Type | Private |
---|---|
Founded | 1994 |
Founder | Vidmantas Zukauskas |
Headquarters | Klaipeda, Lithuania |
Products | Titanium bicycle frames and forks |
Website | wittson.com |
Wittson Cycles is a Northern European handmade bicycle manufacturer located in Klaipeda, Lithuania. [1] [2] [3] Wittson works exclusively with titanium and sources the European Grade 9 tubes from Baltic neighbor Sweden and the VSMPO Titan Scandinavia corporation, which also supplies aerospace luminaries Boeing and Airbus. Wittson uses 3/2.5 Ti for their frame production, and 6/4 Ti, which has greater tensile strength but is much harder to weld, for dropouts and bottom bracket shells, along with smaller bits such as brake cable stops. [4]
Wittson Custom Ti Cycles was founded by a famous Lithuanian pro cyclist and the coach of first, independent Lithuanian National Cycling Team Vidmantas Zukauskas. In the mid 90s Vidmantas has combined his cycling and coaching experience to start building titanium bicycle frames for such companies as Colnago, Van Tuyl, Argon18, Red Bull and many others. Later on his son Mindaugas joined him and so the name Wittson was born. [5]
Vidmantas was born in a small village in Lithuania. His family could never afford a sports bicycle for him, but Vidmantas pursued his dream and signed up for a Cycling Sport School. This day changed his life forever as he became addicted to cycling and to this day his whole life centres around bicycles.
Vidmantas' most notable achievements as a pro cyclist:
1977 - 1st National Road Race Championships
1977 - 3rd Overall Tour of Lithuania
1979 - 3rd Overall Tour of Lithuania
1980 - 2nd Overall Tour of Lithuania [6]
Weight: 1580g (size M / seat tube uncut)
Material: grade 9 ti
Specifications:
Compatible with: PressFit 30 bottom bracket, 31.8mm clamp band front derailleur [7]
Weight: 1480g (size M)
Material: grade 9 ti
Specifications:
Compatible with: integrated tapered IS42/28.6 | IS52/40 headset, PressFit 30 bottom bracket, flat mount disc brake caliper, thru axle 142 x 12mm rear hub, 31.6mm seatpost, 34.9mm clamp band front derailleur, max 28C tyre [8]
Weight: 1870g (size M / seattube uncut)
Material: grade 9 ti
Specifications:
Compatible with: PressFit 30 bottom bracket, 34.9mm clamp band front derailleur, max 27.5/29x2.25 tyre [9]
Specifications:
In April 2017 Wittson's Suppresio won the Campagnolo Choice Award at the Bespoked UK Handmade Bicycle Show in Bristol, UK. [12]
In 2014 Wittson won The National Lithuanian Design Award for its Custom CX 001 bicycle. The award was handed in to Vidmantas and Mindaugas Zukauskas by Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius, Lithuania. [13]
Wittson Custom CX 001 Specifications:
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