Czech custom carbon bike builder Festka creates another stunner – the Scalatore Samurai Prime, hand-painted by artist Michal Bačák for one lucky Prime cyclist. Every bike they create is custom handmade in Prague from their exclusive carbon tubing, but only the top-tier get labeled Festka Prime, taking custom to the next level and finished off with a one-of-a-kind paint job.
Festka Scalatore Samurai Prime, hand-painted custom road bike
Almost a year ago Festka shared their first collaboration with Prague illustrator Michal Bačák in the Festka Spectre Porcelain Prime rim brake road race bike. Now they have come together again for another showstopper for another customer enamored with the finely detailed work of Bačák’s signature hand-drawn style.
This time the bike model that serves as the canvas for his artwork is Festka’s lightest carbon road bike – the Scalatore. First developed as a superlight carbon rim brake climbers’ bike, the current Scalatore has evolved adding a disc brake version of the frame that still weighs just 790g and has room for 28mm tires.
Built for a client in Costa Rica, the hand-painted bike seems a bit more subdued at a glance, covered in intricate mythological dragons and samurai warriors. The process of creating the unique finish took nine months in total, from the design’s conception through the painstaking hand-decorated process.
The bike’s owner Mitchell thanked Festka for “creating such a beautifully detailed masterpiece from the best components and this amazing frame. I am grateful for this experience; I really enjoyed it and I am now a proud member of the Festka family. I’m so happy I’m already planning my next project.”
Festka co-founder Michael Moureček describes the artwork of their fully-custom Prime bikes as “either real works of art created by renowned artists, or they are highly complicated designs from our artistic director requiring unrivaled mastery and precision in the paint shop.” Few bike companies are able to match the work they do, both in the level of carbon customization and their unmatched finishing.
Completely Custom – Prime build details
The cost of such custom bikes is hard to fathom. The Spectre Porcelain Prime estimated at $35,000. But Michael says they continue to see growing interest. Even though the market for such bikes is overall quite small, “there are many cyclists in the world who want to be different and are ready to pay for the highest quality and unique design.”
This complete Scalatore Samurai is said to weigh 6.9kg, built up with a Campagnolo Super Record EPS 12-speed electronic disc brake groupset, and finished off with suitably light Lightweight Meilenstein EVO carbon clincher wheels, a Schmolke carbon seatpost and THM carbon cockpit.
The custom finish also extends beyond the Scalatore frame and Columbus fork, to include the THM Tibia stem and the Selle Italia SLR C59 saddle.
Festka Scalatore – Pricing & availability
Festka haven’t made official the exact price of this wildly custom Scalatore Samurai Prime, only to say that it is in the range of $30k-42k or €30k-38k.
But if you are looking for something a bit more off-the-shelf with the same handmade carbon ride, the standard Festka Scalatore Core frameset pricing starts from a slightly more manageable 6000€ price level.
But with the possibility to build it back up to 5.6kg complete, there’s plenty of room to get that price back up even before you add in custom paint!
Festka Scalatore Samurai Prime road bike, full-custom hand-painted lightweight handmade Czech carbon road bike, design by Michal Bačák,
