TESTAMONIES

LINKS:

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Dustin Weight Weinies

Wikinevis

What people are saying about Formigli:

I think your custom frames are some of the most beautifully crafted bicycles I've ever seen.  They can be added to the long list of extraordinary Italian art.

Crash testimony:

The bike is surprisingly great! I got in a bad crash yesterday during a race doing ~32mph... I was flung from the bike and it toppled down the street landing a good 30ft away from me. Huge paint gouges, broken stuff everywhere... the rear drop outs looked toast and there was a crack in the paint on the down tube. However, I took it to get looked at today and it is fine!  Otherwise, he (the mechanic) said the bike is in great shape (just scraped up!).  My buddy just crashed his Specialized SL2 the other week and it broke completely in two.

Dustin Ransom

(if this were almost any other carbon bike it would have shattered.  this is another proof of the quality of the carbon Formigli uses, and the durability of the craftsmanship.)

Testimony Patrick Jak

The photos online of the Formigli Genesi looked great and I couldn’t wait to see one, to actually ride one. When I opened up the box, I was more impressed than I thought I would be. This frame is just beautiful. Clean lines, simple, but it also screams speed. Even before I built it up, I couldn’t help but notice it seemed like a strong frame. The head tube and bottom bracket shell makes the bike look solid. And the fork looked firm and unwavering. Yet, when I picked it up I could tell it was still a light frame. Okay, maybe not so much that it needed an extra paperweight dropped in the seat tube to meet UCI regulations, but still it was light enough without sacrificing strength. In all of my years of riding and racing I can appreciate having a little bit of substance in a frame. I certainly do not like the wimpy feel of the current bikes that just trim weight to make sales. Besides, who wants to cram a Father’s Day gift inside their bike to keep it on the ground?

Now, I had always been proud of my previous Italian frame. I liked to show it off and get comments on how pretty it is. And after having owned a custom made frame, I always liked to show up on a ride and show off a bike that I knew no one else in the world owned. No one could just walk into a shop and buy one off the shelf.

Sure as a coach and former racer I appreciate performance, speed, and power. The pleasure of working hard in a fast-moving pack or drilling it in a finishing sprint picks my heart rate up even now. But there is much more to a bicycle.

If we are passionate about them, we understand. It is more than a machine it is a work of art. And there is more to it than light carbon. There is a soul, a personality. The Formigli hit all of those traits wonderfully. It was well balanced. There was no doubt I needed to build this bike up right. I needed to complement the frame best I could to complete this work of art.

So I decided I needed to stay with as many Italian components as possible. I went with Deda stem, bars, and seatpost, a Prologo saddle, and Campagnolo crankset. Even included Tiso derailleurs for a unique touch. For the wheels, I had to go with my recently purchased Easton EA90slx clinchers.

For the weight weenies out there, in total, with pedals and cages, the bike weighs in at 16.4 lbs. Throw on some lighter wheels or swap to carbon bars and stem and I am sure I could get this closer to 15 pounds or even less.

The bar tape was wrapped, the final adjustments were made and I finally got a chance to get out on the road. And when I returned I was beaming. Some of the adjectives that immediately came to mind were: smooth, solid, steady, sturdy, quick, reactive, light, crisp, comfortable. In short…perfect.

I tested it on a variety of roads from flat fast stretches to steep grades to technical corners. Each new terrain, the frame tackled with ease. It is responsive and accelerates quickly, almost effortlessly – a testament to the structure of the rear triangle. On the climbs, I can tell the power is being transferred directly where it should be. There is no energy loss. And on the descents and corners I feel confident in carving an edge. The front end holds the line I guide it into and it does not give a jittery uncontrolled feeling most of today’s carbon bikes give. The bike rides just as smooth without hands on the bars as it does tucked into the drops.

Riding the bike was pure pleasure and seeing and hearing other’s reactions gave me satisfaction that passion for beauty still exists. Renzo and everyone at Formigli, keep putting your passion into the frames. Continue your mastery of bicycles and please continue the perfect blend of performance, art, and soul.

