Pro Quality Carbon Value
The 2009 Wilier Mortirolo was, in our humble opinion, a 2008 Interbike show-stopper. Among a slue of carbon cousins, the 09 Mortirolo offered a new unidirectional carbon cosmetic weave and couture cosmetics worthy of the most elite European pro teams. No other bike currently offered at the Mortirolo's modest price point offers anything nearly as exciting in terms of aesthetics, ride quality, and a legendary name.
Wilier, like almost all the traditional high-end bike manufacturers, has had to deal with the onslaught of mass-produced, assembly line replicas being churned out private label factories. The cookie-cutter approach taken by many brands has commoditized and devalued the bike frame industry in a way never before seen. The result is a perception among consumers that "a bike is just a bike," and that any carbon bike can be or should be had for under $2,000. The worst part of this is that the traditionally prized elements and features of hand crafted frames have been tossed by the wayside as cheaper and cheaper assembly line products which look similar to artisan products become so ubiqutous.
To stay competitive in a world where price trumps quality, craftsmanship, and innovation many frame manufacturers have had to confront a very harsh dilemma: either outsource their production to Asia, Romania, North Africa or other foreign markets, or keep production in house and try to compete in a market where price takes precedence over precision. If not openly stated, the first option will eventually devalue the brand and effectively destroy its historical appeal, while the second option almost certainly means financial ruin. A very few select brands have taken the latter route and still been able to thrive simply because they produce a limited number of high-quality frames for a select audience who still greatly appreciates and understands the craft and virtues of artisan bike frame manufacturing. Into this camp most certainly fall Serotta and Independent Fabrications.
Wilier, on the other hand, seems to have walked a fine line between the alternatives mentioned above. Wilier is able to hand build in-house a select number of bespoke Le Rois as well as build a significant number of their hearty, race-proven scandium, aluminum, and steel framesets for Lampre riders like Alessandro Ballan. As for the Mortirolo, it would be a mistake to assume that this monocoque frameset is manufactured in Italy.
But that's absolutely not a bad thing. Certainly, no one disputes that most Asian carbon frame manufacturing is anything but first-class. Cervelo, Argon18, Time, Pinarello, Look, Colnago--and a fleet of others who would prefer that their outsourcing secrets be kept, well, a secret--certainly don't have any compunctions about some of their products being made in China, Taiwan, Romania, or Morocco. While it may be a bit disingenuous for an Italian brand to still maintain their bikes are 100% handmade in Italy, the consumer should not be overly concerned if their "Italian" frame is made by Topke or Martek. In point of fact, given the astronomical costs of carbon fiber, molds, and labor in the European Union, most of us should rejoice that there is a flourishing frame making business in Asia. Still, buyer beware! Not all outsourced frame production is equal.
Unlike so many other outsourced frames, the Mortirolo is still designed by Wilier in Italy. While Italian hands may not bond the tubes or lay-up the carbon it is still designed by Wilier's core team of Italian craftsmen in the Rossano-Venetto atelier in the heart of norther Italy where Wiliers have been made for 10 decades. The geometry is classical Wilier, meaning that the Mortirolo handles like a Wilier, and that's what counts in a complete bike that retails for under $2,600. Unlike a slue of other outsourced frames, the owner of a Mortirolo can still be proud that this frame has in its bloodline a racing heritage that is unequaled in the history of competitive cycling.