Custom Pegoretti Duende Rock & Roll

The 'why' of a product always equals the 'what'. In the bike industry, specifically the world of all-terrain drop-bar bikes, we think it's fair to say that in recent years there's been a considerable lack of 'why' in favor of reflexively releasing products solely to meet market demand. So when a bike comes along with a 'why' that began over twenty years ago, we take notice.

The Pegoretti Duende Rock & Roll, the latest frameset to come out of the Veronese brand's fabled Bottega, is a modern evolution of the marque's 'CX' Duende, a frame that first turned the dirt over twenty years ago. This wide-tire, cantilever rim brake-rocking ride has been a niche fixture of the cyclocross scene in Italy and beyond for countless seasons. In many ways, it was the original all-terrain frame, not that Pegoretti called it that. It was simply the best thing for the muddy chaos of cyclocross, for which the brand has always had a close affinity.

And now, with the Duende Rock & Roll, Pegoretti has created a long-awaited spiritual successor to the 'CX', a new design that blends the versatility to ride on any surface with the spirit of Pegoretti's road frames.

The interesting thing about the Rock & Roll is that it's so much more than an all-terrain frame. For one, Pegoretti uses Custom Columbus XCR stainless steel tubing to bring it to life - a rarity in the off-road world. For another, it's svelte in a way few 'gravel' bikes are. In fact, the rear triangle, albeit custom-formed, bears more than a passing resemblance to the brand's Responsorium. And that's key. The Rock & Roll's design is a natural extension of the Pegoretti design language, not an offshoot or outlier.

Other notable areas of interest include the new Piron fork, a Pegoretti-designed carbon fibre fork that describes a single line from the headset to the front hub. Longtime Pegoretti followers may note a visual similarity to the brand's Falz road fork. However, the Piron differs in that it only comes in a single rake of 50mm compared to the Falz's 45 and 50, a rake, Pegoretti notes, that, in combination with the R&R's 72-degree head angle, "best suits the R&R's all-surface nature."

With room for up to 40mm tires, the Duende Rock & Roll certainly has the spread for venturing beyond the road. But optional add-ons like rack mounts and fender mounts suggest an alluring versatility. Is it a road bike, an all-terrain speed machine, a city slicker or a globe-trotting adventure rig? All of the above, and probably a lot more besides.

We'll have a first drop of stock-size Rock & Roll frames with us shortly. At launch, they come with a 'Spaghetti' paint scheme, a new graphic created to celebrate the launch of the R&R. Naturally, as with all Pegoretti models, you can have your pick from custom sizing, a palette of colors that cut across 'surprise me' Ciavete artwork and geometric 'standard' paint schemes.