Below we have selected an article published by TOUR Magazine where they pit Italian Pro Team Bike manufacturer Basso, versus one of our custom Italian hand built bike brands Exept.
ENGLISH Translation:
Page 22: EXEPT paragraph:
Back in the niche of steel frame building - also this can be a way to have a future in the road bike market. Alessandro Giusto is believing though, that there is a different way. The 33 year old engineer is one of 3 co-founder of start-up Exept. He is formulating the goals confidently “Our framesets are the benchmark for what is possible in carbon frame construction.” The business idea of Exept is based on an idea of Giusto’s partner Alessio Rebagliati. He has developed and patented a process, which allows to produce custom frames in monocoque structure. The moulds are freely adjustable modules, which allow tube length and angle to be adjusted individually. The production process itself of the framesets is extremely complex. Only the ply book of the the bottom bracket area counts 7 pages and defines exactly the carbon ply orientation.
The frames are produced with the well-known and highly regarded carbon specialists of Compositex, who is naming prestigious automotive, motorsport and aerospace companies as their customers. In their product facility are the frames placed in a sealed and controlled pressure vessel, a so called autoclave. This process is actually too expensive for bicycle frames. But Compositex director Luca Berandotto is a big fan of Exept’s concept and supporting economically allowing to Exept to just offer common high-end market prices. 3 years is the target of Giusto, Rebagliati and their German partner Wolfgang Turainsky to break even. The biggest task at the moment is to construct a dealer network of partners, who have bike fitting knowledge.
The level of Compositex’s production is impressive. But Compositex is not suitable as an example of European frame production competing with Asia. Other than for Exept is Bernadotto only working for two other brands in small series production. Till 2 years ago, also Basso was among his customers.
Page 27: EXEPT test:
Tailored Suit
Carbon frames in monocoque and custom production normally don’t match. The start-up Exept has developed a process, which allows to combine both.
Custom frames are as old as race bikes themselves. What sets producer Exept form Novi Ligure apart from the rest of the industry is their patented production process, which allows to produce custom frames in monocoque construction technique. It sounds contradicting. Monocoque frames normally need for each size a dedicated mold. Exept however is building the mould out of modules, which can more or less be adjusted freely. Not only can measures like top tube length and tube angles be adjusted. With that also chain stay length and fork trail can be optimised to the wishes of each customer. The possibilities go that far, that customer can choose from a classic round sea tube for round seat posts (for more comfort) or an aero seat tube with the matching seat post. The test bike provided by Exept is therefore just one of many combinations. As the bike is a custom bike, although with a classic race geometry, we did not test in the wind tunnel and applied our marathon and endurance standard without aero data. The frame itself is with 1100 g not the lightest. It is a 2018 model and in accordance to Exept they should be slightly lighter by now. Free from any criticism is the excellent frame stiffness. Also the comfort at the saddle is convincing. The frameset is extremely expensive with 5000 EUR. In comparison with other top of the range frames of well known brands is the price in line with the market. Complete bike prices are shocking. The worse purchasing conditions of a small company like Exept in comparison with bigger companies is playing a big role. The frameset and bikes can be ordered via dealers, who are offering bike fitting. The dealer is then defining with Exept in a couple of loops the geometry for the customer, who will be build by the highly regarded carbon specialists of Compositex in Vicenza. Right now is Exept working together with a dealer in the south-west of Germany.
Test summary:
EXEPT Allroad Classic, rating 1.7 (note: German school grade system 1.0 to 6.0 with the lower the better)
Price: 13.500,00 EUR Weight complete bike: 7.2 kg
Info: www.exept.cc
Weight frame/fork/headset: 1106/400/65 Gramm Sizes: custom Seat tube/top tube/head tube: 520/555/169 mm Stack/Reach/STR: 569/386 mm/1,46 Wheelbase/fork trail: 995/58 mm
Spec: Drive train: Shimano Dura Ace (52/36, 11-30Z) Brakes: Shimano Dura Ace (160/160 mm) Gears: Shimano Dura Ace Di2 Wheelset/Tires (weight): Enve SES AR Disc/Vittoria Corsa Control G4C 25 mm (front/rear: 1281/1617 Gramm)
Laboratory values with individual grades: Weight complete bike: 7.2 kg 2.3 Headtube stiffness: 113 Nm/deg 1.0 Lateral stiffness fork: 53 N/mm 1.0 Bottom bracket stiffness: 71 N/mm 1.0 Comfort seat post: 122 N/mm 2.0 Comfort fork: 97 N/mm 5.0
Steering: neutral (slow to very reactive) position on bike: neutral to racy long (upright to racy long)
Plus: custom geometry, extreme stable handling, good comfort, top spec Minus: extremely expensive
Come by Blacksmith Cycle for a custom bicycle consultation today.
