Basso Palta
Three generations, one soul

Basso Palta
Others do gravel, we do Palta

In 2018 gravel was a segment that had only just been born and had no clear direction yet. Geometries came from cyclocross and every brand was looking for its own interpretation.

For Basso the new segment had to conquer the dirt without giving up the performance and the speed that set the brand’s models apart. On the drawing board that turned into precise choices: the top tube stayed almost parallel to the ground, the silhouette of a road bike, not of an adventure bike — it was a statement before it was a geometry. The short chainstays and the steep head angle kept the bike sharp.

And then the fork: blades projected forward, with a design no other model on the market had. This new design became the recognisable signature of the model and of the collections that followed.

Technical callout: Tyre clearance up to 42 mm. Dedicated 1x frame with no front derailleur. High modulus Torayca carbon. Seatpost with a rubber insert to damp vibration. 3B Clamp.

Palta II
THE NEXT FRONTIER

Three years later (2021) gravel had exploded and geometries had evolved in a more definite direction: oversize tyre clearance, a higher stack for a more comfortable position, a sloping frame.

The goal was to design an evolution that kept the soul of the original model but took a clear step forward in geometry and design.

The head tube went up by 20 mm, but with the option of running the stem flush. The chainstays got 5 mm shorter to stay snappy. Cable routing integrated into the cockpit. Tube design with a Kammtail section to optimise weight and aerodynamics.

Design of the new Paradigma stem with an oversized headset, compatible with 1x and 2x, mechanical and electronic. Integrated steering stop so the handlebar cannot hit the frame in a crash. Tyre clearance 45 mm. Weight: 960 g.

Liveries
Different ways of being a Palta

Over the years a series of colours and graphic schemes helped the Palta become an iconic bike in the segment. The first collection had Poseydon (iridescent green/gold) and Stone Gray.
Then came Candy Red, Burn Gold, and in 2025, on top of the colour, two new paint cuts were introduced: White Poseydon and Sun Black.

Developing the graphics and choosing the colour always comes after research in three phases. The first looks at the current market and competitor models on sale, the second at colour trends and forecasts in sport and neighbouring sectors, and the last is personal research, starting from the material collected at trade shows and in the field.

Developing the decal kits is the final phase in creating a livery, where the graphics go from a proposal on screen to real 1:1 artwork, with a positioning test on the frame and sizing for each frame size.

Palta III
Two souls, one bike, zero regrets

The Palta III project came out of a simple observation: the gravel world has split in two. On one side race bikes closer and closer to road bikes, on the other machines closer and closer to mountain bikes. In between, the rider, forced to choose. Here too, though, the Palta already has a soul of its own.

I started again from the identity of the Palta I, that road bike character that had defined the model. One of the problems of the new design was fitting 52 mm of tyre without the bike looking like a mountain bike, while keeping a racing character and not losing its recognisability.

Once the dominant traits were identified I worked on the details of shape and veining, optimising the shapes for better structural and aerodynamic behaviour. The result is a fast frame able to take on every kind of route, long distances included.

Technical animations

For the launch I also looked after the digital animations that go with the technical explanations on the official model website. Explaining the features of a frame visually in ten seconds is sometimes more effective than a description in words.

The loops cover the hero showing the different souls of the model, Versatility and Comfort, Redesigned Performance, Invisible Storage and Aerodynamics.