The history of Torpado

The ancient and glorious Torpado brand was born in Padua in 1895, and has been owned by Cicli Esperia since 2001. In the fifties until 1962, Torpado boasted a team of professionals that participated in no less than eleven editions of the Giro d’Italia. 

The founder of the Torpado company is Torresini, whence the brand acronym takes its name (Torresini-Padova). 

The historical headquarters were in Via Nicolò Tommaseo in Padua, before moving to the Industrial Zone. 

The riders wore a blue shirt with a black horizontal band. 

Those were the years of Bevilacqua, Brasola, Conterno, Dall’Agata, De Filippi, who won a stage of the Giro, Favero, Gismondi, Giusti, Zamboni, but above all, Cleto Maule and Aldo Moser who raced with Coppi and Magni, coming fourth and fifth respectively in the Giro of 1956. Aldo Moser won two stages of the Giro, one of which on the Pordoi. 

The frames for the team were personally made for each rider, starting from the Torpado base frame, which was then modified according to the athlete’s needs. The frame was dip coated and then passed through a drying oven. The threading and refinement of the paint finish were carried out by hand. Before sandblasting, the frame was rubbed with sandpaper and an anti-rust treatment was applied. The frames were made of steel and the handlebar of aluminium. 

There was an historical shop in Piazza Insurrezione, “Torpado”, where the bikes were sold but above all, where the trophies were displayed. In those days, Torpado was the second ranked Italian company in terms of sales and employees.

The founding element of the Torpado company was teamwork, synergy, but above all, an incredible passion. The same passion distinguishing Cicli Esperia today with the TORPADO URSUS and TORPADO SUDTIROL teams, who will participate in the Mountain Bike Trials World Cup, the Internazionali d’Italia, major international, European and World Championships, and the Olympics.

Nowadays, if you’re not satisfied with a safe, high-performing bike featuring meticulous detail and an innovative design, but need it to fully express your personality, you can’t help but choose Torpado. Only an Italian manufacturer, forever a key player in the history of cycling, is able to fully understand and satisfy your passion, offering an exceptional product able to transmit a truly unique emotion. Unique like Italy, unique like you. 

Torpado Impudent is the mountain bike highest level brand of Cicli Esperia Spa Group. Torpado Impudent is the perfect MTB for everyone: from people who desire to approach the off-road to professional bikers who desire only the extreme performing product. The design of each product begins on races: some of the best world athletes ride, test and develop our products having the goal to guarantee performing high quality and create products aiming to satisfy the most demanding customers.