Vintage Bicycles - Alan - Daccordi - Eroica Bicycles - 1990s-2000s Bicycles

Information

• Country: Italy
• Founder: Falconi Lodovico
• Founding Year: 1972
• Website: www.alanbike.it

A History of ALAN

ALAN was founded in 1972 by Falconi Lodovico, naming the brand after the names of his sons; Alberto (AL) and Annamaria (AN). Falconi wanted to create something new amongst the wave of Italian frame-builders who used steel to construct their bicycles. After much research, Lodovico discovered the possibilities of aluminium and created a new patent for his construction methods, one that revolutionised the industry.

Instead of simply welding tubes together like traditional steel frames, he created threaded tube junctions, where various elements of the frame would screw into each other before being bonded together. This unique method also used a special glue from the aeronautical industry, and ALAN frames quickly became known for their structural integrity and quality of construction.

ALAN bicycles dominated the cyclocross scene for the following 20 years, and many professional riders on the road also used ALAN frames. The sporting successes of Lodovico's brand are astounding - 20 World Cyclocross Championships, 5 World Track Championships, wins of the Spring Classics and stage victories in the Grand Tours.

Such was the prestige and respect for the brand, many bigger companies sought help in designing their products from ALAN (Guerciotti and Colnago to name but a few). ALAN were also the first pioneers of carbon fibre technology in cycling, constructing frames that combined carbon and aluminium as early as 1976. Professional cycling only saw carbon fibre bicycles take off in the 21st Century, thus the forward thinking approach of Falconi appears to be particularly special.