AVVENTURO X TONJIN BOLIVIA

https://www.avventuro.it/en/mapshare

Starting from Coipasa, Bolivia, we will ride approximately 800 km to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, crossing the Bolivian Andean Plateau, the vast Salar de Uyuni, Laguna Colorada, and the surreal landscapes of the Salvador Dalí Desert.

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The expedition will take place almost entirely at high altitude, between 3,600 and 4,900 metres above sea level, before descending only in its final stages to San Pedro de Atacama, at approximately 2,400 metres.

We will travel in complete self-sufficiency, carrying everything required to survive and document the journey: bikepacking gear, technical equipment, camping essentials, and professional photography and filmmaking equipment. For most of the expedition, we will sleep outdoors in the heart of the austral winter, facing extreme environmental conditions, with temperatures ranging from 15°C during the day to as low as −15°C at night.

For us, this journey represents far more than a sporting challenge.

It is an experience of slow, immersive exploration; a way of experiencing some of the world's most extreme landscapes through resilience, silence, isolation, and a deep connection with the natural world.

FROM ATHLETES CHASING PERFORMANCE
TO EXPLORERS SEEKING EXPERIENCE

For many years, our lives were measured by numbers. Kilometers. Watts. Heart rate. Rankings. Results. We devoted much of our youth to elite-level racing, chasing goals, performance, and sporting dreams. Every training session had a clear purpose. Every race had a result to achieve. Every sacrifice was made in pursuit of a goal. It was an extraordinary journey that taught us discipline, determination, humility, and respect.

Then, one day, that chapter of our lives came to an end. And we found ourselves facing a simple question:

What happens when a racing career is over?

Many athletes keep competing. They continue chasing another number, another ranking, another stopwatch to beat. We chose a different path. Not because we had stopped loving sport. Not because we had lost our competitive spirit. But because something new had begun to grow inside us. A desire to explore.

AVVENTURO was born from that desire.

It wasn't created to go faster.

It was created to go farther.

It was born from the belief that travel is not an escape, but a way of discovering the world.

From the conviction that the bike itself matters, but what truly matters is the experience it allows us to live.

That is why we share our journeys by bicycle, but also our adventures by motorcycle, on foot, and on skis, through photography and short stories.

Because, to us, adventure has never been about the means of travel. It is a way of looking at the world.

We stopped chasing the time record.

We started chasing the horizon.

And somewhere along that road, AVVENTURO was born.

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SPECIAL THINGS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY SPECIAL PEOPLE

To everyone who contributed to this project, supported it, and believed in it, we offer our heartfelt thanks. A part of every one of you will travel with us on this journey.

EVERY INNOVATION STARTS WITH A REAL NEED

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ost bicycles begin with a list of technical specifications.

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Avventuro was born differently. It was born out there.

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Ride after ride. Kilometer after kilometer. By crossing some of the world's most remote and demanding landscapes, we learned to recognize the real needs of those who choose to travel beyond their comfort zone, where a bicycle must be the most reliable companion you can count on. Every technical decision is the answer to a real challenge we encountered out there. We didn't pursue innovation simply for the sake of being different. Instead, we focused on simple, practical, and dependable solutions that make it easier to face the challenges every bicycle journey inevitably brings.

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Because we believe that innovation only has value when it solves a real problem.

Below, you'll find the thinking behind every technical decision that shaped the AVVENTURO frame.

EVOCATIVE GRAPHICS

T

he frame graphics are more than just aesthetic details. They are a tribute to great two-wheeles expeditions and the spirit of exploration. Inspired by the route of our journey across Bolivia and Chile, the landscapes we crossed, and the adventure that shaped every design decision, they tell the story of where this bicycle truly comes from.

