Built for the Long Way

When you have spent years riding bicycles from some of the world's most considered independent builders, the next one becomes less about having something new, and more about discovering something different.

For Bo, that curiosity has always been part of the appeal.

With an extensive collection of custom bicycles from independent builders, he has developed an appreciation for the differences between them, their philosophies, their methods of construction, and most importantly, how those decisions reveal themselves once the bike is on the road.

Over the past few years, names such as Sarto, Bastion and Prova have increasingly found themselves among the conversation surrounding contemporary independent framebuilding. Prova Cycles, in particular, kept appearing on Bo's radar.

He wanted to understand why.

The Prova Mostro Integrale became the answer.

The timing was deliberate. With long gravel passes and rides through New Zealand ahead, Bo was looking for something capable of handling the demands of gravel while retaining the refinement and efficiency of a road bike.

He already had what he considered an excellent gravel setup in his Passoni and ENVE Mog. Yet after riding the Mostro, he found something distinctly different. Its handling, comfort, responsiveness and weight came together in a way that exceeded his expectations.

For a bike intended to travel across New Zealand's varied terrain, that balance would prove invaluable.

But creating that balance was not simply a matter of choosing the right frame.

From the beginning, fit was treated as an integral part of the build. Choonwei from Fitskuul took the time to understand how Bo rides, the way he approaches long-distance and gravel riding, and what he expects from a bicycle beneath him. That understanding ultimately informed the geometry and position of the finished bike, creating a foundation that allowed the Mostro to feel natural from the first ride.

It is one of the less visible parts of a bespoke build, but perhaps one of the most important. A beautifully constructed frame can only perform at its best when the bicycle is properly matched to the rider.

The same philosophy extended to the wheels.

For Bo, the wheels were never an afterthought. He places as much importance on a good wheel and tyre combination as he does on the frame itself, particularly when the road becomes uncertain.

Dalbert and Weijie from Built Wheels, built the wheelset around Light Bicycle rims, Nonplus Ultra hubs and Berd Dyneema spokes, creating a lightweight combination without sacrificing the comfort that becomes increasingly important over long gravel days.

The choice of tyres continued that same thinking. Rather than defaulting to the familiar names often found on high-end road builds, Bo opted for Ultradynamico. Their distinctive grey finish brought the grip and character he was looking for, while quietly completing the visual language of the bike.

Together, the frame, fit, wheels and tyres create something greater than the sum of their parts.

The colourway was equally considered, though deliberately understated.

Bo has always been drawn to pink, while the grey suggested by Mark from Prova Cycles offered an earthy foundation more naturally suited to a gravel bike. Together, they created a palette that felt quietly expressive, enough colour to give the Mostro personality, without taking away from its elegant silhouette.

The result is unmistakably a gravel bike, but with an elegance that feels distinctly Prova.

Then came the real test.

In New Zealand, the Mostro found itself riding terrain that would ask plenty of a road bike. Long gravel passes, changing surfaces and extended days on the saddle. Rather than simply coping with the terrain, the bike made the experience more enjoyable.

The wheels provided the grip and confidence needed when the surface became unpredictable, while the fitting ensured that everything felt naturally placed beneath Bo. The Mostro remained composed when the road became rough, responsive when the pace increased, and comfortable enough to encourage longer days in the saddle.

For Bo, the closest comparison is not another bicycle at all.

It is a great pair of hiking shoes.

Something you can hike in, run in, even play basketball in. And somehow still wear to a wedding because it looks good enough to belong there.

That versatility is perhaps what ultimately defines the Mostro.

It is not limited to one type of riding or one particular road. It possesses the performance expected of a high-level road bike, but with the composure and capability to venture well beyond smooth tarmac.

And perhaps that is why the Mostro earned its place among Bo's collection.

Not because it was another rare frame from another independent builder.

But because, after experiencing so many different interpretations of the bicycle, Prova managed to offer something he had not quite experienced before.

A bike that could do almost everything, and do it exceptionally well.

For anyone considering a Prova or commissioning a bespoke bicycle in general, Bo's advice is refreshingly straightforward.

If you have the time and the means, do it.

But choose the right people. Work with those who understand what you want, and take the time to get every detail right.

Because at this level, the bicycle is only part of the experience.

The rest is the journey of creating it.

And in this case, that journey involved more than a builder and a rider. It was shaped by the understanding of a fitter, the craft of a wheel builder, and the considered choices made around every point of contact with the road.

What began as curiosity about another independent builder became something more enduring: a bicycle that earned its place not through rarity, but through the way it made every road worth taking.

Built for the ride ahead.

A masterpiece of craftsmanship? 

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