Pegoretti: "Dreamride" In Disguise

Dario Pegoretti plying his trade. One customer explains that upon thanking Pegoretti for his custom built and painted frame, was told "It's only eight tubes welded together." Modesty from a true master builder

Ever heard of Pegoretti bikes? Thought not. Because no one wanted you to. Dario Pegoretti designed and built frames that were ridden exclusively by European pros like Miguel Indurain, Marco Pantani, Stephen Roche, Alex Zulle, Claudio Chiappucci, Mario Cippolini, Andy Hampsten, and Andrea Tafi among others throughout the 90's. The above riders had their bikes labeled for the team bike sponsor, whether it was Pinerello, Look, Colnago, or even Bianchi. This was done because the rest of the team was riding the team sponsor bike, and the sponsors themselves didn't want a boutique bike maker stealing their thunder---not to mention outfitting the best rider on the team, the one who would receive the most attention from the cameras and the fans.

CSC eat your heart out!

Made in Italy by master framebuilder Dario Pegoretti, the Pegoretti frame is known by cycling afficianados as a "Dreamride." One of a kind and built by hand, Pegoretti's are made only of Aluminum and Steel, though Pegeretti's experimentation with exotic alloys is world-renowned. Dario's rise to frame building prominence started in in 1975 where he began his apprenticeship in with the legendary builder Luigino Milani of Verona. Today, he is counted among the most respected frame builders in the business. Always modest, he often says "it's just a bike, it's not an airplane" and that "building a frame is a work made by sight."

Only Pegoretti could use "Bianchi Green" with such success

Today, Dario continues to build frames, even while dealing with cancer. He recently came out of chemotherapy and is back in the shop creating beautiful framsets. One imagines he'll design frames until he is taken from the earth. So you want to get your hands on one of these, heh? Well, you'll need a bit of cash, about $3000 to be exact. At first glace, this seems an extravagance, but is it really? Hand-built, hand-painted and built specifically to your specifications? I say its a deal. Here's to you Dario, may you continue building one-of-a-kind frames for many years to come!

Flawless lines and intricate paint patterns make Pegoretti one-of-a-kind

****Jessica Monaloy and Paul Whiting contributed to this story---thanks!****