Prova
BOTW: Prova Cycles Speciale Integrale
This Prova Speciale Integrale is the result of a rider-first design philosophy, where every decision serves their experience on the bike.
December 17, 2025
BOTW: PROVA MOSTRO - GRAVEL REFINED
This week we’re looking at another edition of the Prova Mostro Gravel bike. Titanium fork, big wheels, fast tires, and great lines. Intended for fast, efficient riding on smoother gravel roads, the Mostro backs up its striking aesthetics with a ride feel to match. For wheels and rubber we chose Duke’s Baccara WRX Aero 42 built around a set of Chris King ...
October 30, 2025
BOTW: Prova Speciale Integrale in Rivian Blue
A rare sighting...the Prova Speciale Integrale. With Mark Hester building only about 50 frames per year, worldwide, we don’t get to dive into these as much as we’d like. This is an example of how we do it at Above Category. This is more than a titanium frame with a carbon seat tube. For starters, the frame consists of seven titanium tubes, all custo...
February 6, 2025
BOTW: Julius' Pristine Prova Speciale
A Prova is always going to be something special The ultra-talented two-person Australian team produces a very limited, very coveted, amount of frames a year. A scant 35 minute drive from Melbourne, you'll find Mark and Kelly Hester (yes, same last name, brother and sister that get along well enough to work together, wow...) carefully hand-crafting these t...
August 1, 2024
Mick, Trick parts and a Toronto Special - This Prova Mostro Is a Masterpiece
This week's featured build is a feast for the senses. But cast your eyes over the Form Throne saddle on this stunning Prova Mostro for one moment—a camouflaged Form saddle courtesy of bespoke leatherworker Mick at Busyman Cycles in Australia, all perforations of color like pulsing waves of sonic bliss. It's the sort of simple detail that makes us want to ...
November 9, 2023
BOTW: A Mint Green Prova Speciale
In this edition of BOTW, we have a Prova Speciale with what, on first pass, might seem like a simple mint green paint scheme. However, note the pinkish hues scattered around the reimagined Prova logo - according to our paint partners, Velocolour, who brought the client's color vision to life, these textural embellishments alone were exceptionally challeng...
August 23, 2023
BOTW: Jose's Prova Mostro-Monza
You'd think that after building so many custom bikes, the process might become a blur. I guess for some people, it could go that way. But we've found that when we commit to bringing someone's dream bike to life, there's a process of continual learning and a curiosity that compels us to see each build through a different lens. And that's an endlessly fasci...
April 21, 2023
BOTW: A Hockenheim Silver Prova Speciale
This week we have the pleasure of presenting this stunning Prova Speciale finished in one of our favorite colors, Hockenheim Silver. Frameset: Prova Speciale Group: Campagnolo Super Record EPS Power Meter: Garmin Rally RS200 Wheels: Lightweight Obermayer Tires: Continental GP5000 Saddle: Fizik Antares 00 finished by Busyman Ceramic: Ceramicspeed coated ...
October 17, 2022
Across the Pond: A Visit to Bespoked
Bespoked, a celebration of handmade bicycles and the people that make them popped up in London this past weekend, and AC's Pete was on the ground to visit on our behalf. Naturally, our interest took a sharp turn towards Prova and Mosaic, who were displaying at the show, but there was lots to see from the other makers, too. The show took place in the cente...
December 21, 2021
12 Days of Breathtaking Builds 2021: Day 10 - A Root Beer Teal Prova
On day ten we see yet another Prova masterpiece: a titanium Speciale sporting rim brakes and mechanical shifting, topped off with a unique two-tone anodized finish. "When building this bike for the shop, I took it as an opportunity to build my dream rim-brake road bike. I've absolutely loved Mark Herster's work ever since Prova popped on our radar and ...
December 15, 2021
12 Days of Breathtaking Builds 2021: Day 3 - A Deep Blue Prova Speciale
On the third day of our round up, our founder, Chad, has voted in the first Prova on the list. This titanium road bike is an absolute stunner, featuring a deep metallic blue paint on top of high polished titanium. "It's so hard to pick just two of my favorite bikes of 2021. But I had to, and this had to be one of them. This was one of the first builds...
August 26, 2021
Bike of the Week: A Root Beer-Teal Ti Prova Speciale
Titanium, rim brakes and mechanical shifting often conjure up the idea of a "grandpa" bike, but that couldn't be further from the case with today's featured build. Not when that titanium is mated with custom 3D printed junctions and dropouts, the carbon seat mast is hand-wrapped, and the whole enchilada is wrapped up with a two-tone anodized finish. Yep, ...
