Bianchi Bicycles

F.I.V. Edoardo Bianchi S.p.A is the world's oldest bicycle-making company still in existence, having pioneered the use of equal-sized wheels with pneumatic rubber tires in 1885. It was founded in Italy in 1885. It produced cars and commercial vehicles from 1900 to 1939 and motorcycles from 1897 to 1967. Bianchi has been associated for 50 years with the Italian Tour de France winner, Fausto Coppi.

Bianchi bicycles

Edoardo Bianchi, a 21-year-old medical instrument maker, started his bicycle-manufacturing business in a small shop at 7 Via Nirone, Milan in 1885. It has been part of Cycleurope Group, the Swedish company of Grimaldi Industri AB, since May 1997. Bianchi pioneered the front wheel calliper brake. The British bicycle historian, Hilary Stone, said Bianchi "was not a small specialist manufacturer but rather a large industrial concern with most of their bicycle output being pretty run-of-the-mill models."

In the 1940s, Bianchi employed 4,500 people in two factories. Stone said: "Their road bikes did not really stand out from the crowd either. In all the catalogues of the period the tubing on the frames was not specified - it was just described as 'finest quality steel tubing' - though the British importers added that the tubing was double-butted. The frames are not especially light, nor are they particularly heavy."