Coming in September: 'Steel Vintage' frames from Ciocc

It's not strictly accurate to treat Ciöcc frames as 'heritage' items because their Italian maker has never stopped building in steel with intricate lugs and delicious chrome-plated highlights. Not to mention that there are also some pretty modern carbon-fibre frames coming from their workshops near Bergamo.

Nevertheless, to make a point, they've launched a range of models they're collectively calling 'Steel Vintage' and individually named after highlights in their history to remind everyone that even if they're small, they're very much alive and still doing it old style if that's what appeals to you. It certainly appeals to us.

The word 'ciöcc' is native Bergamo slang for 'poker face' which was the nickname of the founder of the brand back in the 1950s. Giovanni Pelizzoli  might not have been a laugh-a-minute but he obviously had a sense of humour in that the joke was carried on in the 'four aces' detail adorning the lug cutouts and elsewhere.

Ciöcc frames are distributed in the UK by Racescene in Barnsley. They also sell them in their own shop which specialises in Italian brands like Casati, Gios and Somec as well as Ciöcc and they've also just started stocking Colnago bikes and frames.

The three models in the Steel Vintage series are the Mokba 80 track frame at £1,095, the San Cristobal road at £1,195 and the Replica road frame - for folks who prefer no chrome - at £1,095. There is also a TIG-welded model named Retro coming for £595.

Details: Ciöcc at Racescene