Patrick Jak, BS, CPT

USA Cycling Coach II

USA Cycling Certified Power Based Training Coach

Tim Gottfried

Formigli Testimonial

I waited 30 years for my Formigli. At the time, I didn’t know it would be a Formigli, but my fantasy of owning a custom Italian road bike that was decked out with nothing but the finest components started 30 years ago, when I was a teenager rolling around on my prized Schwinn Super LeTour 12.2 amongst some serious road racers on beautiful Italian road racing steeds.Fast forward 30 years and I decided that finally fulfilling my custom Italian road bike fantasy would get me in a lot less trouble than the most common “Mid-Life Crisis” alternatives!I’ve owned all sorts of road and off-road bikes over the years, but this bike had to be truly unique… and worthy of a 30 year wait!

“Custom Carbon Italian” were the words I entered into Google in January, 2010.I soon found the brand new FormigliUSA site. The bikes were beautiful, but quite a mystery.I’d never heard of Formigli and I thought I knew quite a bit about Italian frame builders.What’s more, after a lot of effort, I really couldn’t find much of anything online that would validate the brand.At the time, I wondered if Formigli was a legitimate company!

After many discussions and online interactions with Amy and her peers in Italy, I finally took the leap of faith, got fitted and ordered my dream bike… an Asiel RF… a bike that (at that time) had never been sold in the U.S.What was I thinking?!

When my RF arrived, I was stunned. The frame was incredibly beautiful and unlike any frame I had ever seen.Every tube shape in the RF is unique and tailored to its function. More importantly, this bike was perfectly tailored to me.The RF was also much beefier in-person than in any picture I had seen.This bike was truly a work of art.

What is custom, anyway? The answer is… I am custom!I learned through my custom fitting that I have incredibly long legs for someone my height. This explained a lot about all of my prior stock road bike setups, which often ended up looking disproportionate in order to provide me the proper riding fit, with lots of spacers and crazy seat heights relative to my bars.

During my RF’s design process, Renzo Formigli provided me multiple frame geometry options that would all achieve a perfect fit for me.One of my biggest design goals was to have a clean-lined stem/head tube interface, with few-to-zero spacers and no rise in the stem.To achieve this, Renzo had to build me the largest head tube he’d ever built.At 250mm in length, most folks think my head tube looks like a 16oz Tall Boy beer can!

The effect of Renzo’s design on my riding has been amazing.  I intentionally waited several months to write this testimonial because I didn’t want to over-react during the “honeymoon period” of completing such a beautiful build. Now I have close to 2,000 miles on my RF and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight to this “honeymoon period”!

At 17lb’s fully-built, my RF is incredibly light and strong for a frame this large. People are amazed when they pick up my bike because it looks so tall, beefy and strong at first glance. The effect of Renzo’s design on the RF’s ride quality is nothing short of amazing. My friends all comment on how much quieter and faster I am going up hills.I stay seated much more than I used to and my riding friends tell me that I audibly scrub less speed under power and throw my bike side-to-side much less than I once did. I attribute this both to perfect bike fit, as well as the incredible transfer of power I feel when seated and hammering on the RF.

The RF has an almost “silky” or “buttery” feel on rough roads. I hesitated to write that last sentence because it sounds like Marketing-speak, but I don’t know how else to describe the road sensation of this bike. I spend most of my riding time on the RF in the hilly, country backroads of the Ohio River Valley that can be fairly rough… especially during the Winter months.Rough roads seem to disappear under the RF, with no loss of power transfer… it’s almost like having suspension!Most of my rides on the RF have ranged from 4-7 hours and I rarely feel “beat up” at the end of long rides like I often used to feel on my other bikes.

My riding friends all comment on my improved riding performance, but they comment more on the incredible look of RF. The design and paint are unique and always seem to draw rave reviews… especially on sunny days!

Thank you, Amy, Renzo, Nicolo and the whole Formigli Team for helping me realize my dream road bike. The journey continues!

Cheers,
Tim

Rebecca Gerdon

I purchased a Genesi Formigli Frame this summer and I have to say I could not be happier with my purchase.  The frame is beautiful and extremely light.  I can honestly say I had never seen a frame as pretty.  Formilgli promises custom made frames to fit the customer specifically.  I have ridden other bikes previously, which I realized were ill-fitting once I rode my Formigli.  My ride now is comfortable, fast, and fun like never before.  I would recommend Formigli frames to anyone who enjoys cycling, whether they do it for recreation or competition! 

