Replacing the 8:30 AM (another name inspried by a Zappa tune) in 2006, Pegoretti's Love #3 is a scandium rendering of the Marcelo. Being aluminium, Dario considers the Love #3 to be a mercenary frameset of sorts -- it's a "pure race bike" that "50% of the people want, and 70% of them don't need." The oversized chainstays (30mm) and large diameter main tubes of Columbus XLR8 are custom drawn to Dario's specifications. The tubes are relatively thick-walled, in deference to Dario's concern with the ride quality and longevity of his frames rather than with a mindless quest to shave grams (though, at 1225g in the 54cm frame, we were able to break the UCI's weight limit without breaking a sweat). As usual, the attention to detail is mind blowing.

Beautiful as it is, the Love #3 is well suited for hard riding and racing. Owners report that, unlike any other alloy frame they have known, the Love #3 has a Marcelo-like ride: smooth, comfortable, predictable on descents and very fast. All exactly what you would expect in a race specific frame.

From his super-human welds and museum quality finish to the frame's aggressive stance everything is a bespoke reflection of the artist's vision. The Love #3 features a unique removable derailleur hanger bolted to oversized, hooded alloy dropouts. It uses an Italian threaded bottom bracket, a 31.0 seatpost and a standard 1 1/8" headset. The Love #3 comes with a Falz fork and is available by special order, only. This means a couple of things: first, expect delivery to take at least 7 to nine months and, second, the odds of one just "showing up" in your size are as near to zero as doesn't matter. If you have made the very sensible decision to own a Love #3 (or any Pegoretti other than a Marcelo or Duende), then place the order or plan on doing without.

Scandium (in this case) is Columbus' superb aluminium alloyed with zinc and magnesium, then "doped" with scandium and zirconium. This improves its weldability and its resistance to heat-induced fatigue. This results in a longer-lived frame since it minimizes the impact of the welding heat on the material. Columbus' XLR8R scandium allows Pegoretti to shave substantial weight: a size 54cm frame will come in at 1225g. Not exactly ethereal, but reasonably light. Columbus also went to great lengths to maximize XLR8R's vibration damping when compared to other aluminum alloys.

Features and Information

Why 'Love #3'? Because even intellectuals fall in love at least three times in their life

'Feels like riding a book,' said one of Dario's friends after testing the frame

Columbus Scandium tubes, TIG Welded construction

Non-tapered chain stays and seat stays

CNC-Machined dropouts

The frame is light. Its ride is similar to that of a steel frame fast, reactive and comfortable. It absorbs road shock like no other aluminum frame.

31.0 Seatpost, 35.0 Front Derailleur

COLUMBUS XLR8R TUBING

The alloy used for the XLR8R represents the most recent product at the top of the Columbus range together with Starship. This is a sophisticated development of the 7000 Al-Zn-Mg, which through the addition of Zirconium (element used in nuclear reactors, to give an example of just one of its uses), achieving highly superior mechanical and resistance characteristics. The zirconium modifies the kinetics of the intermetallic composites in the matrix during the precipitation stage, conferring a very fine grain to the structure. In practical terms this means:

For an idea of this alloy’s degree of sophistication, consider that it is produced in a controlled environment (i.e. the equipment is meticulously cleaned before and after processing to avoid contamination by other components), and that heat treatment and filler materials were developed specifically for the welding.