Pegoretti Cicli Marcelo

Price Paid:  $2700.00 at Bikyle

Favorite Ride:
Any where I'm off the Front

Bike Setup:
Record

Summary:
Just went for a ride on my newly built up Pegoretti Marcelo. My first impressions are positive, but I still have plenty of fine tuning to do regarding my position, so treat this as an initial review.

First impression...Relative lightness, stability, stoutness, good handling geometry.

This is the lightest bike in my stable and it's steel. That is not suppossed to be. I was willing to compromise on weight so I could reep the benefits of a handmade Pegoretti. As it turns out, there is no sacrifice. I'm 250 lbs so I'm not attracted to super light bikes, but I've got this thing built up to about 17 lbs with no super light stuff and not really paying a whole bunch of attention to the weight of the components that I hung on it. It's outfitted with Record 10, Neutron Ultra's, and Deda stem and bars.

It feels very solid. That is the first thing that I noticed. Not just stiff or strong, but solid. It's as if I'm riding an SUV that handles like an M3. No flex of any note (other than the fork, which I'll be replacing). It also has steels traditional snap, which I'll have to become reaquainted with.

The geometry also seems to position right where you need to be for an effecient climbing stroke, and it feels like it would still feel good after 4 hours in the saddle.

So far, so good, but I'll have to put in many more miles to offer a more complete review. I gave a 3 rating (neutral) because it will take a few more hours in the saddle to be able to say for certain how this frame compares to others I've ridden. Howevere, all indications so far are that it will more than do the job, and do it comfortably and in style.

Strengths:
stoutness, stiffness, straight tracking ability and agile handling.

Weaknesses:
The Reynolds Ouzo Pro fork that comes with the frame is too flexible for me. Again, I'm a clydesdale +, and the fork is not whippy or anything, but I've got to be able to throw my weight around on the front end without feeling the wheel magnet from my computer slapping against the sensor. It's not an adjustment issue, it's fork flex.

Similar Products Used:
Eddy Merckx Premium
Pinarello Stelvio
Casato Gold Line
Olmo Gara Pista

Price Paid:  $2160.00 at Bike Pedlar, Nashvil

Favorite Ride:
Pegoretti Marcelo

Bike Setup:
Pegoretti Marcelo, black with "see no evil" pattern.

Campy Centaur grouppo
Custom 32hole wheelset, DT Swiss 1.1 rims, Campy Record Hubs, DT Competition spokes alternating black and silver with red nipples on the black spokes and black nipples on the silver spokes.

Bike weight is right a 20 pounds

Summary:
This bike was a drastic change for me. I went from a Cannondale CAAD 7 aluminum bike to a custom steel masterpiece of a Pegoretti. This bike is absolutely amazing. It soaks up the road buzz but is extremely stiff because of the huge but skinny seat stays. I'm a big guy at about 250lbs and this bike has no give to it when I stand up and sprint....straight power transfer...It is heavier than the CAAD 7 but that is to be expected. The pegoretti descends like it is on rails. I've had it in the high 40s (mph) and it has never felt jittery...it is solid as a rock. I'm just sad because I've found my dream bike and it is only the second bike i've ever owned...I've put a little over 1400 miles on it in the 3 months that I've owned it.

Strengths:
great power transfer
soaks up the road buzz
beautiful hand made styling

Weaknesses:
a little expensive
a little heavy but worth it
i'm afraid to ride it because it is so beautiful and I don't want to mess it up.

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $2150.00 at Lantern Rouge, Maryl

Favorite Ride:
Up to Shelbourne Falls.

Bike Setup:
Campy Chorus mainly, Deda Stem, Cinelli Bars, Mavic Open Pro/Record wheels, C. King headset, Selle Italia ti, Thomson SP.

Summary:
After riding a very pretty Richard Sachs bike for several years, I started to research new bike frames and materials and kept running across people raving about Pegoretti Marcelos. I spoke with a bunch of folks--dealers and owners-and finally ordered one. Mine took about 6 months to get with a custom paint scheme through Lantern Rouge in Maryland. It was worth the wait; the frame is terrific. Out here in New England cycling is a mix of hills and short flats. This frame is the best I've ever ridden up hills and you can almost feel the efficient transfer of energy from cranks to the rear wheel. On fast (40 mph+) downhills it is confidently connected to the road and has yet to feel like it is approaching any limits. On flats I can go a little more quickly, am using smaller gears than I had been, and it seems easier to maintain a cadence in the 90 range. And, it is really comfortable-- the combination of the carbon fork (my first) and the Pegoretti geometry is remarkably smooth and comfy for me, the aging athelete. I ride the same routes frequently and on the Marcelo the road surfaces seem smoother and less patchy. This bike is a lot of fun--a beautiful combination of high-end technical frame building and simple good looks. Surprizing how many bikers never heard of these great frames.

