Three of the most important characteristics of any Wilier Triestina bicycle are: performance, reliability and sex appeal. The challenge is to achieve those objectives while hitting certain price points. Anyone can make a nice bike that costs a lot of money, and some manufacturers seem to believe that clout or validity are automatically associated with a higher price tag.

BENCHMARKS
As an Italian company, Wilier takes great pride in quality of materials and manufacturing processes, as well as graphic design. We recently spared no investment expense in the development of two superbikes, the Cento and the Cento Crono, which we believe still represent excellent value at the highest end. Equally challenging was the development of the 2008 Izoard, which sought to achieve unrivaled performance at the mid-range. The Izoard had to be capable of winning any race or design competition, as well as carry a price within reach of most newbie roadies or aspiring racers.

SEXY — MOLTO SEXY
The first reaction to the Izoard generally focuses on its good looks. Go into any Wilier dealer and watch what customers do when they walk in. They will pass by bikes costing 2-3 times as much to admire an Izoard, or its sister, the women’s-specific Mimosa. We have spent as much time and money on the graphic design of the Izoard as we have on any of our other models. And it shows.

Believe it or not, in the land of sensual cars, landscapes, architecture and people, Italians have adopted our word, “sexy”. A bike needs to be lightweight, efficient, comfortable and reliable, but we believe it should also be beautiful. Each of the frames’ functionally inspired shapes and curves are accentuated by equally thought-out aesthetics. Italians are the world’s designers, and Wilier is true to that tradition: every bike must be as sexy as it is functional.

OKAY, OKAY, BACK TO TECH…
To deliver the performance and reliability that will satisfy today’s demanding consumers and technical editors, as well as fill us with cultural pride, we begin with Toray carbon in varying levels of modulus rigidity and tensile strength, built to our specifications. We’ve chosen Toray, because we believe they offer unrivaled quality and expertise. Then we design tubing shapes and specify dimensions based on the stresses applied to a frame during riding and competition. Naturally, we draw on the input and perspective gained from our work with professional riders, as well as from our experience developing all of our models in several different materials.

The Izoard’s carbon fiber monocoque frame is constructed utilizing a patented molding process that allows control of the frame tubes’ exact wall thicknesses, along with the implementation of both T60 (high modulus/maximum stiffness) and M30J (medium modulus/maximum strength) “pre-preg” unidirectional carbon fiber. That means that the type of carbon fiber and optimized wall thicknesses are implemented where it will most enhance the frame’s ride characteristics. Where stresses on the frame are lowest, weight is reduced to a minimum. Areas that require more stiffness and resilience benefit from slightly thicker tubing and stiffer carbon “layup.” The same applies to the Wilier-designed monocoque carbon fork and carbon steerer tube.

The implementation of multiple types of carbon fiber and tubing provide the Izoard with the smooth and efficient ride of the best carbon frames. At the same time, the Izoard is light enough to get you to the top of any climb ahead of your competition, whether friend or foe. Which brings us to the last of the frame’s characteristics – its name…

The Izoard is named after the Col d’Izoard, one of the great passes in the French Alps that is often included in the Tour de France. It is also one of the climbs where the late Italian champion, Marco Pantani, made history on a Wilier. As a preeminent Italian brand, Wilier is dedicated to cutting edge technology, as well as to its heritage.

ABOUT WILIER TRIESTINA USA
Wilier Triestina USA was founded in 1999 as a partnership between Wilier Triestina of Rossano Veneto (near Bassano del Grappa), Italy, and their North American importer, Velo Imports. Like a true Italian business, “Wilier USA” is owned and run by father and son, Angelo and Gianmarco Cilli, themselves Italians. Over the past nine years, Angelo and Gianmarco have sought out and established relationships with elite bicycle retail stores, which have become authorized Wilier dealers. Most years, the Cillis and staff accompany many of their dealers on a trip to Italy for a tour of the Wilier Triestina offices and factory in Rossano, as well as some of the best riding terrain in the world, including many famed Giro climbs nearby. Wilier Triestina is the proud sponsor of the Lampre Pro Tour team of Damiano Cunego and Alessandro Ballan. Visit www.wilier-usa.com for more information.