Officina Battaglin Matera Review
Authentic Italian Craftsmanship
“Unlike the mass-produced carbon frames that dominate today’s gravel scene, the Matera is meticulously handcrafted in our workshop in northern Italy. Each frame represents hours of dedicated work by skilled artisans who have spent their lives holding a torch. While most gravel frames are manufactured in high-volume factories overseas, the Matera continues the tradition of Italian framebuilding excellence that has set the standard for generations. When you ride the Matera, you’re experiencing the difference that comes from frames built by hand, one at a time, by craftsmen who approach their work not just as fabrication but as art.” – Officina Battaglin
Officina Battaglin Matera Review Video
Alternative Video Link for those reading via email subscription
In this video, JOM of the Gravel Cyclist crew provides his long-term review of the lovely Officina Battaglin Matera, an Italian-made steel gravel bike. In the typical style of JOM’s reviews, this bike got dirty in places such as Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, Italy – Veneto, Tuscany, and Umbria.
Adding to that, the Matera was JOM’s bike at Roughneck Gravel Roubaix, Grinduro Italy, and Nova Eroica.
Written Riding Experience part of the review, or see video above
The Matera is versatile, beautiful, unique and built from Columbus Spirit HSS steel tubing drawn to Officina Battaglin’s exacting specification. The Matera is proof that a frame doesn’t have to be built from carbon to offer excellent performance, and at the same time not be stifled with a noticeable weight penalty, which is the perception many people have when they eyeball a steel frame. As shown for much of this video above, my review sample weighed about 9.2kg, which includes Shimano XTR pedals, King Titanium cages, and Garmin 1050 cycling computer.
These frames are built one at a time, which you can see for yourself in my factory tour of Battaglin HQ. I’ve watched Battaglin’s frame builder perform his work, or I should say his craftsmanship, to produce these beautiful frames that I feel have a riding quality that is far superior to any mass-produced steel gravel oriented frame.
The frame’s presentation and finishing is excellent. While I love the Cromovelato finishing Battaglin offers as an upgrade on the Matera, I do appreciate the high quality solid paint color of the Matera. It’s a no nonsense aesthetic and aligns well with this bike’s beautiful lines and traditional look.
But don’t be fooled into thinking a traditional looking bike is boring, and doesn’t accommodate all of the touches of a modern gravel bike we’re accustomed to at the time of this review. Combined with SRAM’s superb 1×13 speed Red XPLR AXS drivetrain, stealthy Deda cockpit and Fulcrum Sharq wheels, the Matera can do anything you request of it, with plenty of speed, if that’s your thing.
I have put the Matera through the wringer at three gravel cycling events; Roughneck Gravel Roubaix in Pennsylvania, and Grinduro Italy and Nova Eroica, both in the Tuscany region of Italy. Adding to that, a lot of miles / kilometers in North Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC.
That’s an awful lot of varied terrain types covering every surface imaginable, and mentioning Grinduro in particular, which featured several mountain bike tracks and trails that mostly pushed my personal limits of skill and handling, but totally unfazed the Matera. Geometry of the Matera does follow the more adventurous geometry we are seeing more and more of, favoring a longer top tube and shorter stem, but Battaglin’s flavor is definitely of the racier variety.
This bike is a super stable platform at speed descending any road surface, including some of the worst around. Ascending, my only limitations were my less than speedy times going vertical, but in the saddle, I could just knock out pleasant tempo. Out of the saddle, power transfer is going straight to that rear wheel and cassette, without any flex that I could detect, emanating from the bottom bracket or rear end of the bike.
The Matera is simply a joy to ride across any road surface, up, down, flat, or otherwise.
Don’t worry too much about the slightly oversized seattube and larger diameter Deda Elementi carbon seatpost. Thankfully, the provision for larger tyre clearance and consequent pneumatic suspension effect alleviates any lack of comfort riders may perceive by the presence of those larger tubes. This is a bike you could ride comfortably all day.
As the Matera is designed entirely around a 1x drivetrain, that will limit its appeal to some riders, with 2x being a very popular option, particularly in Europe. However, the latest 1×13 speed drivetrains will cover most of your gravel cycling needs, although I would prefer a 38T chainring vs the 40T chainring my review Matera was fitted with.
Keep in mind, if bikepacking is your thing, think about a SRAM Eagle AXS derailleur and a cassette with a 52T cog, or if you’re riding Shimano’s latest 1×12 speed drivetrains, definitely consider their 10-51T cassette.
The Officina Battaglin Matera is an amazing steel bike, and sizing aside, you can customize the finishing, upgrading from the five base paint choices, if you so desire. Cromovelato finishing may be for you and your potential Matera.
If you desire a bike that is a handmade Italian masterpiece, is unique with a price that won’t break the bank, and with the performance you would expect from a modern gravel bike, but in steel, the Matera may be for you. I highly recommend you visit the Officina Battaglin website for more information, because life’s too short to ride boring bikes, let alone boring bikes that everyone else rides.
Additional Photos of the Matera
Learn more at the Officina Battaglin Website