Im going to Italy in May. I will be going to Rome, Florence, Milan & Italian Rivera. I will be seeing 2 stages of the Giro and riding in Florence. Is their any other stuff you can sugest for me to do while there or riding routes? It can been any stuff to like bicycle manufactors, routes to ride or cool stuff to see. Thanks

people cycle in italy????

Where in the Italian Riviera are you going? Cinque Terra, I hope. If so, you'll love it, it is truly amazing.

There are tours of the colnago factory in Cambiago and the Campy factory in Veneto. The patron saint to cycling is the Madonna de Ghisallo.

I'd get a Colnago, all Campy of course.

Maybe I'm out of touch, but way back when I first started riding the cost of Italian bikes was sky high in the US because of import tariffs. You could pick one up in Europe for not very much scratch. And so anyone I raced with, back in 1962, did . . . always came home with a new bike, really nice jerseys, shoes . . . .

You really should plan to see the Roman ruins and the Renaissance art.

The patron saint to cycling is the Madonna de Ghisallo.

A definte must see. Plus fantastic riding doing a loop of Lake Como.

You are kidding right.

Italy, and most of Europe seemed to be very into bikes.

See if you can get to Treviso, for the Pinarello factory.


-Dan

A lot of good advice has been posted.

Im going to Italy in May. I will be going to Rome, Florence, Milan & Italian Rivera. I will be seeing 2 stages of the Giro and riding in Florence. Is their any other stuff you can sugest for me to do while there or riding routes? It can been any stuff to like bicycle manufactors, routes to ride or cool stuff to see. Thanks


Hook up with a Sunday group ride, just stop any serious rider you see and ask where/when. If you're lucky one of the old guys will want to trade jerseys with you. Get a phone book, look up the nearest shops, go browse and maybe find a souvenir maglia squadra locale; there are several of shops just outside the centers of Florence and Milan. A decent one- can't remember the name- very close to the station in Florence (via Nazionale??). Milan has the original Detto Pietro shop and refurbished Vigorelli velodrome, with (the real) Masi in the basement. Santuario Madonna del Ghisallo is just plain fantastic and the Coppi museum could very well be finished now. Just don't expect a ton of inventory in any shop; most guys ride the local builders frame and get 'em custom made. Also, don't expect any great deals on Campy anywhere (and you can't take pics inside the factory).