F.R.O. Import - importazione bici e componenti - import bikes and components

FUNK

Another great brand is back on the market. One can feel the will for quality in the USA, after the invasion of those CRAPbon frames coming from the Far East.
In Italy, back in 1992, Tutto MTB magazine published a test of a shiny silver elevated chainstays bike, with oh-so-smooth welds and a massive fork (à la Klein). Fully hand polished, it was a masterpiece of craftmanship. Actually, quite an elegant version. Funk bikes by Daryl Funk became a cult object throughout Europe in more flashy declinations, as de rigueur at the beginning of the wonderful nineties.
The reopening of this great brand immediately set us in motion, and in a short time we were able to get the distribution of there awesome bikes. No, we are not going to import elevated chainstays alu bikes (we keep on saying they would actually have sense on a 29er, though). Actually, Daryl has converted to titanium, and he builds masterpieces in the grey metal, with the same passion of the first years of his career.
In his range, he welds fabulous hardtail and sleek road bikes. But this is not what we fell in love with. The object of our desire is “La Ruta”, a beautiful titanium full suspension bike, Daryl's 10-years-long project. Bnow, if you do know something about MTBs, you will be asking to yourself: “what sense can a Ti full boinger have?”.
Not much, actually, except the status symbol it might become. At least, if the bike is built with the most popular suspension schemes on the market: VPP, DW link, Horst link, monocross, etcetera. More costly than aluminium, heavier than carbon, flexier than both. But the thing gets different if the project is able to exploit the legendary characteristics of titanium: resiliency, longer life expectancy, relatively light weight. Being a part of the chainstays constituted by a plate, La Ruta's rear end flexes without need of pivots. The result? A flyweight frameset (4.4 pounds), with zero maintenance. No bushings, bearings, or other gimmicks. A dream bike, reminding an Ibis BowTi, but with an up-to-date design, efficient on any terrain. The Ultimate Bike.
Ah, before we forget: do you need 1.5 headset? Custom geometry? Loger TT? Rolhoff-ready rear end? Just ask for it!