Once an underground event, the Red Hook Crit has evolved into a widely celebrated sanctioned road race, featuring international stops and an impressive fan-base already. This unique competition is defined by a renegade spirit, as cyclists race brake-less bikes at breathtaking speeds in an urban environment; this year it’s being held in Milan, and it’s the seventh edition of the race.
To celebrate this extreme approach to biking, Specialized’s lead designer, Erik Nolhin, has created a custom bike design for this year’s race, that will be enjoyed by the company’s ‘allez-allez’ team, made of Colin Strickland and Aldo Ino Ilesic. The design of this incredible bike, built for Red Hook Crit Milano, was inspired by Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass and his impressive work.
Specialized’s Red Hook Crit Milano shows off a distinct style, blending in extreme aesthetics with superior craftsmanship. The frame of the riders’ exclusive bikes has remained untouched, while the rest of the bike has received interesting little details, which make a wonderful visual contrast.
To be honest, we don’t understand why Nohlin has decided to add a mysterious red ball, right under the saddle, but that’s for you to figure out. The touch of real wood allows this bike to remind us all of the indoor Olympic cycling events and their raw methods of deciding who is the better athlete. Take a glimpse at the video below for a more detailed view of the project.
