One of the first custom bikes I fell for was Italian rider Fabio Sacchi’s custom-painted Saeco Cannondale CAAD7 back in 2003. It was painted to look like a cheetah and had a custom-painted Cinelli Ram handlebar. I couldn’t get enough of it.
It's also always fun to see what paint scheme world road race champions go for on their bikes each year, or when a national champion appears on a custom bike painted in their nation's colours.
A brand with a long and rich history when it comes to custom bikes, is Pinarello. Giovanni Pinarello founded the brand in the fifties and there have been countless special models since then. In the modern era, the iconic red and yellow Alejandro Valverde 'Prince of Spain' bike in 2008 got a lot of attention and is one example of an iconic custom Pinarello.
Fast forward a few years to 2018, and Michał Kwiatkowski’s custom red and white Polish national champions Pinarello Dogma looked great, as did various commemorative Grand Tour-winning machines during the Team Sky and Ineos Grenadiers era of dominance, where they won five Tours de France in a row. This year, Geraint Thomas was honoured with a custom-painted Pinarello Dogma for his final pro race at the Tour of Britain.
Fausto Pinarello is the chairman of the legendary Italian bike brand, which was founded by his father, and as you might imagine, is a man who knows a thing or two about custom bikes.
Pinarello has provided custom machines to the stars of our sport for years, and I was lucky enough to be shown Fausto’s personal Pinarello collection at the brand's factory in Italy back in 2023. There are some very special bikes in that gallery.
I spoke to him again just before Christmas about custom bikes at Pinarello, the decision-making behind a custom Pinarello bike, whether riders get to keep them, and his favourite ever custom project.
Before taking over the running of the company, Fausto Pinarello learnt the ropes and began in the paint shop. It's clear even now there's a pure passion for the bikes that bear his family's name, and he still has the final say on who gets a custom bike and the design.
"I started as a painter 44 years ago. It gave me the possibility to do something different, because living in the paint shop facility, we could try things and make mistakes. But I realised that there was something interesting, in dedicating a product to the special consumer or for a special rider."
Pinarello is a global brand, and you might think decisions on what colour a bike will be happen below the head of the company these days. The decision, however, still lies with the man whose name is on the downtube.
"From the beginning, until now, I decide," he says, explaining, "We have a bigger staff now, they propose some riders, and I propose some, we decide together. The process depends because we'll have a huge number of questions from the riders. It depends on the achievement, if you have a good friend, if they are a legend, have won a lot. We have a phone call, they speak with the guys here, and we get it done."
You get the impression there's not a massive amount of brainstorming sessions, mock-ups or mood boards when it comes to getting a custom bike designed and painted at Pinarello. It's clear there's a discussion, and the technical work involved in designing and painting is obvious and mustn't be forgotten. I've seen the Pinarello paint shop myself, but it seems the decision-making, at least, is fast.
"We decide first, it depends on whether it is a gift or for a winner, or a national champion. It's a very quick period; we decide in 5-10 minutes." Pinarello explains.
Custom bikes vary in colour, complexity and design, but they are a special event for the brand too, and there is no budget. The company produces custom bikes for riders because it can, and because it marks a special occasion or date for the brand and rider.
Retail customers who order a custom Pinarello using its MyWay programme obviously pay for the privilege, but if Pinarello paints a pro rider a custom bike, it's on the house. Surely a milestone for any racer.
"No budget. Sometimes the best riders have a simple bike, sometimes it's more complicated, but we try to do it in the least amount of time possible. We don't think about the budget, we do it because we can." Pinarello explains.
I ask about the most expensive or complex paint job the brand has undertaken, and Pinarello explained both were for legendary Italian riders, who share a few similarities. One was the mythical Pinarello Espada, a bike made for Miguel Indurain, and recently, the special Pinarello Bollide, ridden on the track by Filippo Ganna and the Italian national team, cost the most.
It depends on the rider, but some get to keep their custom bikes. This was the case with Geraint Thomas and the custom-painted Dogma he raced on during this year's Tour of Britain. Fausto Pinarello also pointed out the sheer length of time Thomas has been riding Pinarello bikes - 15 years on the road.
"G's a legend. I didn't ask him to give the bike back. I hope he's happy to keep the bike."
Thomas may have his final race bike, which featured the Welsh Dragon on the head tube, but the yellow Dogma he rode on the last day of the 2018 Tour de France is in Pinarello's personal collection back in Italy; the seriously special, or race-winning machines seem to end up coming home, but Pinarello explains it isn't always so easy.
"Many times I ask the rider, 'Hey, can you give me the bike because you already finished your season? He adds with a resigned yet warm tone that riders often ask if they can keep them.
"They say, 'Can I keep it?' Yes. But for the special ones, like some GC [winning] bikes, they need to come back, 100%."
Pinarello has made bikes for cycling champions, Grand Tour winners and dozens of world, national, and Olympic champions. There must have been many variations on the pink, yellow, red, rainbow and golden themes. I asked Pinarello if there was still a design he wanted to try or something he still wanted to do.
"Yeah, if Picasso or Van Gogh were still alive, I would say, 'Hey, can you paint the frame for me? But it will never happen."
Pablo Picasso himself employed bicycle parts and the bicycle in some of his works; his 'Bull's Head' artwork, constructed from an old leather saddle and handlebars, wouldn't make a bad headtube badge emblem. Perhaps that's what he would have used for his Pinarello commission.
A custom bike is one thing, but style on the bike is another. Countless champions have raced on Pinarello machines. Indurain, Bartoli, Pozzato, Petacchi and Wiggins, all as stylish as they come on a bike, have all ridden Pinarellos in the past.
I asked Fausto who his favourite rider to watch has been, and he explained that the big time triallists have been his favourites. For their style and also the real estate those large bike frames provided.
"The best style is the chrono men [time triallists] like Miguel Indurain, Filippo Ganna, like Jan Ullrich" They need big bikes, and it is easier. And now we have a new guy, Joshua Tarling; we did one frame for him."
No doubt the future holds many more custom Pinarello frames, for races not yet won, and for unknown stars of the future. Fausto Pinarello is still heavily involved when it comes to the custom frames his company produces for riders, and when your surname is on the downtube for all to see, it must be difficult to just sit back and watch.
The final sign-off still lies with the boss, and Pinarello himself explains why things must be right, an attribute that has no doubt bought success over the years.
"The frame, the bike, the colour, it must be perfect. The small details are very important."
