Today, we’ll dive deep into a gorgeous steel gravel bike build: the Officina Battaglin Portofino G 2023 No. 15.
Watch the video and see all the details that make it the ultimate Italian gravel build!
Making a dream bike come true: from a “Like” on Instagram to reality
Imagine scrolling through Instagram, and there it is… The bike that stops you mid-scroll.
That’s exactly what happened to Steffen from Germany when he laid eyes on the Portofino G.
But instead of just double-tapping, he made it real — reserving the 15th build slot out of the limited 70.
Building Steffen’s custom gravel frame from scratch
Alex and Giovanni Battaglin designed the frame geometry to Steffen’s body measurements and riding needs.
Once Steffen approved the geometry, the construction process started.
Crafting a custom Portofino G frame requires two special ingredients:
- Columbus GB81, a tubeset tailored by the renowned Italian tubing manufacturer to Officina Battaglin’s exact specifications;
- Officina Battaglin’s proprietary lug set, with proprietary oversized lugs designed to fit the oversized Columbus downtube and the oversized straight 1.5″ headtube.
The color dilemma
Initially, Steffen leaned towards a silver-blue solid hue, unsure if Officina Battaglin’s signature cromovelato was the right choice.
But in the end, he couldn’t resist the allure of the shiniest bike finish on Earth.
His final decision was a magnificent light blue cromovelato, reminiscent of Italy’s sky during its prime seasons.
And let’s not forget, the ‘azzurro‘ (light blue) is Italy’s sporting color, worn by Italian national sports teams.
The rich light blue cromovelato gradually transitions to polished chrome near the frame’s base via a chrome filigree crafted through several hours of meticulous handwork.
A full Italian steel gravel bike build
What better way to build up an Italian steel gravel frame than with Italian components?
Steffen opted for Campagnolo’s gravel offering, the 1x Ekar groupset, and the Levante carbon wheels.
The build was completed with a Deda carbon seatpost, Deda carbon handlebar, and a comfortable Selle Italia saddle.
And for that added sparkle, Steffen incorporated a painted-to-match Officina Battaglin stem.
Officina Battaglin Portofino G 2023 No. 15: build specifications
FRAMESET: Officina Battaglin Portofino G 2023 No. 15 of 70
FINISH: Light blue cromovelato (Officina Battaglin Premium Selection)
GROUPSET: Campagnolo Ekar 13-speed
WHEELS: Campagnolo Levante
HANDLEBAR: Deda Superzero
STEM: Officina Battaglin in matching cromovelato finish
SEATPOST: Deda Superzero
Interested in discussing your own steel gravel bike build?
If a custom-made steel bike is what you’re looking for to tackle rougher paths, we can bring your vision to life.
Whether you’re filled with ideas or are seeking inspiration, our tech team can help you create a custom bike that speaks to your style, needs, and aspirations.
Don’t just dream about it – let’s make it happen!
Simply go here and fill out the form to start the conversation about your custom steel gravel bike build.