I remember when I went into a bike shop to rent a bike for my first triathlon.  The guy that worked there only asked me how tall I was and said, "A 54 should fit you."  I didn't know what that even meant and I was disappointed that he didn't even fit me to a bike to make sure it fit correctly.  Maybe that's because with factory made bikes, all you can hope for is that the bike might fit you somewhat.  That old rental bike definitely did not fit me.  I remember feeling like my legs were reaching too far down to pedal and that the handlebars were an uncomfortable distance away.  Now I have a custom-made Formigli bike frame to fit my bodily frame.   It is an awesome feeling to know that my bike frame was built just for me.  Also, I finally found a good bike shop to build up my bike and add parts to make it fit.  When it was done they took all kinds of measurements to make sure that the handlebars were a good distance from the seat and not too wide, that my seat was aligned correctly so I got the most power from every pedal stroke.  I can definitely feel the difference now.  

Rebecca Gerdon 

Betty's Amy Munro Venere

I wanted to write and tell you about my new Bicycle, I just started riding 1 ½ years ago and quickly became hooked on cycling like no other sport or activity ever before. I started out with an Aluminum entry level bike, then early this year went to a production carbon fiber bike as an upgrade. I thought that I was comfortable and faster on my bike, but then I really got the fever and bought a custom Amy Munro. My first impression was the beauty and clean look of my new bike, as a woman rider I didn’t have the technical knowledge but after my first ride I realized that I knew more than I thought, this bike handled way different, the cornering, the acceleration while in a pack riding and the ease of staying with the group. I didn’t know how much difference a custom bike would make, I thought it has 2 wheels and gears; they should all ride the same, right? Well I was wrong, this bike was measured and built just for me, my back doesn’t hurt, (I used to have a very sore back after rides). My neck is not stiff the next day after a ride, and I seem to recover faster as I believe this bike makes me not work as much when I do hard training rides. I rode 65 miles for the first time on this bike and I not only hung in the whole ride, when I got home, I was off out the door, no pains, aches or stiffness. In closing I will say I am much more confident when I ride, this bike handles like an expensive sports car, I feel very safe on this bike, Thank You very much for this beautiful bike.
Betty

Dustin Ransom

Hey Amy!

I am 22 years old. I started road racing just over a year ago, after I moved to California from Florida. I now live in La Mesa, CA and will have my category 3 upgrade early in the 2011 season if all goes as planned! My focus is on road races that have a heavy emphasis in climbing, but being in So Cal, I will be doing a hefty amount of criteriums as well. This made me choose to race on Formigli's Genesi frame. It's a great all-rounder bike. It's light enough for the climbs, but doesn't sacrifice other performance aspects of the frame to achieve it. From ride quality to performance, no aspect of this bike was looked over or neglected. It is a perfect balance of everything I want in a frame and I'm confident this bike will help me to achieve my dreams.

I believe that a bike should be fit and built to the individual as much as possible. In training, one wouldn't want to use someone else's training program or a cookie cutter regiment to achieve the best possible results, they would want to have a training program designed specifically for their individual needs. I believe the same is true of one's bike. To achieve the greatest comfort and performance out of your bike it has to be as perfect for you as possible. This is where Formigli really shines. They work closely with their customer's to provide the best product possible to their clients. I've been out on group rides and had folks tell me how great my Formigli fits me while watching me ride.

I also believe that companies should really stand behind and support their products 100%. The folks at Formigli clearly demonstrate a driving passion for what they do. They strive to provide the best product, service, and experiences to their clients and have such an admirable pride in doing so. I couldn't be happier with the product I've received and couldn't ask for a better relationship with my friends at Formigli!


So I got the bike fit up and have been riding it for a week... it's nothing short of amazing. I can't believe how stiff/responsive it is AND at the same time a very comfortable ride. I love the stiffness and responsiveness of an aluminum frame, which this definitely gives me, but lighter, AND a comfy ride. Wow. I've gotten tons of compliments on the bike already and haven't gone on any group rides or races yet with it. A great climbing bike, for sure!!

You and Renzo rule. Please tell Renzo thank you again. You guys are fantastic. 

