Carla
Columbus profiled steel, oversized here, elliptical there, a touch of cross-section clover, too, lugged construction, internal rear brake cable, Cinelli winged C-crowned fork, jazzy paint and decals (sedate by contemporary Italian standards). Nothing unusual to speak of, really.
So from where does the magic arise? I don't believe in magic. You certainly don't. It can only be alchemy.
(Uncle Nonies once challenged me to find him a great Italian bike that did not start with the letter C or end in a vowel. This ain't it. Someday I'll have to tell him about the latest Wilier Superleggera.)
The best ever ride on the Carla was also suffused with an aura of joyful alchemy: the best of company, a celebratory day, no obligations, no hurry, superb conditions, and the finest sensations.
Sorry buddies, but my Top Ten Rides are all ones taken with Diane, Emma, and Olivia, in various combinations and settings. That time Diane and I rode out the old railway line to Genappe to see the 2018 Tour Caravan and then pedaled onward, over the hills of Ways and their crusader chapel to catch the peloton at the Abbaye de Villers-la-Ville. That time in the forest of La Hulpe when we worried about Emma's physical conditioning and the relief we felt at the discovery of a rear brake pad wedged against the rim. She properly flew through the piles of autumn leaves after that "warm up." That time Olivia and I got lost in the tiniest patch of forest outside Nivelles; it could not have been more than 300 meters across - but we entered a maze from which there appeared now way out. (The slope inside was so steep, I watched as Olivia's rear wheel lifted off the ground and was sure she would topple forward - oh, but her finesse triumphed - I don't know how long she rode on the front wheel - recovery - amazing!) That time Emma and Olivia rode their new mountain bikes - thanks Nana and Pop - on the HB beach path at sunset, accompanied by the parents on Bianchi TSX Ultralight and 5-speed cruiser. That time Emma was determined to get onto two wheels on the one short flat stretch by the Barn. Back and forth, over and over, gravel spitting from her tires and flip flops...until...yes! She got it! That time soon that Emma first balanced well enough on two wheels to race down hills at ecstatic speed - you can hear her shout for joy in the video. Her voice echoed across the Lot river and up the valley sides. That time that Emma helped Olivia learn to balance and take off, too, on the little lost road on the Aubrac, to which Olivia and I returned ten years on to complete the Aubrac circuit on the Cannondale Six13 she borrowed from mom. Dad, once again on the Bianchi TSX. (The world does not have an especially great number of dads this cool, if dad's could only be judged by their bike.) Ah, families that bike together... emoji.
So this particular ride, from start to finish, was the best ever ride on the Carla. Diane and I were fit enough to speed up the hill and power along the plateau. The day was gorgeous, as always in Aveyron summer. Destination 1 - up to Chateaux du Bousquet. Destination 2 - down to Chez Christiane. Our 25th Anniversary, too. Mine and Diane's. It was only about my 15th anniversary with Christiane... (That little jest is made in all respect, admiration, and affection for our dear friend.)
And everything about the Carla felt right. It was a dance more than a ride, with perfect positioning of hands, feet, and bum (les trois points d'appui, as the French refer to them) to roll the cranks over elegantly and efficiently. It's always good for a love relationship when you know your partner must be admiring what you can do. It was reciprocated, let me tell you. Diane kept pace with power and evident ease. (It's not good when a guy's ego tells him his gal isn't as fast as he is - and it's not really good either if she leaves him in the dust.)
The Carla climbs with a blend of responsiveness, lightness, and solidity well suited to my dimensions and weight. The 101.0 cm wheelbase, unknown perfect fork rake, and traditional angles lend finesse and certainty in the corners, even on the well earned and exhilarating descents. Acceleration is snappy, with Record brakes to dose the speed when prudence dictates. A slight flex near the base of the seat post, maybe arising from the supple Chorus titanium seat post, adds a note of comfort and groove. The butted stainless steel spokes reflect summer in a dazzling fontaine de lumiere.
A great way to celebrate our 25th anniversary!
