The Bearded Argonaut
Blog
To the North Cape by bike, interview with the Bearded Argonaut
"Franco, can you explain to us what this event, the North Cape 4000, is all about? This year, the organization had us start from Rovereto and provided us with a route to follow. Along the way, there are four gates, or checkpoints, where you need to get a stamp. This...
Bikepacking: Franco’s NorthCape4000 Ultra-Cycling Preparation
Franco Taddei - @dv99 is gearing up for one of the most challenging events in the world of ultra-distance cycling: the NorthCape4000. This event, now in its seventh edition, starts from Rovereto and finishes at the North Cape, traversing seven European countries:...
A Journey to the North Cape via Everesting
Franco is much more than just a cyclist. He is a man who has embraced cycling as a lifestyle, a passion that has led him to explore horizons beyond the normal conception of pedaling. Affectionately known as "The Bearded Argonaut," Franco is a true dreamer, an...
We take pride in our connection to Tuscany
We take immense pride in our strong connection in the region where we make our bicycles. A region which offers an extraordinary cycling experience like no other. Here, you can embark on unforgettable adventures along the enchanting hilly roads and captivating gravel...
Irene Campinoti turned a Daccordi Annibale into art on wheels
When it comes to transforming an ordinary object into a remarkable work of art, few mediums provide as much creative freedom as painting. In the world of cycling, where form meets function, it's even harder to bring life to the canvas of a bicycle. Irene Campinoti,...
Lucky encounters (cycling together)
When your great impulse and the Cosmos conspire to facilitate the encounter with characters who have, like you, the same vision (or/and beyond) of a situation, you are amazed. We know that it is not easy to have the time, modesty, humility, and good fortune to meet...
Long life to the bike. The best cure for sadness.
Yes, I know it is not a good time, both personal and general. We started from this sea and these wild beaches and then got lost in the beautiful pine forest behind it, not yet scented with summer spirits but with its peculiar light. Crossed the fine vineyards of...
The charm of abandoned places
It was a long time since I did a tour like this, with all the features that I like the most: history and culture, abandoned places, paths to explore and never rode, arduous descents and climbs with impossible slopes. A stop in a small characteristic restaurant in the...
Illegal bike races
With the end of the school, the illegal bike races through the city streets began. The route, naturally open to traffic, started from Corrado's house and then down towards the prison slide that led to the road below, along a straight downhill stretch and then at the...
Restoration of a Eroica bike
That's one thing my collection missed: an "Eroica bike". This bike dates back to the early 1970s. They told me that it was purchased during the Austerity period, so when you used to travel only with alternate plates and stayed at home on Sundays, we would say today in...
Memories about my Marche Trail 2020
These days, I found the photos of my Marche Trail 2020. What an experience. But on the other hand... what experience is not unique with my trusted travel companion ?♂️? Official departure, obviously in the dark. But you know, the early bird catches the worm. The...
Cycling motivation and Respect
Cycling motivation. Often in the world of cycling, among cyclists, it is usual to comment and express opinions about everyone and everything without restraint and respect. The guy who woke up at 4 am to ride 200 km all at once .. what nonsense! Or the one who rides...
Little Jerusalem in Tuscany
Little Jerusalem in Tuscany. "If you can't go to Jerusalem, Jerusalem will come to you!" This is in short what Pope Leo X established with his bull in 1516. San Vivaldo, already a refuge for the hermits and a sacred place for some time, was handed over in 1500 to the...
Thoughts about riding a bike in Tuscany
Small collection of thoughts scattered on some of my trips with my faithful bicycle in my native country: Tuscany. From San Giuliano Terme, in the province of Pisa, to Lucca, I take a road below the mountain. For "below the mountain" in these parts we obviously mean...