Andrew Christiansen

The first impression we had when we pulled the Formigli Asiel out of the box was what a beautiful frame it was.  The lines of the frame were sexy and the paint job was impeccable, you could tell that many hours were spent building and painting it. The frame was built up with Campanoglo Super Record and a pair of carbon deep dish wheels.  The first time on the bike I was amazed how solid the bike felt under me - like closing the door on a fine sports car - you could feel that this bike just wants to go.  The longer I ride this bike, the more I like it.  The bike is the fastest accelerating bike I have ridden and its handling is spot on.  As the bike stays on our sales floor it always garnishes praise.  Not only is the Formigli an all around incredible riding bike it is also a work of art – a kinetic sculpture.

Bici Sport strives to provide you with the best cycling solutions available. Our extensive cycling experience is passed on to you, providing you with the products and information necessary to become a more efficient and knowledgeable cyclist. Bici Sport sells and services high quality bicycles and related apparel, components, and accessories at reasonable prices.  Bici Sport’s expertise is more than just selling the best bicycle related gear, our services also include coaching, performance testing and professional bike fitting so you can get the most out of your riding experience.  Bici Sport is also proud to have employee, Nate Geoffrion, as a member of the new Formigli under 23 factory team. 


Andrew Christensen
Bici Sport
139 Kentucky Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-775-4676
http:// www.bicisportusa.com 

Gene Till

“My Formigli custom steel bike is a dream come true. The whole experience, from fitting to the delivery of the frame was very positive. The ride is smooth and comfortable, with a touch of elegance. I can always count on a “hey, nice bike!” comment during my weekly group ride, and it always turns heads at the local coffee shop. It’s never a hard decision to go for a ride with this bike.” 
Thanks!
 
Gene Till
Australia 

By chance did I happen upon the site of Formigli, a frame builder from Florence. And what a spot of luck that I discovered it, because what I found there was a collection of race frames of absolute beauty.Formigli frames have been built only since the early 90’s race frames, not a very long history as the traditional builders, but viewing the frames, it is not apparent that Formigli lacks experience. Indeed, in my opinion, these frames are the best that Italy has to offer! In particular, the beautiful "classic" frame in black - with gold lugs.


In the more modern frameworks styles, I consider the Asiel (full-carbon) to rank far above all other full carbon frames of its competitors, especially in the color combination white-black-gold.


Formigli produces different frame styles, including a women's time trial. The frames are - depending on the type - made of carbon, aluminum, steel or special alloy. There are only a few frames a year made to ensure exclusivity. Price on application (...) Definitely worth a look!

This weblog is an initiative of Guido van den Anker from Amsterdam, lover of Italian road bikes.

Dutch Blog: http://italiaanseracefietsen.wordpress.com/category/formigli/

 

My name is Nicolo Maggi and I own the shop called Forte dei Marmi located in northern Tuscany.  Personally I ride a white and red Formigli Genesi.  It has a Capagnolo Chorus 11 speed and Fulcrum Zero wheels.  I have many customers riding Asiel, Genesi and Huracan.  Formigli is coming out with a new Asiel frame called the RF in 2010.  The RF is the new upgrade with all the new modifications and more advanced technology to the Asiel.  I sold 5 of the new RF frame, and the first frame for the commercial market hasn't been released yet. 
 

Nicolo Maggi, shop owner Tuscany

I have ridden the Asiel for two years and I find it marvelous.  I have ridden various Granfondo and the bike never gave me problems.  The bike was comfortable and responsive. 

Thank you, Marco Golfarini  Livorno Italy

WHAT IS A GRAN FONDO ANYWAY?
Take a scenic, mountainous course and add several thousand cyclists ranging from pros to eighty-year-old cycle tourists. Mix in roving and fixed mechanical and medical support, feed zones manned by cheerful volunteers serving up sandwiches, fruit, and drinks, and traffic halted at intersections to let you pass. Garnish with enthusiastic and supportive spectators lining the course. Top it off with coverage by major cycling magazines. Energy, excitement, atmosphere!-- this is gran fondo, a phenomenon that has taken Italy by storm. Gran fondo means long distance or great endurance. Some cyclists ride for the satisfaction and pride of just making it to the finish line. Others want to improve upon their previous times, and to challenge themselves, their friends, their teammates. And some ride to win! The phenomenon has grown so huge that there are now specialized gran fondo teams with sponsored, salaried riders, some of them ex-pros. As a result, the average amateur racer can forget about ever winning a gran fondo (Eugeny Berzin got dropped on the first climb of the 2001 GF Campagnolo!). But if you'd like to know what it's like to race a stage of the Giro and feel like a pro, here's your chance, for this is as close as it gets! You just might find yourself riding next to legends such as Francesco Moser, Gianni Bugno, Maurizio Fondriest, Gianni Motta, Marino Basso, Felice Gimondi, Silvio Martinello, Miguel Indurain, and Franco Ballerini, or current pros like Matteo Tosatto, Nicole Brandli, Marzio Bruseghin, and Diana Ziliute.   Gran fondo races are usually 160-225 km long, http://www.biciveneto.it/granfondo.html