During our crossing of Iceland, we rode hundreds of kilometres across volcanic tracks, black sand, gravel roads, river crossings, and vast highlands on modern gravel bikes equipped with 700×50 mm (29" × 2.0") tyres. Those bicycles carried us all the way to the end of the journey and proved to be exceptional companions. But they also revealed their limitations. In the deepest sand, the tyres tended to sink. Progress became slower, every pedal stroke demanded more effort, and in some sections we had no choice but to get off and push. It wasn't a flaw in the bicycles. It was simply the limit of a platform designed with different priorities. That experience led us to a simple question:

If we were to design a bicycle exclusively for long-distance expeditions, what would we change?

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Avventuro is our answer to that question.

The choice of 32-inch wheels lies at the very heart of the project. The goal was never to build a bicycle that was different for the sake of being different. It was to improve what our own journeys had revealed as a real limitation. A larger wheel rolls over obstacles at a shallower attack angle, carries momentum more efficiently across rough terrain, and provides greater stability when the bike is fully loaded. By pairing FSA 32-inch wheels with a 30 mm internal rim width and Vittoria Peyote 32" × 2.4" tyres, we also achieve a significantly larger air volume than a conventional 29-inch wheel. This combination allows lower tyre pressures, increasing comfort, grip, and the tyre's ability to conform to the terrain. On demanding surfaces such as deep sand or loose gravel, the larger contact patch helps distribute the bike's weight more effectively, reducing the tendency to sink while improving traction. On an expedition that lasts weeks, this translates into less physical fatigue at the end of each day, and more energy to face the one that follows.

Every expedition is different. Every journey demands a different setup. That is why the frame was designed to offer maximum versatility. The carbon fork features four mounting points on each leg, allowing the installation of cargo cages or front racks. The frame is also designed to accommodate a dedicated rear rack, developed specifically for the Avventuro platform, along with multiple mounting points for bags and accessories. The goal is not to carry more. It is to carry better. By distributing the load more efficiently, the bicycle can be adapted to the specific demands of every expedition.

The goal was never to build the lightest frame. The goal was to build one you could trust, even after thousands of kilometres. That is why we chose steel. Steel offers a naturally compliant ride, enhancing comfort during long days off-road. It provides excellent fatigue resistance, exceptional durability, and, if the unexpected happens, remains one of the easiest frame materials to repair—even during expeditions in remote parts of the world. For a bicycle designed to cross some of the planet's most isolated landscapes, reliability and longevity matter far more than saving the last few grams. The bike is paired with a BLKTEC carbon fork, designed with generous tyre clearance and compatible with standard cargo cage mounts. It delivers the ideal balance of strength, functionality, and low weight.

When you spend eight or ten hours a day in the saddle, comfort is no longer a luxury. It becomes essential. That is why we chose to improve comfort throughout the entire project, rather than relying on a single component. The large wheels work together with high-volume tyres. The steel frame helps absorb a significant amount of trail vibration. We also selected a 27.2 mm FSA KFX full-carbon seatpost, as its smaller diameter allows for greater controlled flex than larger seatposts, further enhancing comfort over long distances.

The result is a simple, reliable, fully rigid platform capable of filtering much of the roughness of the terrain without the complexity of suspension. We deliberately chose this solution because a rigid fork reduces weight, requires less maintenance, and preserves pedalling efficiency, while still delivering a remarkably comfortable ride through the combined performance of the frame, wheels, and tyres.

The same philosophy guided our choice of saddle.

We selected the Selle Italia SLR Endurance, designed specifically to provide outstanding comfort on the longest rides. Its dedicated padding, enhanced with strategically placed gel inserts, and its ergonomic profile help reduce fatigue, allowing the rider to maintain a natural riding position even after many hours in the saddle.

MOUNTAIN BIKE STANDARD

Expeditions put every component of a bicycle under extreme stress. That is why we chose to adopt the most robust standards developed by the mountain bike industry over the past few years. We had no intention of reinventing existing standards. We simply wanted to choose the ones that offer the best balance of strength, reliability, and worldwide availability of replacement parts.

A bicycle designed to accommodate high-volume tyres requires additional clearance around the drivetrain. The 55 mm chainline, inherited from the mountain bike world, provides the space needed while maintaining a robust system engineered to withstand demanding conditions. Our choice of the SRAM GX Eagle AXS drivetrain was therefore not driven by the pursuit of maximum sporting performance, but by the desire to use components designed to handle heavy loads, long distances, and the harsh conditions that define true expedition riding.