Selfie - Carla n Me
Giorgio Gialma Carlo Carla of Lecce, Italy
The Carla came to me by way of Mr. Nigel Scott, aka Campyoldy, of Wimborne, England. Mr. Scott is, evidently, a kindred spirit, maybe a Yoda to my Luke, in the bike collecting world. He said that his vacation trips were spent in the quiet, remote corners of Italy in search of great food and great bike finds. It seems Mr. Scott's own hunter-gatherer genes express themselves freely. If you have clicked on the link, then you have seen his success in the second of these endeavors. (Indeed, he owns a Marnati that I believe I once saw under layers of dust in an old shop. As a newlywed, I was distracted.) What you see is, indeed, but a snapshot in time, much as trying to understand the nature of the universe by peering a just one distant galaxy through a powerful telescope. Mr. Scott is collector, to be sure, but he keeps his collection in motion. It was back in 2004 that I first saw the Carla posted on his website. He said it was for sale because the size did not suit him too well. In this second way, it seems Mr. Scott's genes were part of the grander scheme to send the Carla my way. The deal was sealed in 2004 and the bike delivered in 2005. Mr. Scott's accommodation of my vagabond ways seemed a courtesy, a tip of the bowler hat, from one Pilgrim to another on the Collectors' Way. And the Carla was sent to me via one post office on the Camino, as befits the spirit of this and all things.
Photos above by Nigel Scott.
Photo Source: Fidelity House News
Il maestro who ha costrutto this wonderful frame si chiama Carlà. Given names abound in the literature on the man. I heard somewhere that Gialma is his mother's maiden name, and the bottom bracket engraved with a capital G guarantees her grace and protection. Carlo seems a likely diminutive of Carlà, reserved, maybe, for family and friends. And Giorgio? Nobody wants to be called George, so it's not surprising he would go by something else. (Sorry about that, cousin.)
My dear friend, Patrick D., kindred spirit who, like me, takes his mountain bike rides and cafe dawdling in equal doses, once said he was ready to get a really great road bike. Seated at the Bivouac de L'Empereur after an unpleasant tumble into the overgrown blackberries, he was more interested in discussing road bikes than the Butte du Lion or Napoleon or the Battle or the Tumble. I was grateful for that because I would always rather talk bikes than warfare, and revisiting the tumble could raise the question whether a careless braking on my part may have been responsible for sending Patrick thorn-ward. Preliminary back and forth ruled out aluminum, placed carbon on hold, and pointed the conversation squarely in the direction of steel. The tradition, artistry, durability, and contained cost of Italian steel appealed to my friend. No mystical epiphany was needed for my thoughts to turn to Carlà. Before revealing anything about the name or the story, I enumerated the objective qualities of the frame and the unquantifiable appeal of a master-built, handmade frame. There was enough, already, to make a confident and sincere recommendation. Now, the magic that I feel from my Carlà, I predicted would yet not match Patrick's own. You see, his wonderful spouse is Italian, her name is Carlà, too, and she hails from Lecce, like our maestro. To add a final facet to the gem, to complete the alignment of ethereal signposts, the family hoped to make a trip to Lecce in the near future. I got to work right away gathering useful information.
Articles: Lecce Prima News and Fidelity House News
Website Selling a Gialma: Crankworks Innsbruck (that shows my Carlà does, indeed, have a sedate paint scheme...)
Facebook Page: Carlo Carlà
Videos: A Visit... and La Bicicletta and
Address: Via San Fili, 100, 73047 Monteroni di Lecce LE, Italy
Google Maps link
OK, this seems like internet stalking, but it is all useful information for the journey. I plan to make the journey. I hope Patrick will, too. (I hope he already has! Nah, he would have told me. I'll send him an email!)
A final note about my Carlà.
My Carlà was often the spark for crude jokes told about the former prime minister of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. He was not much appreciated by the regular customers at Chez Christiane, but whatever their inward feelings, their outward scorn was all humorous. Riddles, jokes, and compromising anecdotes. They loved Mme Sarkozy, however, one Signora Carlà Bruni, well known Italian model, singer, and sometimes actress. The fellows told some doozies every time I rode in on my Carlà. To hear some of my favorites, readers are invited to visit me Chez Christiane.
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