Tucked away in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin is a shop called Cicli Berlinetta, and it’s more of a temple to the racing bicycle than a shop. It’s Bregan Koenigseker’s local shop and he dropped in to take some photos for the readers of The Spoken.
“Cicli Berlinetta is a bike shop in the Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin, specializing in traditional steel racing bicycles. Founder Dustin Nordhus opened up shop eleven years ago, but soon outgrew the original location, and moved to the larger shop at Schönfließer Straße 19.
“Dustin started over 15 years ago as an avid bike collector, particularly favoring Italian steel bikes. His passion is for Italian steel frames by the likes of Casati, Legnano, Colnago, Coppi, Olmo, Tomassini, and others, but also for the history of road racing.
“Dustin is a virtual encyclopedia on the subject, and his shop is often visited by former pros whose bikes can be seen lining the walls.
“Dustin also stocks a nice selection of vintage cycling clothing, from handmade Italian leather cycling shoes to classic wool jerseys, and cycling caps both new and old.
“Needless to say the store also carries lights, pedal straps, water bottles, and lots of stuff you would expect to find in a racing shop, plus a seemingly endless collection of books, photos, art, knick-knacks, and souvenirs from great races gone by.
“For many years, Dustin carved himself this niche by remaining true to the style of the golden era, while making a name for himself among the shops and frame builders of northern Italy who have long supported his ‘hobby’, which at one time was looked on as quite eccentric.
“By continually stopping by looking for treasures, he became known by some as ‘the garbage man’, taking away the frames and parts they considered no longer sellable.
“Today, Dustin and his team still breathe new life into old used bikes and frame sets, stripping them back to pieces, cleaning everything, replacing worn and tired parts, and reassembling the components to create stylish bicycles with the flair and panache of the past.
“Cicli Berlinetta also offers custom, hand-built frames, each one a unique creation, from exactly which tube set, geometry, fork, drilling for brake fitment, concealed cable routing, custom paintwork, etc. The frames are produced nearby, about 2 hours north of the city, by hand in a small workshop.
Cicli Berlinetta Website | Facebook | Instagram
Special thanks to Bregan Koenigseker for the words and photos. Next time you’re in Berlin, be sure to swing past Cicli Berlinetta and say hi to Dustin.