| After ten years with Ambrosio, Dedioniggi ventured off | | | | know they still take pride in their parts. |
| on his own to set up a company he called Tecnologia | | | | Of course, taking pride in your parts is easy when you |
| del Tubo Torinese which translates to Turin Tube | | | | go above and beyond the call of duty for superior |
| Technology. Say that three times fast. Yeah, just | | | | design and overboard testing for strength and |
| calling this company 3T, or Triple T, is much faster and | | | | durability. To quote their website, "(3T) components are |
| more efficient. | | | | engineered for strength through a systemic |
| Equipped with just amazing talent, one helper and a | | | | understanding of stresses and careful optimization of |
| manual tube bending machine, Dedioniggi found himself | | | | structural design and composite-materials lay-up." |
| a three room warehouse in the Northern Italian city of | | | | Evidently that is the key to longer lasting and stronger |
| Turin, and went to work. Maybe it was because he | | | | components. |
| was an innovator, perhaps it was because the tube | | | | 3T also tests its components to the nth degree. They |
| bending machine was manual; one way or the other, | | | | literally test everything to destruction. That way you |
| Dedioniggi quickly moved from bending steel to bending | | | | know when you are putting out tremendous pressure |
| aluminum alloys. Until this breakthrough, made by our | | | | on your bike during a sprint or a climb, your 3T cycling |
| hero Dedioniggi, bike parts were made from lightweight | | | | parts won't bend or break under pressure. |
| steel. Even lightweight steel isn't nearly as lightweight | | | | From innovation to innovation, 3T has survived and |
| as aluminum. And there is no loss of strength so the | | | | thrived to this day, when many other Italian born |
| bicycle workings made by 3T were equally as durable, | | | | companies are falling wayward. There was a close |
| and significantly lighter in weight, than anything that had | | | | call in 2007, but with a little moxie, the company |
| come before it. Yeah, this guy got some notice, fast. | | | | explored why they had gotten off track. It turns out |
| Dedioniggi changed the cycling industry with these new | | | | they needed to start each product design with a clean |
| fangled aluminum alloy handlebars, stems and seat | | | | start and refocus on superior engineering practices. |
| pillars. In fact, the world's first Ergal handlebar came out | | | | You know, just like the founder, Dedioniggi, did. 3T |
| in 1975. (Ergal = AL7075 Aluminum) It was called the | | | | stepped up to hire Richard McAinsh who had been an |
| Superleggero and weighed in at 240 grams which | | | | innovator with Ferrari's F1 design team. His fresh new |
| was significantly less than anything that had come | | | | perspectives have amplified the already superior |
| before it. Over 30 years later, the Superleggero is still | | | | quality by using highly developed software and an |
| well regarded in the cycling industry. | | | | advanced design platform, as well as a relationship |
| Surprisingly though, it took 24 years and change in | | | | with the aspects involved in airframe and race car |
| ownership for the innovations of 3T to be recognized | | | | design. The quality that 3T was founded on came |
| by the International Design Award committee. Happily | | | | back in full force and took the company even further. |
| that award didn't go to their heads, they have always | | | | Now with a focus on carbon composites and |
| and will always be renowned for offering their | | | | aerodynamics, 3T is pushing the envelope for the |
| customers more, including a five year owner's | | | | lightest weight and most aerodynamic while still |
| warranty on all their parts. That is a first in the cycling | | | | keeping safety at the heart of their product design. |
| industry and remains an incredible warranty. It's nice to | | | | |