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IB15: Sweet Italian Trash: Italjet’s swank moto-inspired e-bike, a Fiat Abarth fat bike & Elite vintage water bottle system

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Italian Trash-4

In a sea of carbon, oversized tires, and gravel worthy machines, there is always some eye candy at Interbike, and nobody does it better than the folks who bring us Ferrari, MV Agusta, and great hair. When you look at something and immediately consider the passion that went into its design, you have to stop and stare. Elite’s old school aluminum bottles and cages make you want to build a bike around them and Italjet pulled the Italian wool over our eyes with the Ascot drawing our attention away from its main feature!

Vedere le bellissime moto oltre il confine……

Italian Trash-2

Going to totally throw myself under the bus here. Even after walking around and staring at Italjet’s Ascot for several minutes, I did not realize this was an E-bike using the really cool NuVinci auto-shifting N360 motorized hub until I got on the Italjet website. After a few days of wandering Mandalay Bay’s floor, things can become a blur, but never would I think I would miss something like that. On top of it being distracting, they did a beautiful job hiding it…. literally!

Italian Trash-3

The leather tank bag hides the battery in plain sight. Upon zooming in, the key not only opens the bag, but it is also the on/off switch for the bike’s motor.  All of the leather components are made by A.G. Spalding & Bros. from New York except the Brooks saddle.

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Even the display (which prompted me to dig deeper once I noticed it wasn’t a phone cover) is tastefully covered in leather and the clock top-cap, takes the cake.

Here is a video of the details of what went into building the Ascot. *drool*

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And more pics.

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Sharing importer Albabici’s booth were more Italian goodies from Alfa Romeo and Elite, plus a few other goodies that’ll find their way into other roundups.

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Italian Trash-8 Italian Trash-7

Albabici’s Abarth Fat Bike was another take on some Italian flare, but was nothing out of the ordinary other than some bold graphics. Though pretty cool looking given the history of Abarth, the bike was an aluminum frame built with a 24-speed Acera group.

Italian Trash-1

Elite, who many know for their trainers, also make some pretty nice accessories including waterbottle cages. These beauties are a part of their rightfully named L’Eroica line. They just look nice and inspire one to build up a vintage racer from the 20’s around them.

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Ryan
Ryan
8 years ago

Aaaaaaand I’m no longer anti “E-bike”…I want that.

boom
boom
8 years ago

I want that L’Eroica cage and bottle on my bar bike. Please.

mrazekan
mrazekan
8 years ago

To be clear, the front hub is the motor for this bike. The NuVinci itself does not have an integrated motor.

The finish on this bike is incredibly well done. Such an attention to detail is impressive.

Mike
Mike
8 years ago

I hate e-bikes…. but I LOVE that thing. Let’s all just agree not to call it an e-bike so I don’t have to live with my cognitive dissonance please.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

The design has almost zero impact on whether this bike is “e” or not. So you can
1. Love it as-is.
2. Love it but wish it were not motorized or had a non-motorized option
3. Hate it.

Scott B
8 years ago

Great looking bike! I don’t get the hatred on e-bikes, or recumbents, or really any variation on a bicycle, we all deal with the same problems, cars, dogs, weather, etc. Just getting more people on on bikes (of any variety) is what it’s all about.

Speshy
Speshy
8 years ago

(deleted)

Sean
8 years ago

Looks great, but please, somebody sort out the lever angle in that first picture, its driving my ocd insane!

marycane
marycane
8 years ago

“Elite, who many know for their trainers…” you are not a cyclist if you don’t know elite bottle cages!

hellsheadbanger
hellsheadbanger
8 years ago

The title is wrong, abarths are fiats not Alfa Romeos.

theendinfrench
theendinfrench
8 years ago

Having demo’d the Italjet I can honestly say its a pig to ride… Looks beautiful but i wouldn’t attempt to navigate london on one.
also, while i’m in WTF mode, who at Abarth thought that fat bike was a good idea?
Abarth is a racing upgrade & development co. with masses of heritage. what’s that got to do with a low spec off-the-peg run-of-the-mill bike? it does not deserve the badge!

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