Calzaturificio Piva was founded in 1971 in the heart of the footwear manufacturing region of Montebelluna, Italy by Gianni Piva. Later it became Northwave in 1991. Initially specializing in snowboard boots, the company entered the world of cycling in the early 1990s and immediately gained global attention thanks to a nonconformist and strong identity-driven approach. Always at the forefront of technique, innovation, and design, Northwave believes in the importance of developing each product for a specific purpose with a precise riding persona in mind, while at the same time guaranteeing a solution for each cyclist that meets his or her expectations. That’s what the motto #RideYourWay is all about.

 

Northwave finds its inspiration in the peaks and on the slopes of the mountains where it was founded. The company ethos brings together two souls (biking and snowboarding) in a brand with an authentic Italian identity. This is where Northwave's footwear and technical apparel come to life, from concept to testing, to ensure that every rider can discover the authentic passion of those who conceived them in each cutting-edge product. Proprietary patents and leading technical partnerships tell the story of the profound research behind each product. 

 

The results of Northwave's top riders, from Mario Cipollini to Paola Pezzo, from Tom Boonen to Gunn-Rita Dahle, as well as Filippo Ganna, Matej Mohoric, Arnaud De Lie, Lukas Flückiger, and Alessandra Keller, are the best proof of effective innovation. 

 

The latest evidence of this is named Veloce Extreme, and it’s the new top-end road shoe developed in collaboration with Filippo Ganna, 100% made in Italy. Thanks to its innovative hightail full-carbon outsole, it produces a 4% upgrade in terms of power transfer. Veloce Exteme won the iF Design Award in 2024 in the cycling shoes category.