On 22 October I was in Cassino, in the Great Hall of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, for the third edition of the Fiera Internazionale Ergonomia dei Cammini, an international fair on the ergonomics of walking and pilgrim routes. I was invited to talk about the ergonomics of cycling from the point of view of someone who builds frames by hand.

Vincenzo Forgione at his corner of the International Fair on the Ergonomics of Walking Routes in Cassino
My corner at the fair, with the president of the cycling association of Isola del Liri.

A fair about routes, on foot and by bike

The fair brings together ergonomists, universities, town councils and associations with one clear goal: making walking routes and European cultural routes safer and more welcoming for everyone who travels them, on foot, by bike, in a wheelchair or on horseback. The day in Cassino was dedicated to physical ergonomics, and late in the morning there was a round table on cycling along these routes.

The ergonomics of cycling, seen from the workbench

I took part in the round table together with Franco Grossi, ergonomist and professor emeritus. For me, the ergonomics of a bicycle starts with the frame. When I build a custom steel frame, I start from the measurements of the rider and from how they will ride, because the position in the saddle has to stay comfortable even after many hours. On a long route, riding for days with luggage, you really feel the difference.

Vincenzo Forgione with the national president of the ergonomists at the fair in Cassino
With the national president of the ergonomists.

Steel, tubes and tools

For the occasion I set up a small corner of my workshop: the roll-up banner, two frames and what I use every day, the steel tubes, the lugs and the files. Visitors could take a close look at a raw frame, with its Silver Fillet Brazed joints still unpainted. Next to it there was a teal frame with the NorthCape-Tarifa flyer, the ride across Europe I told you about in this article.

Raw steel frame, tubes and workshop tools by Forgione Telai on display in Cassino
A raw frame, steel tubes and some tools from my workshop.

Isola del Liri and the Ciclostorica delle Cascate

Close to my corner there was the stand of the Isola Liri Bike Festival, with the Liris cycle route, "by bike from the spring to the sea". The president of the Isola del Liri cycling association is a wonderful person, and every year he organises the Ciclostorica delle Cascate, a ride on vintage bicycles. If you have a classic bike in your garage, keep an eye out for the next edition.

Speakers' table of the fair in the Great Hall of the Faculty of Engineering in Cassino
The speakers' table in the Great Hall: my roll-up banner is on the left.
Visitors to the fair passing the Forgione Telai corner
Between talks, students and visitors stopped by the frames.

Thanks to the organisers of the fair for inviting me, and to everyone who stopped to ask questions. If you are thinking about a bike for long routes or touring, here I explain how I work on a custom frame.