Strengths:
Low weight for steel. Great colors and graphics available. Agility and responsiveness. Big, but not too big, round tubes give a cool but traditional look.

Weaknesses:
Paint finish is nice but not equal to high end US frames and all the clear coats but it is still really good looking. My only regret is not getting one when the exchange rate was in our favor. Thin steel tubing requires rust-proofing and care.

Similar Products Used:
Richard Sachs, Guerciotti, Frejus (yes, I'm that old), Bottecchia, Campagnolo Chorus, Record, the usual. etc.

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Competitive Cyclist

Favorite Ride:
Rolling Hills

Bike Setup:
Campy Chorus, Campy Neutron Wheelset

Summary:
After much thought, I placed my Marcelo order. Stock geometry, size 54. Two months later, it arrived. The paint is beautiful and the thick chainstays and dropouts really set off the look. While not as light as some aluminum counterparts, the bike is anything but heavy, and the ride is responsive. The combination of the steel frame with carbon fork and seatpost really dampens vibrations. The steering is not overly quick, and the ride is very stable. First ride was great, with a nice 40 mph downhill-smooth as glass. Instead of standing for a short but steep hill as usual, I easily spun instead. Last hill of the ride, instead of holding back, I attacked as I had so much energy than at the same point on my previous bike. This frame is not flexy, but does have the nice steel springingess. If you're thinking light steel or Ti, this one still gets my vote.

Strengths:
Looks great, handles wonderfully. Stiff but not harsh. Don't see many of them.

Weaknesses:
None

Price Paid:  $1599.00 at Lanterne Rouge over

Favorite Ride:
100 miles of Berkshire Hills

Bike Setup:
Record 10, Ksyriums, Conti 3000

Summary:
Having ridden 1200 miles a month on this bike, through the winter and into the spring, I have a good sense of its particular merits. They are legion. This bike may have equals, but nothing surpasses it. If you are in the market for an absolutely full-on race bike, that will fly uphill and down and egg you on from the moment you clip in, this is the one. Its stability in close quarters makes hammering short climbs in the pack stress-free, even when rubbing shoulders with another cyclist. Tip off the edge of a 20% downhill, and lay off the brakes-this bike is so dead-on straight and true that you'll just sit up into the wind to slow for the turns. Climb four miles of 7% grade, and you'll use a 21 where a 23 was your former choice. You'll be sore when you get home, but there will be a smile on your face. It's light, it's very stiff, and best of all, it's steel, which means that despite being very thin-walled, the tubing will stand up to many years' abuse without any nagging worry about catastrophic failure.

Strengths:
Everything that is necessary for going fast is built into this frameset. There is a certain alchemy in building frames that does not translate into charts showing lengths and angles. Only when one puts a leg over the bike, and has the power to make it go, does the true nature of its ability come clear. The Marcelo distills twenty-odd years of building frames for division one teams, and delivers it to those lucky souls, like myself, who have the wherewithall to enjoy the fruits of Dario Pegoretti's labor. So, going fast, race fast, is this bike's strength. Only two bikes I have ever owned compare with this, and those are a Confente Masi that I rode for 25 years, and a DeRosa Track bike that I still ride. The Breezer #23 compares, but it is a mountain bike.

Weaknesses:
Well, under normal circumstances I would take issue with the slight irregularities there are on this frame. The bottle bosses on the downtube were well out of alignment, for instance. On another bike, it would have bugged me to the point of replacing it. But every time I ride this bike, I am so thoroughly blown away by how well it does everything required to make speed, and control it, that I don't care. That's right, the old Italian adage, just ride the thing, applies completely in this case. Paint never bothers me, unless it is hiding a multitude of sins. The first nick takes care of that issue, and I repaint my frames when they need it.

Similar Products Used:
DeRosa Track, Ron Cooper Track, Road, Touring; Confente Masi; Team Issue Fuji; Bianchi;