 Crisp RAZR boasts integrated seatpost |
 The Ti-fosi! Darren (centre) keeps the answers coming for his fans. |
 Etched graphics a Crisp innovation |
 Brown Brooks leather bar tape adds touch of class |
American Darren Crisp decided his passion for frame building needed a home in the heart of the frame building world, so he set up his workshop in the historic Tuscan town of Castiglion Fiorentino in the province of Arezzo.
Darren produces frames exclusively in titanium, each one custom-built. In Italy, while carbon has taken hold of the mainstream, titanium is becoming the material of choice for custom frames with the likes of Nevi, Rewel and DeRosa all offering frames built in the light, strong, corrosion-free metal.
Some would say an American attempting to take on the Italians at their own game would be a fruitless “taking coals to Newcastle” task. However, through ambition, attention to detail and above all, total belief in his ability and his chosen material, the orders are steadily coming in for the former Texas A&M-educated architect. Darren’s work has been receiving plaudits from both Italian bike lovers and his framebuilding peers. His method of etching the logos and graphics directly into the tubes, introduced by Darren back in 2004, has been almost universally adopted by other titanium frame producers.
During the show itself, his booth had a steady stream of visitors from some of the biggest names in Italian bike building. They came to both check out his latest creations and to offer their appreciation of his work.
If affirmation of the quality of his work was needed, it came when he was asked earlier this year to supply an exhibit of his work for display in the Italian Bicycle Museum. This is where you’ll find the likes of bikes ridden by the great champions of the sport and ground-breaking designs such as Moser’s Hour Record bike and Colnago’s Ferrari model.
Without doubt, an honour any framebuilder would be proud of and great company to be in!
 PASSONI saved this new model for Milan. The Passoni “Mirror” packs in more bling per gram than any other bike on the market |
 It’s an ultra lightweight (only 194g in size 8) with a full carbon, ventilated sole. Looks plus performance. A bit like the RCUK editor, really… |
