Basso Bikes is an Italian brand that produces and sells

road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...

racing bicycle A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike, is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by and according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Racing bicycles are designed for maximum performance ...

s and

electric bicycle An electric bicycle, e-bike, electrically assisted pedal cycle, or electrically power assisted cycle is a bicycle with an integrated electric motor used to assist propulsion. Many kinds of e-bikes are available worldwide, but they generally fa ...

s. It was founded in 1977 by Alcide Basso, brother of the world champion

Marino Basso Marino Basso (born 1 June 1945) is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist, considered one of the best sprinters of his generation. He won the UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race, World Cycling Championship in 1972 UCI Ro ...

. Currently, the company

headquarters Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...

is located in San Zenone degli Ezzelini, in the province of Treviso, while the production department is located in Dueville, in the province of Vicenza.

History

Before registering the company, Alcide Basso started making bicycles in his family's garage in 1974, in Rettorgole di Caldogno. During the two-year period 1978–1979, the entry into the competition bicycle market and the international market took place: Germany became the first large market and large importers such as Brügelmann and Stier decided to order large quantities of frames. Basso initially made frames of steel: they acquired the Pogliaghi brand name in the late 1980s, but from 1996 they make frames of carbon fiber too. In 1979,

Eddy Merckx Édouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx (born 17 June 1945), known as Eddy Merckx (, ), is a Belgian former professional road and track cyclist racer who is the most successful rider in the history of competitive cycling. His victories include an ...

visits the factories with a view to developing his own racing bike brand. Innovations on materials are introduced with the use of a type of automotive-derived steel, more resistant to rust and then move on to the use of carbon. The first carbon frame was sent to the Austrian

University of Graz The University of Graz (, formerly: ''Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz'') is a public university, public research university located in Graz, Austria. It is the largest and oldest university in Styria, as well as the second-largest and second-old ...

and was the subject of a study on the torsional and bending forces of carbon frames. At the beginning of the 90s, racing bicycles are used at the highest levels, among others by Dimitri Konyshev,

Gilberto Simoni Gilberto Simoni (born 25 August 1971) is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer, most recently for . Simoni won the Giro d'Italia cycling race twice: once in 2001 and again in 2003. In 2002 he tested positive for cocaine and was with ...

, Massimo Strazzer and

Endrio Leoni Endrio Leoni (born 22 August 1968 in Dolo) is a retired road bicycle racer from Italy, who was a professional rider from 1990 to 2002. He only served teams from his native country. Leoni twice won the Scheldeprijs (2000 and 2001). Major results ...

Ownership

The Basso Bikes brand is now owned by the Stardue group, a company that also includes the Lee Cougan mountain bike brand and Microtech accessories, also owned by the Basso family. On a commercial level, the brand is present in over 25 countries and has a network of over 400 dealers.

Sponsorship

Basso Bikes is a sponsor of 6 pro team, including

Adria Mobil Adria Mobil is a Slovene speciality vehicle manufacturer company based in Novo Mesto that specializes in production of travel trailers and recreational vehicles. The company's products are branded under the "Adria" brand name, and it markets and ...

, Slovenian professional road racing team in Continental Circuit, and Cams-Basso, an English women professional team.

References

External links

Official WebsiteElectric Scooter
{{Italian cycle manufacturers Italian brands Companies based in Veneto Cycle manufacturers of Italy Electric cycle manufacturers Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1977 Italian companies established in 1977