Giuseppe Marinoni, nicknamed “Pepe”, is one of the most famous bicycle frame manufacturers in North America. After immigrating to Canada from Italy in the 1960s, he founded a family business called Cycles Marinoni in 1974, which now operates in Montreal with his wife Simonne and son Paolo.
In an interview with Cyclingnews, Marinani talked about the joy and satisfaction of breaking the hourly record in the 1980s, starting a family business and manufacturing durable steel bicycles.
Marinani, 84, has built more than 40,000 bicycles in the past 50 years. Although many people would say that he has perfected his craft, he says he is still learning.
Marinoni said: “It is difficult to know the exact number, but I estimate that in busy times, we will make 2,000 bicycles a year.”
He has created masterpieces for some of the most watched athletes from the United States and Canada, including Connie Carpenter-Phinney, Andy Hampsten, Steve Ball ( Steve Bauer, Pierre Harvey, Gordon Singleton and the Frenchman YavéCahard.
Most people who have seen the video and photos of Carpenter-Phinney’s road race victory at the 1984 Olympics remember her celebrating the gold medal performance while riding Raleigh. Marinoni said he made Carpenter-Phinney’s bicycles and painted them under the Raleigh brand.
“I made bicycles for many of the best racers,” Marinoni said. When asked if the Carpenter-Phinney road bike was made for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he said: “Yes, I did. In that period, the bikes used by the team were not bikes previously manufactured on the assembly line. It was originally Raleigh brand, but it’s a Marineni frame. In fact, all Raleigh members of the U.S. Olympic team rode Marineni bikes in 1984.”
Marineni broke the hourly record for the age group twice, ranking first in the 75-79 group in 2012. He currently holds an 80-84 class hour record at 39.004 kilometers from the Mattamy National Bike Center in Milton, Ontario in 2017.
He said that he actually doesn’t like training unless it is for special training such as “hour record”.
“I don’t train. I hate training. I train when I have specific goals. For example, last year, I received twice my age training on my birthday. We were supposed to ride 166 kilometers, but in the end, It was stretched 170 kilometers at an average speed of 30 kilometers per hour due to a road closed that day.”
“When I was doing the “hour record” training, I was doing interval training and there was a coach following me. When I ride, I usually walk at least 80 kilometers, so it’s worth it. I usually ride from home, Because it’s more efficient than not driving. I don’t like riding a bicycle. But, I know that at my age, if I stop, I will never be able to get back to the original shape.”
Marineni riding a bicycle was made for the late Jocelyn Lovell more than 40 years ago. This is his work. In 1983, Lovell was hit by a truck during training and was quadriplegic.
“For each [hour record], I rode a bike made for Jocelyn Lovell in 1978. When he first used the bike, he won the Canadian championship with his best time at 28. Then, he won the championship. In 1978, the Commonwealth Games and [Track] World Championships (in Munich) won a silver medal. A few years later, he returned it to me and asked me to teach him how to make bicycles. This was accepted by me, and he started to make his bicycle. His own bicycle.” Marinoni said.
“I’m proud of that bike, and the frame has something I particularly like. I think this is the best bike in the world. It’s a bit too big for me, but it doesn’t matter. If I try to fall down Of course, another hour record will still be kept on this bike.
“I should also mention that only two cyclists broke the hourly record with their own bicycles-me and Graeme Obree.”
When asked if he is considering breaking the “hour record” of the 85-89 category, Marineni said: “Yes, although I am now a little uncertain about the status of the pandemic as a whole. Me and the person above us [神] Talk to him and ask him if I can make that record, but he didn’t answer. I think he is busy dealing with COVID right now.”
Marinani was born in Bergamo, Italy in 1937 and has been a part of his life since the age of 17. He became the champion of Lombardy at the age of 20, but he gave up the sport and joined the army the following year.
Marinoni said: “I participated in a competition, but not many times.” After participating in the army for a year and a half, I came back, but because I was no longer strong, I stopped participating in the competition. I have seen doctors and they don’t understand why. They even told me it was just in my mind. Sadly, I withdrew from the competition for two years.
“After that period, I felt nostalgic and started riding again. I won several races. One of the races included two stages at Circuit de Mines in France. Many years later, in Canada, I trained A cyclist with mononucleosis knows that this is what happened to me in Italy.”
Marineni arrived in Quebec as a 27-year-old cyclist in 1965. He won the Saguenay Lac St-Jean Tour in 1966 and won the Quebec-Montreal championship twice (1966 and 1968). , Twice won the Longsjo Classic in Fitchburg (1967 and 1972).
He retired from cycling and settled in Quebec in 1972. Before meeting the now-famous steel frame welder Mario Rossin, he worked as a tailor, the company was one of the five co-founders of the Rossin brand, and introduced him to the world about the appearance of the bicycle frame in his workshop in Italy.
“After living in Canada for two years, I had a bicycle and the front tube broke, but I couldn’t find anyone to repair it here. I think the idea of ​​making a bicycle started from then. I think I am, one day, I will build one day.” Marinoni said. “I was fortunate enough to meet Mario Rossin. Fortunately, he invited me to his workshop to learn how to make bicycles. After a week in his workshop, he told me,’Well, you have seen enough No. You don’t know. “You don’t have to make the bike exactly the way I did, but in the end, you have to get the same result. “So I developed my own method.”
With 40,000 bicycles 47 years later, Cycles Marinoni is one of the most famous bicycle manufacturers in Canada, and some are said to be the earliest bicycle manufacturers.
“I’m still building the frame,” Marinoni said. “Although not as many as in the past, I will still do it. Steel bicycle frames are not as popular as before. I still make about 20 steel bicycle frames every year. The technology is always the same. Nevertheless, I am not as popular. As far as possible to this day, my technology is still improving.
“This may be my last year of making bicycles, who knows… I am also very lucky to have my wife Simone in this business from the first day. Without her company, I would not succeed. . My son Paolo has also been involved in this business for more than 30 years.”
Marinoni is the subject of a complete film entitled Marineni: Fire in the Frame (2014) by Montreal film producer Tony Girardin, which records his daily life as a frame maker in his Montreal studio. Marineni’s quirky personality and his lifelong passion for bicycles are also a character study.
“I have seen this film and it is very accurate. It is a true story. I am proud of the portrait of myself depicted in it. I am very happy that once I am gone, this documentary will still exist and tell my story. “He said.
When asked if he agrees with the way he is often described in the Canadian media, he is a legend, a local hero, an eccentric, or even a lonely or reclusive person with a sense of humor. Marinoni considered his reaction.
“The legendary local hero? I don’t know. Weird? What does this word mean? S strong? Maybe. Lonely? Surely not!” He said.
“Yes, I definitely have a sense of humor. I would say that I am very enthusiastic. When I work, I pay 100%. If someone is not satisfied with my job, I just don’t want to waste time with that person.”
He may consider exiting the framework construction this year; however, he also said that he can’t imagine not making bicycles.
“I wish I died by riding a bicycle instead of riding a bicycle. When giving someone else a bicycle, I should see other people’s faces, especially to die for them. Seeing that person happy will make me the happiest person. world.”
Marineni does not consider himself a legend in the bicycle industry, but he hopes that people will impress him with his handmade steel bicycle frame, and hope that they can become a lasting family heirloom.
Marinoni said: “As a cyclist, I want people to remember that I am a good racing driver and keep my promises.” “I want people to remember the steel bicycles I made in my career. They are so strong. , So that you will see some on the road 100 years from now. The proof is that you now see 30 or 40 years of history. I hope people remember that I am an excellent frame manufacturer.”
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