May 20, 2021
Bike of the Week: A Brawn, Bare, and Beautiful Prova Mostro
Titanium loving dirt riders rejoice. Today we've got one hell of a build in store for you. A remarkable Prova Mostro sporting a bare titanium finished and a killer build ready speed over the dirt no matter how rough it gets. Follow along to check out the details of this hand crafted work of art. A Mostro in the Nude If you've ever spent time up close and...
April 15, 2021
Bike of the Week: A Deep Blue Titanium Prova Speciale
We've been on a steady stream of fancy futuristic carbon bikes but make no mistake, it's the metal bikes that we hold closest to our hearts. This week we are are beyond excited to showcase one of the finest custom metal bikes we've built yet—a deep blue titanium Prova Speciale. It's got round tubes and rim brakes which neatly juxtapose against futuristic ...
December 23, 2020
12 Days of Breathtaking Builds—Day 11: A Purple Fade Rim Brake Racer
Taking the second step on the podium lands this purple faded anodized Prova Speciale. It's like everything great about early 90s mountain bikes reimagined in a bespoke road racer. We love absolutely everything about this bike, and apparently so do you! Like its racing green brethren, this Prova is fully dressed in Campagolo Super Record EPS and a Black ...
December 19, 2020
12 Days of Breathtaking Builds—Day 7: A Racing Green Prova Speciale
On the seventh day of breathtaking builds, the voters have selected this incredible Prova Speciale. Nothing says class like British racing green, and it looks especially right when paired with the high polished titanium. The build is complete with nothing less but a Campagnolo Super Record EPS group full of Ceramicspeed upgrades. It rolls on a custom l...
December 14, 2020
12 Days of Breathtaking Builds - Day 2: A Color Striped Titanium Prova Speciale
On day number two, the eleventh build on our list, we see a shift from Italian carbon to Australian titanium. An absolutely gorgeous Prova Speciale, made extra special thanks to the custom paint job by Vélocolour. As if the paint wasn't enough, the build kit really sings on its own. A mechanical Campagnolo Super Record drivetrain paired with Lightweight M...
November 6, 2020
Bike of the Week: A Color Striped Titanium Prova Speciale
An Australian frame, Canadian paint job, Italian drivetrain, German wheels, an American cockpit, Danish bearings... We covered the globe sourcing all the perfect pieces to bring this build to life and we're excited to share it in all of its collective beauty. Read on as we dive into the details of this color striped titanium Prova Speciale. The Frame and...
October 15, 2020
Bike of the Week: A Golden Green Trial Blazing Prova Ti Ripido
Fact—nothing rivals the freeing feeling of flying down a perfect stretch of single track on a buttery smooth titanium hardtail. That said, not all ti mountain bikes are created equal, and very few rival not only the performance but the beauty of a Prova Ripido. Today we share an exceptionally stunning example. Built for aggressive all-mountain riding with...
September 17, 2020
Bike of the Week: A Pair of Ti Provas Part 2 - A Purple Fade Rim Brake Racer
Happy Friday everyone and welcome to the second installment on this incredible pair of titanium Prova Speciale builds. Last week we showcased the green disc build which means it's time to feature it's anodized rim brake counterpart. While there are many details the bikes share in common, they're still both very much their own beasts. Both are constructe...
September 10, 2020
Bike of the Week: A Pair of Ti Provas Part 1 - A Racing Green Disc Machine
We're excited to bring you all a special treat. A double feature of two custom Provas. The first titanium Speciales to grace our workshop. They share much in common, but are uniquely their one. One painted, one anodized. One disc, one rim. Equally stunning in their own right. Kicking the party off, we'll drive our focus at the disc brake variant of the tw...
May 21, 2020
Bike of the Week: An Australian Steel All-Roader
Every day we get to unveil a new Prova Cycles build is a great day, and today is certainly no exception. Our latest is this blue steel all-road beauty, ready to take on the terrain of the San Francisco Bay area and beyond—be it paved or not. Let's dive into the details of the stunning Australian built machine. The Molti is Prova's all-road platform, sit...
May 14, 2020
Bike of the Week: A Black and Bourbon Prova Speciale
This week we unveil a bike that Johnny Cash himself would've approved of. It's metal, dressed in black, and knows the value of fine whiskey - a stainless steel Prova Speciale, built in Australia for the Marin County tarmac. There might not be much room to carry a guitar, but this bike is certainly ready for life on the road. Part of the magic of a Prova...
December 21, 2019
Twelve Days of Breathtaking Builds—Day 9: Chad's Prova Speciale
There's no way we could keep this bike off the list! As we move a long to day nine, we share this phenomenal Prova Speciale. Simple and elegant on the eyes, but make no mistake—this is one of the most technologically advanced bikes we've built. Hand built in Australia, with and exquisitely machined head tube, stainless steel tubing, 3D printed lugs, dropo...