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Inside Cykeln Team, by Claudio di Santo

If you are involved in the fixed gear world for a long time, as we, somewhere you may have seen surely once the C of Cykeln. We would like to focus our attention in this article on the Cykeln Team, from RAW Cycling Mag side we know, first-hand, the effort involves coordinating and keeping a magazine and a cycling team as Cykeln. For this, and the great respect we have towards them, we decided to write this article, one of the first organized teams (big brands apart) of the fixed world. We talked with one of the founders: Claudio di Santo.

“Cykeln Team was born in 2013 as a competitive outlet for the group that forms the magazine.”The Team represents the magazine sport selection, our values from day one have been: loyalty, friendship and healthy competition.”

The first idea of the Cyckeln Team is conceived in the year 2012, another time, we are talking about the Red Hook Milano No. 3, which took place in Via Tortona, in the Centre of Milan. Just that year was the boom of the fixed-gear, where began to appear teams with an aesthetic defined, for many, and for us too, the purest and more radical year of the fixed scene, where everything that came out of this scene was the most important! And where was done basically as if it won’t be tomorrow.

“In 2012 I can run my first Red Hook Criterium in Milan where thanks to Matteo Zazzera I joined Iride Fixed Modena team. At that time didn’t still make qualifying, we had to ride to be the first 100 registered.”

“In January 2013, after the race in Milan in which also participated Paolo Bravini and Giovanni Bocchi, we decided in Cyckeln that was the best time to create a team for publicizing further our magazine.”

“By chance, I find out that Alessandro Bruzza, Paolo Bravini and other riders were organizing by creating a competition team… just what we needed!” “We exchanged several emails, we met us and we realized that there are an amazing vibe among us, despite of the distance, we are a big family.”

Thus it was born in 2013 one of the strongest teams on the scene at that time, if you remember the guy who wore a blue striped skinsuit.

“2013 was a year of victories, we didn’t stop! A great team with A. Bruzza, P. Bravini, G. Bocchi, F. Antonioli, R. Volpe, C. Martínez and myself. “That year was incredible in one season we rode 30 races and almost all we got victories or good results.”

2014 was a troubled year due to many factors, first of all the interests of major brands for riders of high level as some who were member of Cyckeln.

“Alessandro, Paolo and Giovanni decided to start a new adventure in the Team Cinelli Chrome; Filippo Antonioli in the Back2Back; Riccardo Volpe joined the Team Cinelli Milano. We were Christian and I, and 2014 was not a very positive year, but we have gradually been building a new team and have found new riders: Fabio Arcaini, Daniele Fonelli “Mr. Ohm ” and Alessandro Bagno. We closed the season with some good results in criteriums and track (where Chrisitan and I are very active). “

2015 is a recent history.

“Gianluca Scafuro and Giovanni lo Grande have joined the Team. Christopher, Alessandro and I (the actual members) decided to give the team a Tuscan touch to recovery a “familiar” climate like in 2013. We got to be in the top ten teams in the Red Hook Series. So far, we are very satisfied!”

Living in first person the fixed gear scene in a country like Italy, which are the changes that have occurred over the last four years…

“From 2012 until today the change has been radical, in part because of Criteriums. When we started there were many alleycats and criterium barely existed.

In October was the month where you could confront with other riders, with the first Red Hook Crit Milan. At that time there were hardly organized and sponsored teams. There is now much more visible at the media and many brands interested in having a team, it is a logical consequence. What I can certainty say is that we are going towards a future “almost” Pro-team. I would not be surprised if the Criterium will join the X-Games scene for example. “

The fixed gear in Italy. Many have thought a fad, but time is proving otherwise, the fixed gear movement has returned to Italy and is strengthened day after day…

“It is more alive than ever. I’ve never seen a representation like nowadays!

For a brief time, there was a bit of comedown but thanks to Criteriums, the interest of brands were back and the interest of the people has never diminished, on the contrary, has grown and new groups took interest on the fixed gear, many bike-courier companies were opened and that makes me very happy. Clearly it is not like in 2005 where few had fixed gear bike and there was a great fervour.

Yes, the Italian scene is very strong! And it doesn’t stop growing! “

Bring a magazine and a cycling team, even though for many, looking in from the outside, seem a pure entertainment, leisure, travel and drunkenness … WE CAN ENSURE THAT’S NOT LIKE THAT. Obviously fun and passion are ahead of everything, but it requires hard work and sacrifice … and it’s not always an easy matter. 

“When I started the adventure of Cykeln I never thought about working so much for the magazine by night. Shame that we can’t live off projects like this … If only that were so!

We are Simone creative director, Niccolo event’s organizer, Daniele robots programmer for hospitals, Massimo photographer freelance and I graphic designer. When a number goes out we start working for the next. Luckily, we are all ‘hard workers’ and we become crazy so that everything goes well. Without passion, work and commitment of all Cykeln would not exist. We are working hard to give an even more professional organization to the team and the magazine. “

Cicli Pelizzoli, a large Italian brand.

“Last year we rode with Pellizoli Leggenda, during the races we realized that the bike did not reply the trajectories, we concluded that we had to make some changes. We changed the tubes and made adjustments to the frame geometry. Working with a “Framebuilder” as Pellizoli has allowed us to make the Leggenda Performance, an improved version of the old frame. A bomb available now in Pellizoli. “

Any motto…

 “Few talks and go strong as I said Felice Gimondi.”

Thanks to…

“Thanks to my partners for believing in this project, to Samuel Pellizoli for believing in my ideas, to Frenk of Acht Supply for the great support, to my teammates for the passion, the advices and dedication. To my bosses of Pissei for trusting the project and giving us avant-garde material. Thanks to my technical trainer Alex Corsini who always pushes me to achieve new goals and, finally, thanks to my girlfriend because without her and her advices I couldn’t find the common thread of all this.”

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