The region of Trentino, in the far north of Italy, looks to be the stuff of riding dreams. With the Marmolada nearby — the highest mountain in the Dolomites — Trentino is also home to Werking Cycles, makers of superb carbon fibre frames and components.
Andrea Sega is the founder and frame builder at Werking Cycles, which is based in Trentino near Lake Garda — Italy’s largest lake and, with the Italian Alps stretching upwards close by, one of its most spectacular.
Andrea has been working with carbon fibre since 2011, when he was inspired to design a monocoque bike frame. He attended the course at the San Patrignano frame building school, organised by Gianni Pegoretti and taught by his brother Dario.
But Andrea was seeking something more, so he learnt the techniques of working with composite materials. Today, Werking Cycles makes frames, like this gran fondo-specific Model S, and components such as seat posts, handlebars, Garmin mounts and saddles.
The Model S is built from T1000 carbon fibre, normally reserved for aerospace applications, which enables the same strength as T700 material — the industry standard — with a lighter weight. A 54cm frame tips the scales at 860 grams.
Unfortunately, many frames of long-established and venerated Italian marques aren’t made domestically, so it’s reassuring to hear from new workshops like Andrea and Werking Cycles, who are devoted to keeping Italy’s frame building culture on home turf.
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