These pictures are taken by me on a visit in 1984 to the famous bike builder, Giovanni Pinarello in Treviso, Italy! This is the first time ever that I shown these photographs to the public. I feel as if I just opened a vault and found something quite precious! I kept the equipment simple, a Canon F-1, 85mm, 50mm lenses on Ilford HP-5 film. Quite a different set up from my new digital
camera! Signor Pinarello was very generous and I was given carte blanche to photograph in his factory. I can only imagine that it wouldn't be the same in this day and age in a modern bike factory! The two photographs is Signor Pinarello closely supervising a worker carefully brazing shows his att
ention for meticulous detail on his bikes. The other is an overall shot of two workers and their tool bench. I remember the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Men's road race won by American, Alexi Grewal on a multi colored Pinarello Montello SLX! And, it was a joy to see the same multi colored models finished and ready for shipping. His bikes had captured many distinguish international races: the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta di Spagna, world time trial championship, Olympic road race, an many other international wins. As I look back on this wonderful time, I admired his beautiful handmade bikes and met a understated man that is synonymous with a winning tradition and fine Italian craftsmanship! 'Fatti con le mani' - Italian for 'Made by hand'.
© 2007 Richard Lee - All Rights Reserved.
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