Max Lelli

As creators of a brand new bicycle company, the passionate riders at Max Lelli Bikes wanted to create a line that would inspire the same passion in every rider.

Massimiliano (Max) Lelli was a celebrated professional road racer from Tuscany. He retired from the sport in 2004 after a long and victory-studded career. (His palmares - in between service as a lieutenant for the immortal Pantani and lead-out man for the Lion King, Mario Cipollini - include several stage wins at the Giro d'Italia - and 3rd overall in 1991, the Italian national time trial championship, and countless other successes. He is best known in the U.S. for his victory in the 1997 US Core States championship held in Philadelphia.) It was a longtime dream of his to create a line of bicycles which, while living up to the incredibly high standards of an international professional rider, would also speak to those who enjoy riding a bicycle for the pure and simple joy of it.

Clearly, someone who is making a substantial investment in a bicycle deserves something of fantastically light weight, superior construction, and exceptional ride quality.

However, in our opinion, such a bicycle must also be aesthetically striking, and inspire a thrill of excitement.

That's what the Max Lelli bikes' gorgeous and unique paint scheme does. Creative without gimmickry, pictures simply don't do it justice. If you dream of a bike that you'll never get tired of looking at...a frame that will draw the stares and envy of the riders standing around the coffee shop...this is it.

TEAM 3K This is the top-of-the-line road frameset from Max Lelli. Offering an integrated seat mast (featuring a patented saddle clamp that allows an unprecedented amount of adjustability) for vibration dampening without sacrificing efficiency, this is a frame that weighs in at around a kilogram. It is constructed of high-modulus 3K carbon weave (3,000 nanofibers per bundle, which results in great strength and low weight.) The signature Max Lelli tricolor paint scheme completes the eye-catching aesthetic. This bike is available as a frameset with the proprietary Max Lelli aero fork, or a complete bike with a Dura Ace and top-of-the-line FSA build. HED Stingers (for the tubular afficionado) or Jets (for those who prefer clinchers) with custom Max Lelli decals wrap up the parts package for the Team.

TIBURZI PRO This bike echoes its namesake (Italian for "shark") in its pure efficiency and ruthless, single-minded pursuit of the road ahead. The super-sized bottom bracket and tall chainstays make this bike an incredibly efficient conduit for the power in your legs. And yet it is a remarkably comfortable ride; those small bumps and imperfections in the road don't jar you as they might in a bike designed for efficiency alone. One owner, at 6'4" and pushing 225 lbs, called this bike "compliant but amazingly stiff and very responsive." Yet lighter riders, including women, also find the bike comfortable. The Tiburzi is marginally heavier and noticeably stiffer than the Team 3K in the larger sizes. The Tiburzi Pro is available in the unique Max Lelli tricolor paint scheme and features the Max Lelli custom aero fork (and HED custom wheels for the complete bike).

TIBURZI BASIC The pearl white Tiburzi Basic has the same sensible geometry as the Pro, but the frame is a tad heavier due to the use of a lower modulus carbon in the manufacture. It also has a straight blade, rather than curvier aero, fork. The Tiburzi Basic is available as a complete bike only, with Ultegra and FSA components and HED Ardennes wheels. With a wider rim that creates an elliptical rather than lightbulb-shaped profile with a 23mm tire mounted, the Ardennes are more aerodynamic than standard low-profile rims, as well as offering a shorter and wider contact patch for lower rolling resistance. This is a good option for the budget-minded cyclist with a need for speed.

BRIGANTE This entry level bike, with a clear-coat to show off the 12K carbon weave beneath, offers mid-level parts for a taste of Italian bike passion and style at a more accessible price. The frame, although heavier than the Tiburzi Basic, still offers an exciting and inspiring ride. Built with a mix of FSA Gossamer and Shimano 105 components, the "Pirate" allows you to experience the Lelli ride for price that is a steal.

LIGER The triathlon or time trial bike from Max Lelli may be half lion and half tiger, but it doesn't offer anything else by halves. With geometry closer to a typical road bike, it is easier to ride than many pitched-forward aero rigs, and yet it doesn't compromise on speed. It's constructed of high-modulus 3K carbon weave, and is available as a frameset or a complete bike with top-of-the-line components from FSA and Shimano, including special Max Lelli edition HED Stinger 90 wheels and aerobar.