News · 12 November 2026 · News
Caffè Doppio Cycling chooses the Basso Palta III at Bergasports
Months of comparing, an Italian espresso at the table and finally the perfect match. Caffè Doppio Cycling chose the Basso Palta III at Bergasports: one bike for road, gravel and bikepacking. Eight weeks' delivery? It took three.
One Italian bike. Endless cycling adventures. 🇮🇹
Caffè Doppio Cycling (@caffedoppiocycling) chooses Basso at Bergasports. Months of comparing, endless options and finally the perfect match.
Buying a new road bike sounds simple. Until you know exactly what you want.
From Tuscany to Rome
The rider behind Caffè Doppio Cycling had been riding an aluminium Trek for four years. A fine bike with years left in it. But at around 8,000 kilometres a year, including multi-day bikepacking trips, cycling is much more than a hobby.
In 2025 the journey went through Tuscany for six days. In 2026 came a six-day ride from Verona to Rome. Italy in particular has a special pull: the roads, the landscapes, the mountains and of course the Italian coffee culture.
The search for a new bike started with a practical question: which bike combines fast road rides with gravel and multi-day adventures?
For months, brands, models, specifications and components were compared. Bianchi and Basso quickly rose to the top. But finding the right bike turned out to be about more than specs and prices. A committed specialist mattered too, and he turned out to be closer to home than expected: at Bergasports in Dedemsvaart.
A good espresso, passion and personal advice
The Basso Palta III was in the shop. Ingmar talked enthusiastically about the Italian brand, the bikes and his own experience with road and gravel bikes. Over a freshly made Italian espresso, the conversation went far beyond selling a bike.
What rides will it be used for? What does the bike need to do? And how do you combine speed on the road with gravel and bikepacking? Together all options were discussed: groupset, wheelsets, tyres and configuration.
Through the app, by email or simply at the table: every question got attention. Ingmar thought along, looked things up and called back when needed.
No standard advice, but searching together for the bike that really suits you. That made the difference.
The Basso Palta III: one bike, many adventures
The original plan was to buy a new road bike that could also handle gravel, and keep the Trek for bikepacking. But after the visit to Bergasports it clicked: why shouldn't the new Italian bike come along on bikepacking adventures in Italy too?
The Basso Palta III offered exactly that versatility: a fast gravel racer that can be used for very different rides with different wheel and tyre setups.
- Road: with road tyres and carbon wheels, ready for fast solo rides, long sportives and club rides.
- Gravel: with gravel tyres on a second wheelset, off onto unpaved roads. The Palta III has clearance for tyres up to 50 mm at the rear and 52 mm at the front, depending on the setup.
- Bikepacking: with the right bags and tyre choice, ready for multi-day trips over the most beautiful Italian back roads.
Eight weeks' delivery? It took three
After all the conversations and choices, the bike was ordered with an expected delivery time of eight weeks. After two weeks the phone rang: “Good news! Your bike arrives next week!” The handover was a celebration too: the bike was delivered with enthusiasm, ready for its first kilometres.
From Dedemsvaart to the Stelvio
No sitting still. After four weeks the counter already read 1,450 kilometres: 1,200 on road tyres and 250 on gravel tyres. No less than 600 of those were ridden in Italy:
- The Stelvio: the climb of the legendary pass from Prato.
- Lake Iseo: a beautiful loop together with Massimo.
- Milan and Pavia: through the centre of Milan to Pavia, the start town of Milano–Sanremo.
- Milano–Sanremo: about 300 kilometres over two days, with light luggage and the Cipressa and Poggio as the highlight.
- Social ride in Bassano: on a Wednesday evening with twelve Italian riders, in the area where Basso bikes are made.
More than just cycling
For Caffè Doppio Cycling it is about much more than racking up kilometres. It is about the freedom to discover new places, find the most beautiful roads, stop for a good caffè doppio along the way and meet other cycling enthusiasts.
The Basso Palta III fits that perfectly. And the experience at Bergasports shows that a good bike starts with listening, thinking along and taking the time to make the right choices.
Follow the cycling adventures through the Netherlands, Italy and Europe via @caffedoppiocycling on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Una bici italiana – mille avventure. 🇮🇹
