Passoni Titanio Road Frame

Passoni Titanio - Modern Racing Excellence

Though at first glance it might be difficult to tell the difference between the Passoni Titanio and the Titanio Classica, the Passoni Titanio has been designed with an eye more towards the modern racer with shaped, slightly oversized tubing intended to mesh beautifully with a sloping, compact geometry.

Similarly to the Titanio Classica, the Passoni Titanio is made from a mix of titanium grade 9 (3Al/2,5V) and titanium grade 5 (6Al/4V). However, these tubes have been treated differently to accommodate a more aggressive style of riding. For the front triangle, the round top tube has a 36.4 mm diameter while the seat tube has a 35mm diameter, like the Classica. But the down tube gets blown up to a bi-oval 48mm diameter to give a very stiff spine to the frame. For the rear triangle, the seatstays taper to 19mm for vertical compliance while the oval chainstays taper 31x20mm for that extra oomph in the stiffness. Then the bottom bracket shell is made of titanium grade 5, which is CNC machined, beautifully engraved with the Passoni logo, and offers the choice between BSA threading and PF 30.

Much of the magic in the handling and performance level of Passoni frames comes from the expert shaping the tubing receives. This isn’t haphazard or for appearance’s sake. Every shape, every difference in thickness is carefully worked out and tested designs. They have designed these tubes this way to offer the type of responsive acceleration that will pair well with the quick handling someone who races will want to count on. The fork has also been customized for Passoni, with the Columbus Futura coming in either a rake of 45 or 50mm, depending on how quick you want the handling to be.

Handcrafted Finish and Graphics of the Passoni Titanio

Once you have your ride dialed, you can then start to focus on the beauty of the frame details. Things like the Passoni project dropouts that are shell–shaped and made from titanium grade 5, the Ergal replaceable hanger, and the seat clamp customized by Passoni will always draw the eye and compliments. And then there is the finish of the frame. The tubes are glazed by hand while the graphics are applied directly on the tube in titanium by sandblasting. There are actually a few options from which you can choose how you want the frame finished.

Don’t forget that this is the rim brake version of the Passoni Titanio. And the real purists will be happy to see that Passoni is still investing so much in their rim brake offerings especially since pundits in the industry keep tolling the bell for the noble rim brake. We know better, though, and salute the Passoni Titanio for its beauty, which offers the ultimate mix of tradition and innovation.

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