarello-and-the-fight-from-last-to-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Risking the Shirt off His Back: Nani Pinarello and the Fight from Last to First."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re anything like the rest of the cycling public, the Coronavirus gives you plenty of time to ride your bike. You may also have the opportunity to watch YouTube videos of the great, historic bicycle races (we recommend the U.S. Cycling Championships from 1929<\/a>). We keep noticing how Campagnolo and Pinarello bikes make it to center-stage (almost every) year after year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pinarello is a cyclist\u2019s paradigm for excellence in a lightweight framesets. This bike manufacturer from Treviso \u2013 along with Colnago from Milan \u2013 are the<\/em> two Italian cycling design masters. And there is no better feeling then riding an Italian made bicycle on Italian roads (except, the post-ride dinner of Italian food). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out Our Pinarello Rental Bikes<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But what about Pinarello makes it so interesting? For\nstarters, its list of victories carries a long list of powerful names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An Impressive Pedigree<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just last year Egan Bernal won the 2019 Tour de France on a Pinarello<\/a>. The year before that Gerant Thomas stood on the highest step in Paris<\/a> with the same bike. Chris Froome – married to Team Sky for years – brought home the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Tour de France victories. Thus, Pinarello has been the championship bicycle at cycling\u2019s premier event for the past 5 consecutive editions of the Tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Pinarello was also under Froome when he conquered the 2017 Vuelta de Espa\u00f1a and the Giro d\u2019Italia in 2018. It carried Froome\u2019s mentor, Sir Bradley Wiggins, to a Tour victory in 2012 and a new speed record in 2015. World Championships, as well, have been won by Cavandish in 2012 and Rui Costa in 2013 thanks to Pinarello craftsmanship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They’re Onto Something<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But Pinarello isn\u2019t simply a bicycle of the new cycling century. Jan Ullrich raced on a Pinarello, taking home the 1997 Tour title, and battling against a famous Texas who just recently was moved to tears by the German’s present mental state<\/a>. Pinarello gave Ullrich one of his greatest victories in 2000: the Olympic Road Cycling Event in Sydney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

But we could go back even further to Battaglin\u2019s Tour win of\n1981. Or possibly the consecutive top podium spots for Spain\u2019s Indurain in\n1993, 1994, and 1995. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We could even go back to the races of Nani Pinarello\nhimself. But to study Nani deeply, we need to look at the back of the race, not\nthe front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look to the Rear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A strange turn of events brought Nani Pinarello to the forefront of Italian cycling. In a true testament where, \u201cthe last will be first,\u201d Giovanni Pinarello made a name for himself by finishing dead last in the 1951 edition of the Giro d\u2019Italia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giovanni Pinarello raced bicycles during the 40s and 50s. As the eighth child in twelve, he took to cycling in the aftermath of WWII, winning over 60 races. This was the period of the famous \u201ceroica\u201d rivalries: namely, the famous duels among legendary riders such as Coppi, Bartali, and Bobet. These were races impossible to finish let alone win. Yet in 1951 he gained a curious notoriety \u2013 not for winning races, but for his insatiable quest for the illusive \u201cmaglia nera.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read More About the Gravel Roads of Tuscany<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Black Jersey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Maglia Nera was a black jersey, issued by the Giro organizers to the last cyclist of the famous Italian race. Conceptualized between 1946 and 1951, this special jersey went to whichever cyclist was able to cross the finish line in the very final spot, within the official time constraints. During these years, arriving last wasn\u2019t considered shameful, but mastery. There were cases of pros hanging out in bars, hiding behind trees and even puncturing their own tires on purpose simply to lose time. There were many more unique methods to delay their finish, but the objective was not to be caught \u201cstalling\u201d \u2013 it had to appear natural. Nani Pinarello succeeded in winning the Maglia Nera in 1951, in the last year of the jersey\u2019s appearance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the Back to the Front<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1952, he left his team to make room for Pasqualino\nFornara (just fired from Coppi\u2019s Bianchi team). With 100,000 lire in his pocket\n\u2013 a heavy sum for that time – he opened Cicli Pinarello in 1953. For many\nyears, Pinarello toyed with varying designs, working with popular steel\nColumbus tubing, creating parallel lines between head and seat tubes. This engineering\nforesight gained Pinarello victories during the 60s and 70s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were small achievements in local races. But by the 80s the engineering team got serious. They improved their design and performance, and experienced massive success with a team called Reynolds (later to be named Banesto) and their chief cyclist Miguel Indurain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Side to Side<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By the 2000s, the Pinarello scientists were onto\nsomething. Where most bicycle frames are symmetrical left-to-right (thanks to\nround tubes), Nanni and his team made asymmetrical bike frames. