A History of Innovation

Edoardo Bianchi

Ever since Edoardo Bianchi started his business in Milan in 1885, innovation has been the company’s guiding philosophy. In the early days, this manifested itself in major innovative leaps: perfecting the first modern bicycle, the “safety bike” with equal size wheels and chain drive, in 1885; producing the first bicycles using the pneumatic tires invented by Scottsman John Dunlop, in 1888; building the first women’s bicycle, for Queen Margherita, in 1895; producing the first cardan drive bicycle, in 1901; introducing front brakes in 1913; manufacturing the first mountain bike, the full-suspension Bersagliere, in 1915.

In modern times, the innovation has continued. The Volpe Cross-Terrain® gave birth to a new category of bike in 1986. The Milano of 1997 and AutoMilano of 1999 used modern materials and component technology to advance the cruiser bike to a new level. The Bianchi MegaPro downtube, EV2 and now EV4 tubing technology, Structural Foam Injection and proprietary Computer Evaluated Selective Material Reinforcement have made a 15 lb. road bike reality.

Continuous evolution best describes the Bianchi approach, with constant investment in research and development of materials, structures and techniques. Not just research into hi-tech materials such as aluminum, titanium, steel and carbon composites, but also research into unique technological solutions at every stage of the manufacturing process, from the initial pre-forming of the tubes, through the welding and heat treatment, to the final painting and finishing. Then, realistic fatigue simulation is carried out with special equipment designed and manufactured in our factory, contributing to improvements in both the performance and safety of each frame. It is the accumulation of over a hundred and fifteen years of know-how and the blend of traditional techniques with the latest methodology and equipment that result in the continuous evolution of Bianchi bicycles.

All Things Celeste

The exact origin and birth date of Celeste is lost in time and conflicting legend. Whether Edoardo Bianchi saw Celeste as the color of the sky over Milan, or whether he saw it as the color of Queen Margherita’s eyes; whether it was a carefully formulated shade of blue-green or the bargain purchase of some surplus paint; it depends on which legend you chose to believe. But for a century, the color Celeste has meant cycling excellence. From the Celeste bikes ridden by the legendary Fausto Coppi to the Celeste bike ridden to 2001 Mountain Bike World Cup victories by Jose Hermida and Julien Absalon, the color Celeste is synonymous with Bianchi and with victory.

No color in the history of cycling ... perhaps of any human endeavor ... has so clearly, so specifically and for so many decades identified a single name.

Celeste is Bianchi.

Queen Margherita’s blender and signature drink

A History of Triumphs

1899 - Bianchi’s first international victory: Tommaselli wins Grand Prix of Paris, which later evolves into the Tour de France.

1911 - Carlo Galetti wins Giro d’Italia.

1920 - Gaetano Belloni wins Giro d’Italia.

1940 - The era of Fausto Coppi begins with his win in the Giro d’Italia.

1942 - Coppi sets the hour record.

1947 - Coppi is Pursuit World Champion and winner of the Giro d’Italia.

1949 - Coppi is Pursuit World Champion and winner of the Giro and of the Tour de France.

1952 - Coppi wins both the Giro d’Italia and of the Tour de France for the second time.

1953 - Coppi is Road-Cycling World Champion and winner of the Giro d’Italia.

1964 - Bianchi ceases motor vehicle production to concentrate on bicycles.

1965 - Felice Gimondi wins Tour de France.

1967 - Felice Gimondi wins Giro d’Italia.

1969 - Felice Gimondi again wins Giro d’Italia.

1976 - Felice Gimondi wins Giro d’Italia for the third time.

1980 - Gianbattista Baronchelli wins stage in Giro d’Italia.

1981 - Gianbattista Baronchelli repeats Giro d’Italia stage win.

1986 - Moreno Argentin is Road-Cycling World Champion.

1990 - Alexander Kiritchenko is World Kilo Champion.

1991 - Bruno Zanchi is Down-Hill Mountain Bike World Champion.

1992 - Gianni Bugno is Road-Cycling World Champion; Bianchi riders win 8 stages of the Giro d’Italia; Dario Acquaroli is Italian Mountain Bike Champion.

1993 - Mario Cipollini leads Tour de France on a Bianchi. Dario Acquaroli is Junior XC Mountain Bike World Champion.

1996 - Dario Acquaroli is Under 23 XC Mountain Bike World Champion.

1997 - Nadia De Negri is Italian Women’s XC Mountain Bike Champion, silver medalist in World Championship.

1998 - Marco Pantani wins both Giro d’Italia and Tour de France; Stefano Grazelli wins Tour of Switzerland; Marco Velo is Italian Time Trial Champion.

2000 – Jose Hermido is Under 23 XC Mountain Bike World Champion; Marco Pantani wins several Giro d’Italia and Tour de France stages.

2001 – Marco Velo once again is Italian Time Trial Champion; Jose Hermida wins Napa XC World Cup race and is Spanish National XC Mountain Bike Champion and second overall, XC World Mountain Bike Cup; Julien Absalon is first overall in Durango XC World Cup Mountain Bike race; is French National XC Mountain Bike Champion and Under 23 XC Mountain Bike World Champion.