Bicycles are touted as an environmentally-friendly transport solution for the world’s bustling urban centers, but there is no escaping the ecological harm caused by their manufacture. Especially when they’re produced en masse in vast offshore factories. The scale of custom frame builders remedy this to a certain extent, but John Caletti of Santa Cruz’s Caletti Cycles prides himself on going the extra mile. His bikes, as well as being created with a small a footprint as possible, also look very tidy.
John recycles all the ephemera caused by the workshop, including paper, plastic, cardboard, metal cut-offs and scraps, he reuses packing material, ships by ground (not air), and uses natural light in the workshop where possible. He’s also a member of 1% for the Planet, which donates 1% of sales to environmental causes. Most importantly, John designs and builds bikes that inspire people to ride more and drive less. Sounds like a winning recipe.
A Caletti can come in steel and titanium, and range from road to gravel grinders to cyclocross and mountain bikes— a natural inclusion as Caletti Cycles supports the IMBA and Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz. A steel Caletti Road bike, like the one featured today, is an elegant and robust machine, available in custom geometry, tube selection, color and group set. It’s a good looking and modern interpretation, inspiring enough to make me want to drive less and ride more.
You can enjoy more of John’s handiwork on his website and Facebook page.
