Alex Bethge breaks down the inspiration behind his new custom Cicli Bonanno Futomaki Disc. With bold lines and an eye toward sustainability, he commissioned a bike meant to last and withstand the ever-changing tides of the bike industry.
The old saying, “Bold will hold” has been around for ages in the world of tattoos for a reason: clean lines, bold black shading, and solid color will last a long time. Black pigment lasts longest in the skin and without black, a tattoo is more prone to fade and lose its shape over time. The same goes for custom bikes – the classics never go out of style. Much like tattoos, every custom bike has a story, a deeper meaning, but hey, a short reminder: in the end, it’s only a bicycle.
So let’s circle back: I met Nico (Bonanno) back in the days when I was working for Acros Components. Nico was sourcing headsets for his builds. Having a sweet spot for good craftsmanship, his work grabbed my attention and it is still great to follow his progress with every new build. Cicli Bonanno blends traditional Italian framebuilding values with a modern approach and flavors it with a snotty Berlin edge.
The custom framebuilding scene has always been my happy place and a good contrast to the corporate bike industry world in which I have been keeping myself for over 20 years. After the pandemic bike boom, the industry went full-send over the bars and brought down quite a few marketing teams. The luxury of picking the hottest steed from the marketing demo fleet was gone, but it also opened my imagination for how to approach this beloved sport after so many years.
Sustainability has become a buzzword that nobody wants to use anymore, but it is more relevant than ever. Thinking of the life cycle of carbon cycling products can quickly lead you to wonder how much waste our industry is generating. Luckily, some companies are working on solutions to make carbon more recyclable. Nevertheless, it’s still a long way to go. It’s a good moment for me to start to break my part in that cycle.
After being stuck in the routine of picking up the newest carbon creations and selling them off after two years to not lose money, it was time to think differently and raise awareness in my community where we as riders invest our money into the sport. There are so many talented builders out there to guide you through the process of getting a bike that will be only built for you and your riding style. Buying local doesn’t just have to refer to the vegetables you get from the farmers’ market. Scratch it, paint it. Dent it, repair it. Crash it, melt it back. You can’t do this with your big S.
“Bold will hold” stays true for the Futomaki – clean lines, bold decals, and solid riding characteristics. Futomaki are the largest sushi rolls you can get at your favorite Japanese restaurant and yes, those oversized tube dimensions build some good confidence. Polished stainless steel chainstays give a nod to the 90s, where it all began for a kid in front of the telly watching Indurain, Zülle, Pantani, and Ulrich beating the shit out of themselves. Thanks to the Columbus Trittico fork, internal cable routing actually looks nice and gives some track bike vibes in the front.
Imagine riding a horse without a saddle on a beach. Sorry for this cheesy picture, but that is the answer to how it feels to ride a bike that is only built for you.
Special thanks to Sean T capturing the moment in the streets of Tirano and the awesome team from Mogast for setting the scene for a very special maiden voyage.
Build Spec:
- Cicli Bonanno Futomaki Disc V2 ICR frame
- Columbus Trittico fork
- Chris King Headset
- Pro Vibe Superlight stem
- Zipp Service Course SL bars
- Pro Tharsis seatpost
- Fizik Antares saddle
- HUNT Sub50 Wheels
- Continental GP5000 tires
- Shimano Ultegra Di2 gearing
- Shimano Dura Ace crank
- Ceramic Speed OSP cage and T47 bottom bracket
- Lightweight bottle cages
- Terrible Twins saddle roll
- Team Dream bidons ☺
Many thanks to Sean Talkington from Team Dream for the photos!
We’d like to thank all of you who submitted Readers Rides builds to be shared here at The Radavist. The response has been incredible and we have so many to share over the next few months. Feel free to submit your bike, listing details, components, and other information. You can also include a portrait of yourself with your bike and your Instagram account! Please, shoot landscape-orientation photos, not portrait. Thanks!
