Cybro’s Alessandro Graser tells Cyclist why custom carbon is the way to go
Words PADDY MADDISON Photography MIKE MASSARO
If you’re ever in need of some sartorial inspiration, pay a visit to northern Italy. This is a part of the world where the average pensioner sipping an espresso outside a cafe is likely to be better dressed than you. Why? Because in northern Italy people understand the importance of a good fit. You don’t have to buy a suit off the peg here; you can have it made to measure by your neighbourhood tailor. It’s custom, and it always yields the best results.
Local framebuilder Alessandro Graser applies the same philosophy to his bikes. These aren’t cookie-cutter frames badged up and held in stock until someone clicks ‘buy now’. Every tube is made to measure, with an open dialogue between buyer and builder throughout the process.
‘We even have our own carbon fibre moulds so the frame geometry can be tailored to a customer’s exact measurements,’ Graser tells Cyclist. ‘It means every bike is unique. Once the customer has it, they will probably be the only person with that bike. It offers a sense of exclusivity.’
Graser’s brand, Cybro, was born in 2019. It produces everything from a single-speed city bike to the range-topping N°07 e-MTB. There are currently seven models in Cybro’s lineup, six of them built around belt-drive Pinion gearboxes, which require less maintenance and can generally run for longer than a traditional chain-and-derailleur system before parts need to be replaced.
‘The story really started with my grandfather,’ says Graser. ‘He was involved with the production of bicycles in Argentina during the Second World War. As a kid, there were always bicycles in my house, so of course I started to play with them, ride them and later work with them myself.’
A portmanteau of ‘cycle’ and ‘bros’ (as in brothers, not the 1980s pop stars), Cybro is the natural evolution of Graser’s work in bike refurbishing, restoration and customisation. With the help of one other artisan, he creates Cybro’s bikes in the small Bassano del Grappa workshop where the brand was conceived.
The Prototype
The bicycle pictured is not one of the seven core models you’ll find listed on the Cybro website. This is something different and experimental. Featuring a raw carbon finish, Sram Red eTap AXS groupset, custom-machined aluminium lugs and aggressive, racy geometry, the Prototype is a lightweight road machine that was cr
