November 02, 2018

Desire: Romance x Felipe Pantone x Specialized Allez Sprint – at the Rouleur Classic

A little over 300 years ago, Sir Thomas Overbury wrote the poem, “A Wife”. There’s a line in it that reads “All the carnal beauty of my wife is but skin deep”.

The poem was supposedly written to help guide young men into looking beyond the surface when choosing a suitable consort; beauty is only skin-deep.

In some cases, maybe, however, you can have both, such as this collaboration between the clothing company, Romance and Spanish New York/Madrid based artist, Felipe Pantone.

The Specialized Allez Sprint is being shown to the public at the Rouleur Classic this week and will later be auctioned online with all profits going to the World Bicycle Relief, a charity that aims to mobilise people in rural regions of developing countries through The Power of Bicycles.

This collaboration is the third Romance has done to support the WBR. Previously, the founders of the stylish London based cycling kit brand, Adam Parkes and Nathan Dytor have joined up with artists Camille Walala and Kate Moross to support the cause.

Read: The Egger has landed: meet Specialized’s fun-loving creative director

If attractiveness bares no relation to integrity, then this bike is an anomaly. Its beauty isn’t just paint lacquer deep. The custom Specialized Allez Sprint, arguably the best looking one ever produced, is a total keeper; one to take home to meet the parents (but only if your bid is biggest).