Andy and Steve Hampsten - Hampsten Cycles
No flames, no sloping top tube, no disc brakes: "We build it for you to fit, but
we follow our pattern", says Steve Hampsten, who is the core of Hampsten
Cycles together with Giro-winning brother Andy Hampsten. Extremely elegant
road bikes of steel or titanium are made under the boar logoed label. The
Hampsten brothers have been sharing the passion for bicycle racing since
kid's age. While Andy pursued a successful professional racing career, Steve
became a cook and has been building frames for Waterford (match/Paramount really, ed.) later.
In 1999, the first Hampsten bikes saw the light of the world, the popular name of the only
American Giro winner made for the attention needed, the business is run by
Steve Hampsten. Besides the "skinny tired road bikes" of varying tastes, the
brothers are especially known for one model: Strada Bianca. The road bike for
tires up to 35 mm wide has been developed in 2000 for Andy's tours on the
dusty roads of Tuscany, with thinner tires and fenders it brings you dry through
Hampsten Cycles rainy hometown of Seattle or along dirt roads. "Over the
years we really perfected this bike, it's comfortable, versatile - and not
unresembling to a 70s race bike", says Steve Hampsten, who feels verified by
younger models like Treks Domane. The company understands custom
framebuilding as modification of their models to fit the customer's body. This
way, the riding characteristics and the timeless look are preserved.
Gerolf Meyer
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