Battaglin Portofino R lugged steel road bike gets ultra

Battaglin's drool-worthy custom, lugged steel road bike goes next-level with a new, more-modern limited Portofino R edition that's even more integrated than ever. We don't often associate Italian lugged steel with such modern features as fully internal routing, dropped seatstays, integrated seatpost clamp, and a T47 bottom bracket… but the craftsmen building bikes at Officina Battaglin continue to impress…

Battaglin's more conventional-looking diamond, yet thoroughly modern Portofino road bike already was a showstopper with tinted cromovelato mirror finishes, unique modern oversized polished lugs, disc or rim brakes, internal cable routing, and made-to-measure geometry designed for you by Giro-Vuelta winner Giovanni Battaglin. And that bike will still be available for cyclists looking for classic styling…

But for those hoping to blow minds in the group rides, the newly renovated Battaglin Portofino R is ever faster & sleeker than ever.

"We had been feeling the need to push the Portofino toward the race side for a while, " describes Battaglin CEO Alex Battaglin. "So, when the update project started, we focused on one single goal: achieving an increase in frame stiffness without compromising on comfort."

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To build a stiffer frame meant beefing up the bottom end, and a more compliant top end balances that out.

The most obvious changes in the new Battaglin Portofino R are those dropped seatstays and the resulting new seat cluster lug. Now, the bike hides a wedge-style seatpost clamp inside the new chrome seat lug, which Battaglin says actually allows for more post-clamping pressure with less bolt torque, too.

The new frame also gets a new alloy stem that Battaglin developed to allow for clean cable routing with conventional handlebars, a smooth transition to a new custom headset topcap & spacers, plus the option for custom lengths.

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Offering an improvement in overall stiffness, the new Battaglin Portofino R moves to a larger T47 threaded bottom bracket – with the added bonus of more space inside for cable routing – and it also scales up a larger seattube to match, now built for a 31.6mm seatpost. The new frame also gets larger diameter seatstays, and more prominently flattened chainstays to balance efficiency & comfort.

The Portofino R's graphics also get shaken up, with a new smooth fade between two cromovelato colors, transitioning via hand-laid Battaglin filigree logos.

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Just like the original, the disc brake version of Battaglin's flagship road bike still features flat mount disc brakes, 12mm thru-axles, and official clearance for 28mm tires. But Battaglin's Portofino R renovation gave them the chance to reoptimize new dropouts with better integration and sleek derailleur cable routing directly into the end of the chainstay.

Interestingly, all these performance upgrades to what was more of a classically-inspired bike, means that this new Portofino R will replace Battaglin's conventionally welded & brazed Power+ EVO road race bike. (There are still a handful of those still available in 2022 build slots.)

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The new Portofino R frame is lugged & brazed in northern Italy from a custom set of oversized Columbus BG81 multi-butted steel tubing, based on Spirit HSS. Each bike is individually numbered, with a new badge below the new seat lug.

Like last year's update, the new Portofino R still features a 1 1/8″-1 1/2″ tapered internal headset built into the chrome head lugs with a full carbon fork custom-made for Battaglin by WR Compositi with a D-shaped steerer to allow for fully internal cable routing with a relatively small outer profile.

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Starting with pricing is simple, although it's been going up every year.

The new fully-custom Battaglin Portofino R frameset compelte bikes starts at 8000€. That includes consultation with Giovanni Battaglin to dial in your custom geometry, the made-to-measure & individually-numbered steel frame produced in Battaglin's Marostica, Italy workshop and full carbon fork also made in Italy, color matched in your choice of cromovelato color, plus a headset. Other color-matched components including handlebar, seatpost, saddle, brake levers, and Battaglin's new integrated alloy stem are extras.

If you want to stick with the Portofino classic, it is still available from 6000€.

Options are limitless on the complete bike build. You can go rim brake or disc brake, and pretty much any build kit you want – but only electronic shift, hydraulic brake groupsets are routed fully internally.

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As for availability, only 99 will be made for 2023, and that's spread across all Portofinos – classic rim, classic disc, R rim & R disc. The breakdown between different variants will depend on demand, but suffice it to say that the Battaglin Portofino is still very much a limited edition. Find out more and start customizing yours at:

OfficinaBattaglin.com