I acquired at the beginning of 2009 a carbon Asiel.  I set my bike up with the following and it has a total weight of 7.5 kg.
 
 Asiel
- (non integrated)
- Color white and carbon
Campagnolo Super Record 11V
- Guarnitura Compact 50/34
- Cassette pignoni 12-25
Stem Deda Forza in Carbonio
Handlebars Deda Presa in Carbonio
Pedals look keo carbon CR-MO
Saddle: Italia SLR Kit carbon flow forata
Wheels Campagnolo Zonda black
Water bottle cages in Carbon x 2
Tires RS Corsa deda tre
Tape Dedatape

After having covered about 1000 km on various terrain, I can say positively this is a superior bike.  The custom construction and sizing of the frame makes it exceptionally comfortable in all riding conditions.  Not only is the bicycle comfortable but my positioning on the bike is so improved my back pain has eased.  The precision of the frame shows in that it  climbs as perfectly as it descends.  In short, it is a considerable improvement from my previous Bianchi aluminum road bike.

Salutations Francesco Mazzei Avis Nokia Siemens Networks.
 
I ride the Asiel 2008.  It is built out with the Dura Ace 50x34.  I ride it in the Gran Fondo and time trials. 
The frame is extremely reactive off the starting line and is good for both pedaling
in the seated position and standing on the pedals uphill. It is precise on the downhill and in the
curves. It performs excellent on mixed routes in the plains and it has the ability to keep speed
even in the presence of crosswind.

Arber Rad Marathon 2009 in Regensburg

Time Trial climg Ghisallo 2009 MF Fabio Casartelli  

Formigli has given our Racing Team pure utopia: each team member has a custom frame built specifically for their specifications.  The quality and weight of the carbon Formigli uses keeps the bicycle rigid hightenings its performance under the stress of the road, my weight and my force.  Renzo Formigli explained to me that the solid feel of the bicycle on the road and its superior handling is in direct proportion to the quality of carbon he uses.

Luigi Montavo

For almost five years I have had Formigli frames and have ridden them over 16,000 kilometers.  I started on the Genesi.  When the 2009 Asiel came out, I had to have one, so now have both of the bicycles.  Now with the new Asiel 2011 called the Erreeffe coming out, I will be buying that as soon as they are being made available. 
The professionalism in which Renzo Formigli makes his frames is unparalleled.  I have been so impressed in the professional manner in which I have been consulted on which frame is best for me and the perfect fit of the bike.  I wouldn't buy a bike from any other company.  There is no superior product on the market and there is no company that cares more in building and fitting a frame to a cyclist like Formigli.  

Paci Giovanni

President Team Continental Italy

Hello FormigliUSA I love the way the new bike rides. It smooths out all of the road harshness. My riding position takes all the pain out of my knees and low back. So far I have about 430 miles on it. It is a dream to own a custom carbon bicycle.  Thank you!  How did you find this Italian bicycle maker and enable me to purchase one of his hand built bikes? Anyways, you are genius!
Rick Porter
Santa Cruz, CA

All I can say is, on a scale from one to ten, ten being the best, I give Formigli bicycles a 15. Great comfort and great confident control.  It climbs amazingly and decends on straight line without veering.  I can't believe I waited this long to buy a custom built bicycle.  It makes all the difference in the world.  I can ride farther and faster with less fatigue and no back pain. 
Thanks,
Corbin Henshaw
Boulder, Colorado
P.s. A lot of people complain about price, but you know what? You get what you pay for period. If I had gone to you at the beginning I wouldn't have 4 bikes. Have a great day. Can't wait to do my next long ride on it.