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The concept behind the popular Dogma is a perfect example. Researchers considered how a bicycle\u2019s drive-side puts asymmetrical force on the frame with each pedal stroke. Pinarello tweaked the frame, redesigning the length of the bicycle as well. They created a light frame with an incredible potential for energy conservation. Tests by Pinarello proved this asymmetrical design to be as resistant to impact as any other modern symmetrical frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the difference is in the feel and the look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italian By Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A cyclist senses dramatic changes in acceleration with\neach pedal turn. Mechanical force is dispersed into the bottom-bracket and\nasymmetrical chain stays. The entire frame becomes a conduit for speed and\nenergy transference. The asymmetrical design plays a part, but so does\nPinarello\u2019s choice of carbon fiber. The T600 carbon composite is rigid while\noffering a certain degree of flexibility. This is a high-strength carbon that\nwon\u2019t let you down when you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GAN: High-Level Technology for Daily Riders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can see Pinarello\u2019s Dogma 8 influence everywhere in the GAN Disk. The basic shaping and geometry is practically the same. You can see it in the extended head tube, how the fork crown nestles in a notch on the down tube, and in the shorter seat stays. This shaping assists the bike\u2019s stiffness and comfortability. By shortening the front-to-rear profile of the down and seat tubes (what Pinarello calls a \u201cFlatBack\u201d profile) the carbon fibers release vertical give. And that\u2019s good. You want there to be some up-and-down movement on your bicycle, not side-to-side wiggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frankly, this bicycle, paired with hydraulic disk brakes\nthat are de rigueur<\/em> in the bike\nindustry, makes for the quintessential road experience. The GAN disc coupled\nwith the roads Tuscany Bicycle offers on many of its trips is north of\nparadise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pinarello GAN Disk Rental Bikes Available<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Not all Bikes are created the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people will tell you that a bicycle is a bicycle. If its got two wheels and pedals, is is something to ride over the hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not\nin this case. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the Pinarello GAN, you can expect an amazing ride. The acceleration, climbing and power within the frame are impressive features considering its light weight. Tight cornering and responsive descending are to be expected from a frame engineered to work with itself. It doesn\u2019t leave the harshness that other oversized frames often do. Plus, each pedal stroke puts less strain on the carbon fibers, giving a longer life to the frame. Besides, a ride on a Pinarello is more than a \u201cbike ride.\u201d You\u2019re riding a piece of history. From the last in the Giro d\u2019Italia comes the first name in Italian bicycle design. Get yourself on a GAN and come see what we feel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to bike the Tuscan Strade Bianche on your own rented GAN? Get in touch with us today to see what sizes we have available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Email Tuscany Bicycle<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re anything like the rest of the cycling public, the Coronavirus gives you plenty of time to ride your bike. You may also have the opportunity to watch YouTube videos of the great, historic bicycle races (we recommend the U.S. Cycling Championships from 1929). We keep noticing how Campagnolo and Pinarello bikes make it to center-stage (almost every) year after year. Pinarello is a cyclist\u2019s paradigm for excellence in a lightweight framesets. This bike manufacturer from Treviso \u2013 along with Colnago from Milan \u2013 are the two Italian cycling design masters. And there is no better feeling then riding an Italian made bicycle on Italian roads (except, the post-ride dinner of Italian food). But what about Pinarello makes it so interesting? For starters, its list of victories carries a long list of powerful names. An Impressive Pedigree Just last year Egan Bernal won the 2019 Tour de France on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":957,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-908","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/908","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=908"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/908\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":961,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/908\/revisions\/961"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=908"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=908"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tuscanybicycle.com\/travel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=908"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}