Nitro
Origin
Carrera Podium is one of Italy's genuine pro-peloton frame builders, based in Calcinato near Brescia. The workshop was founded in 1989 by Davide Boifava — a former professional rider and the sporting director behind the legendary Carrera Jeans team, whose champions included Stephen Roche, Claudio Chiappucci and a young Marco Pantani. That racing pedigree (over 500 professional victories are claimed by the marque) is the whole point of the brand: it is a small, craft-oriented factory, famously the only Italian frame builder with formally certified welders, and a pioneer of aluminium-to-carbon bonding and custom one-off carbon frames. The Nitro sits in Carrera's mid-2010s road line-up as a lightweight, rim-brake carbon race bike — the Nitro SL being the higher-modulus, lighter-lay-up version — designed by the Carrera Podium team under former pro Luciano Bracchi. It is emphatically NOT the Halfords 'Carrera' budget brand sold in the UK; the two share only a name.
Specifications
- Frame
- Carbon fibre monocoque (Nitro SL: Pre-Preg T-700 SC HM M30J HS 60T), made in Italy by Carrera Podium
- Weight
- kg
- Drivetrain
- 2x11 mechanical — commonly Shimano Ultegra or Campagnolo Chorus (build varied by year/spec)
- Brakes
- Rim brakes (dual-pivot caliper) — pre-disc generation
- Wheels
- 700C; typical builds ran Fulcrum Racing Zero / Campagnolo or high-profile alloy aero rims
The verdict
- Genuine made-in-Italy carbon frame with real pro-team heritage and boutique build quality
- Light and lively — a rewarding climber's bike, especially in SL trim, and often specced with excellent Ultegra/Chorus groupsets
- Strong used value: frames and complete bikes now sell for a fraction of their high original MSRP
- Rim-brake, ~28mm-max-tyre generation — dated versus modern disc endurance bikes, limited wet-weather/gravel flexibility
- Rare outside Italy with almost no dealer/support network in the Baltics; parts and warranty are effectively non-existent
- Racy geometry and narrow tyre clearance make it less forgiving for casual or long-distance comfort riders
Generations
Nitro (standard)
- Base carbon road model — slightly heavier lay-up, more affordable when new.
- Brakes
- Rim caliper
Nitro SL
- The lightweight 'Superleggera' version — the one weight-conscious buyers seek out; identical geometry, lighter frame.
- Brakes
- Rim caliper
Versions & builds
Every official build side by side — differences highlighted.
| Spec | Nitro (Ultegra build) | Nitro SL (Chorus build) | Nitro SL frameset only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Drivetrain | Shimano Ultegra 2x11 mechanical | Campagnolo Chorus 2x11 mechanical | Frameset — buyer's choice |
| Brakes | Rim caliper | Rim caliper | Rim caliper |
| MSRP | €3,200 | €4,000 | €1,500 |
| Purpose | Balanced | Flagship | Flagship |
Tags
Related models
Where to buy Carrera Nitro in Latvia
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