The noise of the wind through the olive trees, the sweet aroma of almond flowers and the wheat fields that seem to disappear onto the horizon as you look at them: welcome to Serradifalco (Caltanissetta) right in the heart of Sicily, where the Montante bicycle originates from. One of the most exceptional products in the industry’s international arena; thanks to its 1930s design updated with modern characteristics, the craftsmanship that makes it a unique item, the fact that it can be customised by the client and the almost meticulous attention to detail. In 1926 it was Calogero Montante’s revolutionary idea that gave rise to a small miracle of sorts, to supply the whole of Southern Italy from remote Sicily. Nowadays the helm is firmly in the hands of Antonella Nigro, sole administrator of Montante Cicli who aims to consolidate the positions acquired on foreign markets and create new ones, clearly aware of the fact that the winning card lies in tradition. We asked her about the company’s strong points and what challenges lie ahead.

Mrs Nigro, what made you a big name in the industry?

Undoubtedly the craftsmanship of our product handed down over the years that has remained unchanged. This is what allowed us to focus on excellence. Each one of our products has a serial number stamped onto the frame that refers to a personal card with all the personal details of the client who purchased it, making it a unique item. Everything is handmade, even the saddles are made here in our factory and sewn one by one.

How important are foreign markets to you?

Foreign markets are of fundamental importance to us because 60% of our turnover comes from them. We can be found almost anywhere in the world and in certain markets we have had surprising results.

Where have you had these surprising results?

The Far Eastern markets somehow produce the best results. We can be found in Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Korea as well as all the other countries in the area. On the other side of the world, Brazil is another market that has proved surprising and is very dynamic.

How much tradition is there in the bicycles you offer your clients nowadays?

Everything stems from tradition. We have photographic evidence and highly valuable designs left by the founder Calogero, from which we have extracted the 1930s style, the “rod” brake and the unusual bend in the handlebars that we re-adapted with a modern twist.

What lies ahead for Montante bicycles?

We opened a Showroom in Oslo just a few weeks ago, so we are focusing on north European markets.

Generally speaking, we plan to consolidate our presence on small markets too.

While Antonella tells us about their projects for the future it seems almost as though we can see Calogero on the saddle of his bicycle heading towards new frontiers.