When Edoardo Bianchi established the modern bicycle—using equal-size wheels with inflatable rubber tires—in the 1880s, it wasn’t long before he was making bikes for all different types of riders. There were racing bikes, motorized bikes, and women’s bikes (inspired by the queen of Italy). And then there were the army bikes.

In 1911, the Italian military commissioned Bianchi to create a bike for the elite Army Alpine Corps. The bike Bianchi delivered can rightly take its place as a forerunner of today’s mountain bikes. It had front and rear suspension, rim brakes, and rider-specific conveniences such as a foldable frame for portability and a rifle carrier. And far from being a showy design exercise, those Bianchi off-road bikes saw action in World War I.

Nearly 100 years later, Bianchi mountain bikes are still characterized by original thinking and rider-serving designs. The Reparto Corse works with World Cup racers to develop elite racing bikes like the Oetzi carbon monocoque. Bianchi USA, based in Northern California, has been a pioneer in creating alterative mountain bikes such as our proven series of single-speeds. We also offer more mainstream ways to go off-road, including aluminum hardtails and all-around “big hit” mountain bikes. Edoardo Bianchi had it right and so do we: However you like your dirt served up, there’s a Bianchi mountain bike to make the ride as good as it should be.