{fig. 149}

I've been in the market for a proper bicycle ever since I moved back to Los Angeles, from Amsterdam. Torn between the utilitarian ease of a vintage single-speed city cycle and the à la mode appeal of a sleek track/fixed gear bike, I've been seated firmly on the fence, unable to take the plunge and make a purchase -- until I recently came across Bertelli Bici. Every Bertelli bicycle is a unique design object -- each part is assembled by hand, finished and fine-tuned by Francesco Bertelli, himself. Bertelli combines brand new parts with "new old stock" and vintage parts found at flea markets, old bike shops, and collectors to create a bicycle that truly is one of a kind.