Somec Professional

SOMEC (Società Meccanica) was founded in 1973 in Conselice, near Ravenna, by the mechanics Oliviero Gallegati, Pierino Scarponi and Giuliano Montanari. At the beginning, the workshop concentrated on making frames for professional use only and selling them to customers in the area. However, word quickly spread that the craftsmanship of this forge was of very high quality, which is why the first international trade fairs led to sales abroad. The varnishing and pantographs were also very important to Somec, which is why the talented frame painter Mario Marini personally painted each individual frame between the 70s and 90s, making them unique.

While the Campagnolo Record from 1963 was a bitter disappointment for many racing drivers, the Campagnolo Nuovo Record group and especially the rear derailleur were groundbreaking. For over 16 years, this group was the non-plus-ultra in competitive racing and drove one racing driver after another to victory. Its strengths include its lightness, very stable construction and good workmanship. The group's front derailleur in particular occupies an important place in cultural history. Since then, it was no longer just a bicycle component, but was suddenly seen as a piece of jewelry, which was an absolute luxury product due to its enormous price.