BOOST AXLES

We chose STEP Solution Boost thru-axles because they represent one of the strongest and most reliable standards available today. The bike uses a 110 × 15 mm front and 148 × 12 mm rear Boost spacing. The increased hub width improves wheel geometry, resulting in greater lateral stiffness and a higher load-carrying capacity. When a bicycle is carrying dozens of kilograms of equipment across thousands of kilometres of rough terrain, these advantages translate into greater reliability and long-term durability for the entire system.

This decision was also driven by a very practical need:

To reduce the number of critical components.

The Full Mount system eliminates the traditional derailleur hanger as a structural part of the drivetrain. Instead, the rear derailleur is mounted directly to the frame, creating a stronger interface while reducing the number of components that can be damaged in the event of an impact. By eliminating the derailleur hanger, one of the most vulnerable parts of a conventional drivetrain is removed—one that can bend or break when the bike takes a hit. At the same time, the frame retains excellent drivetrain compatibility through the UDH standard, offering greater flexibility when choosing a drivetrain and making replacement parts easier to source wherever the journey leads.

Long-distance expeditions place just as much demand on the braking system. Large-diameter wheels, high-volume tyres, heavy loads, and long mountain descents all require braking that is powerful, consistent, and dependable.

That is why Avventuro was designed from the outset to use 180 mm rotors, both front and rear. The larger rotor diameter increases braking leverage, improves heat dissipation, and delivers more consistent braking performance when the bike is fully loaded or tackling long descents. We also chose the Flat Mount standard, which allows for a cleaner and more integrated interface between the frame, fork, and brake calipers. The result is a more refined and minimalist design without compromising braking performance.

Modern expeditions demand a bicycle that brings together the strengths of different worlds. The robustness, control, and confidence to tackle any terrain come from mountain biking. Long-distance efficiency, on the other hand, comes from the drop handlebar. After many hours in the saddle, the ability to change hand positions reduces fatigue and significantly improves comfort. We chose the FSA K-Force AGX handlebar with 50 mm of flare, paired with a short FSA KFX -12° stem. The drop handlebar provides a more compact and aerodynamic riding position when headwinds become a decisive factor, while the wide flare enhances control on rough terrain. The short stem delivers quicker, more responsive steering. The result is a platform that combines the best of both worlds: the control and confidence of a mountain bike with the efficiency of a drop-bar adventure bike.

The front end of a bicycle plays a crucial role in steering precision, reliability, and overall design. That is why we chose an FSA Integrated System (IS) headset, where the bearings sit directly in precision-machined seats within the frame, eliminating the need for pressed bearing cups.

This solution reduces the number of components, simplifies maintenance, and contributes to a cleaner, more refined design. The head tube also features a tapered configuration, with a 1⅛-inch upper bearing and a 1½-inch lower bearing.

The larger lower bearing increases front-end stiffness, improving steering precision and control, particularly when the bicycle is fully loaded or tackling demanding terrain.

The cable routing follows the same philosophy that guided every aspect of the project. We chose a semi-integrated cable routing system. The cables enter the frame directly at the head tube, leaving the front triangle completely free from external housing. The result is a cleaner design while protecting both the frame and the cables from abrasion caused by frame bags. At the same time, the cables do not pass through the headset, making routine maintenance, housing replacement, and fork removal significantly simpler. Sometimes, the best solution is not the most complex one, but the one that makes the bicycle easier to live with, day after day, expedition after expedition.

Daylight does not always last as long as the journey. On an expedition, you may find yourself setting up camp after sunset, riding the final kilometres in fading light, or simply continuing because the journey demands it. That is why we chose to equip Avventuro with a Magicshine lighting system, featuring the EVO 1700 UT front light and the SEEMEE 400 rear light. A combination designed to deliver powerful, reliable illumination and outstanding visibility, enhancing safety whenever the journey continues beyond the last light of day.