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A DEBRIEF OF OUR 2024 SWISS ALPS TRIP

At the core of everything we do at Signature is creating remarkable cycling experiences for our clients. Often this is through dream bike builds and ideal fittings, making the experience of riding as optimal as possible. More than just the bike itself, we also care passionately about what our clients do with their bikes, the rides that they take on, and the opportunities riding gives them for travel, making new memories and having new experiences.

Partnering with Thomson Bike Tours, we run world-class cycling trips to some of the best locations in the world, to use the bikes we build for what they were truly made for. But with hundreds of great cycling destinations on the planet to pick from, how do we choose the best one?

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When we sat down with the Thomson Bike Tours team to plan our trips for the year, we had one clear aim, which was to bring clients to our native countries, so they can experience the beauty that we know these countries have to offer. We’re proud of our international roots at Signature, with Co-owners Abraham and Ruedi originally hailing from Colombia and Switzerland respectively. After a very successful trip earlier this year exploring the mountains of Colombia, it was time to head to Switzerland, and showcase the Swiss Alps and Northern Italy to our clients and friends. This area is also home to two of our closest partners, Assos clothing and Passoni bicycling, which we were keen to connect with, and open their doors to our clients.

The plan was formed, and the trip was organized. We began with an easy flight from NYC to Milan, then a quick transfer to Lugano-Switzerland, where we prepared for a wonderful week of cycling. Whilst Italy and Switzerland have a long alpine border, when on a bike crossing this border couldn’t be simpler, meaning we could explore the best of what the area had to offer without worrying about complex logistics.

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After a short introductory ride to warm up on the first day, we headed out on Day 2 up the hills of Lugano, to find out what kind of riding was in store for us. This was the day of visiting the Assos HQ in Stabio, where we were also unveiled the custom designed trip jerseys, created just for this trip by Signature and Assos. At the HQ, we were greeted by Desiree, the daughter of Assos’s founder, and had a fascinating factory tour and visit to the flagship store in Lugano.

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The Queen stage of our trip was Day 4, known as the Triple Crown, riding all three major Swiss mountain passes in one day: St Gotthardpass, the Furkapass and Nufenenpass. Some of the finest roads in the world, these incredible climbs were nothing short of breathtaking, but also quite challenging, with over 10,000 ft of elevation in one day.

Whilst the Thomson Bike Tours team were extremely organized and prepared, one thing they couldn’t control was the weather, something that is known to be changeable and unpredictable in the Swiss Alps. This incredible day of riding was almost cancelled due to possible rain and snow at the peak of the mountain passes, but thankfully the weather was kind to us on that day, and we were blessed with a day of great riding conditions. Only two days later, the snow set in, and the passes were closed. Hard to believe that the afternoon before we were swimming in Lago Maggiore in beautiful late summer weather!

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Our luck with the weather didn’t quite hold out on the 6th day though, as is often the case in that part of Europe, but the team took it all in their stride, quickly re-arranging our plans. This would be a perfect day to visit the iconic Italian bike builder Passoni, only a short journey south into Northern Italy. We were welcomed by Silva, Paolo, Stefano and Matteo, who took the time to show us the entire facility, going into depth about how the bikes are hand-assembled and meticulously hand finished. The bikes are truly unique in their beauty and elegance, and the rich passion and dedication of the whole team was inspirational. It was an incredible experience.

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Back to the riding, and we’d saved the best until last! For the final ride of the trip, we toured around the Lake Como area, with some challenging but deeply rewarding climbs. One of these, at Muro di Sormano, finished with a tough 1 mile climb, with some sections at a 25% gradient. Through all of this though, the spirit and strength of the team didn’t waver, and we all gathered at the top of the climb to celebrate and cheer on other riders as they conquered the climb.

No cycling trip to the Italian Lakes would be complete without a visit to Madonna del Ghisallo, a unique chapel perched high above Lago di Lecco dedicated to Italian cycling. A great time to pause and reflect, not just on the concluding trip, but also the cycling heroes that inspired this journey, some memorialized in the chapel itself. After visiting the cycling museum there, we flew down the mountain, to cross the finishing line with our clients and now close friends.

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After a demanding week, the group were all happy and thrilled to finish the trip with great memories, stories and miles in our legs. After visiting two countries, three language regions with their own local foods and cultures, we can say safely that this was one of the best trips we’ve ever hosted. Our thanks go out to Mike, Dan, Jon, Tim, Mark S, Luke, Mark R, Graham, Paolo, Suzie, Veronica for sharing this fantastic experience with us.

Now back stateside, all we can think about is when we’ll be retuning to the Swiss Alps. If this inspired you join us on next year's adventures, stay tuned to our website and social media channels for more details of 2025 travel, being released soon!

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Nick Leeper at the Rift 2024