Design Philosophy
Guiding practices at Iride.

Steel + Carbon Fiber
materials together causing synergy

The steel of the bicycle frame behaves with the beneficial aspects of a spring, returning the power put in. Steel also can behave like a musical instrument, ringing with notes. Sometimes this sensation is bad. The damping properties, of the organic plastic nature of carbon fiber composites, enhance the experience of the rider. These two materials, orchestrated in a reasonable sequence, reduce buzz to the rider while retaining the singing metallic sensitivity of the tuned metal.

                                                                                                                   

The Experience
properly spiced

Do you value the Italian experience,
and passionate craftsmanship of fine performance bicycles?

Then you understand.
The rich history of Italian bicycles is an exclusive world.
The passions involved are not suitable for wildly mass produced units.
With Iride, we have refined engineering and elegant hand work calmly deliberately transformed into a seductive high performance machine.

Iride bicycles embody the essence of classic open top sports cars;
straightforward designs bestow riders with the wind-in-your-smile freedom experience of convertibles. Forthright, genuine, direct, simple.

Which of the Models is your favorite?
Experienced riders wanted.

                                                                                                                   

Design Balance
the closest to perfection: traditional+advanced

The design for Iride bicycles embraces a balance of the most advanced technology along with time tested traditional building. These frames utilize the most sophisticated metallurgy; the variable thickness tubes (triple butted) and individually cast lugs are made from the highest quality chromoly steel. These are formed into a frame by one of the most time tested joining methods, hand held flame and bronze, brazing.

Currently all Iride USA frames are made from triple butted Columbus Niobium tubing, hand brazed into investment cast lug joints. A top of the line material from Italy’s best tubing manufacturer, Niobium SL is a special micro alloyed chrome molybdenum niobium steel alloy, employing the latest chemical technology in its refined metallurgy. Niobium steel alloys are also required in rocket and jet engines, and in superconducting equipment like MRI machines. It is the strongest lightest steel possible, meaning that less needs to be used to make the strongest lightest steel bicycle frame possible.

The eyes and hands of an experienced master then use a flame to coax purified brass to flow, securing the joints. You may already know all about the importance of elegantly lugged steel frames.

                                                                                                                   

Lugged Steel
there is a reason

You probably already know, but here's a quick refresher: Where steel is welded, it is heated so high that the metal gets brittle. It's still strong enough to hold together, but that means the remainder of the tube, everything but the very ends, is unnecessarily bulky. A welded frame is carrying around excess weight. Whereas the investment cast lugs of our frames are brazed to the tubes at a lower temperature, preserving the integrity of the steel throughout its length. Resulting in tubes and joints where their full strength can be utilized in a finely tuned and harmonious ensemble.

                                                                                                                   

Growth
then balance

This historically perfected technique and the brilliant craftsmanship put into each frame is gradually grown step by step into a fully formed lust-inspiring instrument. Then the classic machine is formally balanced with the finest high performance componentry made in Italy.

                                                                                                                   

High Performance Focus
high performance is utilitarian

We believe that high performance is essential. Performance drives our design decisions much more than cost or aesthetics.

Iride bicycles are designed for going places. Going easily.

An enormous advantage of riding a very high performance bicycle on the everyday street is that it requires less energy to go fast. You don't need to be a racer, but when it is easier to go faster, you arrive with less perspiration.