Competitive Cyclist

VENTANA EL PADRINO

In 2005, we saw the birth of the El Capitan, Ventana’s 29er full suspension frame with 5” of travel. Ventana founder Sherwood Gibson found the ride quality of El Cap so overwhelmingly positive that he parted ways with all of his personal 26” bikes. It didn't take him long to realize that a full-suspension 29er wasn't enough -- he needed to build a hardtail and a single-speed 29er as well. After all, Gibson laid the foundation for Ventana with hardtail mountain frames 17 years ago. While Gibson’s enthusiasm for the 29er might be recent, his appreciation of the hardtail is anything but. It is with this passion and experience that Gibson proudly places the "V" on the hardtail 29er, Ventana El Padrino.

El Padrino translates into “the Godfather”. It's designed in the spirit of El Chiquillo, its proven “26er” brethren. It has all the smooth rolling characteristics of a 29er without the suspension. Responsive from the first pedal stroke, none of your pedaling power goes wasted with El Padrino. No matter how much you torque it on a steep climb, the frame won't flinch. It has stiffness like only a hardtail can, and its 29" wheels give you the traction and stability you need to take on obstacles that devour a 26" bike. El Padrino comes alive at speed -- with the greater rotational force of 29er wheels, you'll easily sustain speed when you're big-ringing it.

El Padrino is built by hand in California right alongside El Saltomontes, El Capitan, and all other frames that bear the Ventana name. Its sophisticated 6061 proprietary aluminum tubeset, legendary "Electric Sex" welds, and rich powdercoat finish combine to result in a frame that rides as beautifully as it looks. CNC’d vertical dropouts, S-Bend chainstays, and a beefy ISO disc brake mount highlight the rear triangle, providing excellent braking and torsional stiffness. Like all Ventana frames, it receives a hand-crafted stainless steel head badge proudly displaying the Ventana “V” and the year of the company’s inception, 1988.

The 29" wheeled Ventana El Padrino uses a 1-3/8" (34.9mm) traditional top pull front derailleur and a 27.2mm seatpost. It’s available in even sizes between 16”-24”, and comes stock in either Electric Superdust or Blue Metallic. Or for $150 and a few weeks, it can be finished in any of Ventana’s trademark colors -- Electric Red Metallic, Gloss Black, Gloss White, Grinch Green, Army Green, Cosmic Grey and Cosmic Orange. If you’d like to personalize your frame, it can be upgraded with custom or semi-custom geometry.

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2010 Ventana El Padrino Pricing