About Ebykr
Ebykr celebrates classic and vintage lightweight bicycles through provoking imagery and opinion. Let's roll together!
A Century of Celeste: Key Corporate and Technical Milestones of the World’s Oldest Bicycle Empire
From a modest Milanese workshop at Via Nirone 7 to the absolute heights of professional cycling’s “Double-Double,” the history of Bianchi is a masterclass in industrial resilience and technical proof-of-concept. Founded in 1885 by the visionary Edoardo Bianchi, the brand transformed the primitive velocipede into a precision racing instrument while simultaneously conquering the frontiers of motorcycles, luxury automobiles, and even aviation engines. This timeline chronicles the milestones of the “Eagle of Milan”—the world’s oldest continuously operating bicycle manufacturer—as it evolved through royal warrants, wartime grit, and the legendary eras of Coppi and Gimondi to become a permanent icon of the cycling world.
| Event Date(s) | Event Type | Event Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1885 | Company Founding | Edoardo Bianchi opens his first mechanical workshop at No. 7 Via Nirone, Milan, at age 20. |
| 1885–1886 | Product Innovation | Introduces the “safety” bicycle with wheels of nearly equal size and a chain drive, a massive leap in stability. |
| 1888 | Technical Milestone | Becomes the first in Italy to adopt Dunlop’s pneumatic tires with inner tubes. |
| 1890 | Infrastructure Expansion | Outgrows previous quarters and opens a larger factory on Via Borghetto, Milan. |
| 1895 | Royal Patronage | Summoned to the Villa Reale in Monza to teach Queen Margherita how to ride; creates the first purpose-built women’s bicycle. |
| 1895 | Brand Recognition | Awarded the title “Supplier of the Real House,” granting use of the Savoy red-crusader coat of arms. |
| 1896 | Reparto Corse Founded | Establishes the “Racing Department” to use professional competition as a proving ground for technical solutions. |
| 1897 | Product Diversification | Launches motorcycle production, leveraging mechanical expertise beyond bicycles. |
| 1899 | Major Racing Victory | Giovanni Tommaselli wins the Grand Prix of Paris, the brand’s first major international racing triumph. |
| 1900 | Product Diversification | Debut of the first Bianchi cars and motorized tricycles. |
| 1901 | Brand Identity | Registers the first trademark featuring the crowned eagle, a symbol of strength and vision. |
| 1901 | Patent Milestone | Patents a cardan (shaft-drive) transmission system for bicycles. |
| 1905 | Corporate Reorganization | Firm formally becomes a joint stock company: Fabbrica di automobili e velocipedi Edoardo Bianchi & C. |
| 1909 | Product Diversification | Expansion into the aerospace sector with the production of aviation engines. |
| 1911 | Grand Tour Victory | Carlo Galetti wins the third edition of the Giro d’Italia riding for Team Bianchi. |
| 1913 | Technical Milestone | Introduction of front caliper brakes, significantly improving safety and control. |
| 1913 | Brand Identity | The famous “celeste” (teal/sky blue) color first appears on frames. |
| 1913–1932 | Production Milestone | Production era of the iconic “Giro d’Italia” Type M model, a bridge between artisanal and industrial eras. |
| 1914 | Production Peak | Annual production reaches a staggering 45,000 bicycles, 1,500 motorcycles, and 1,000 cars. |
| 1915 | Product Innovation | Invents the first mountain bike for the Bersaglieri light infantry, featuring full suspension and a folding frame. |
| 1924–1938 | Market Dominance | Bianchi holds the largest share of the booming Italian bicycle market. |
| 1927 | Brand Storytelling | Publication of “The Eagle and the Bianchi Bicycle,” a short story mythologizing the brand’s connection to the sky. |
| 1940 | Racing Legend Signed | Fausto Coppi, “Il Campionissimo,” joins Team Bianchi and wins his first Giro d’Italia. |
| 1940 | Technical Milestone | Introduction of the Folgore model, the first to adopt the Campagnolo two-stick gearbox. |
| 1942 | Competitive Milestone | Fausto Coppi sets the world hour record on a Bianchi. |
| 1943 | Corporate Tragedy | The Bianchi steel processing factory is destroyed by aerial bombings. |
| 1946 (July 3) | Corporate Leadership | Founder Edoardo Bianchi dies in a car accident; leadership passes to his son, Giuseppe Bianchi. |
| c. 1946 | Strategic Pivot | Secures a $1,000,000 international loan from the U.S. to retool the factory and resume production. |
| 1949 | Grand Tour Dominance | Coppi achieves the historic “Double” (winning the Giro and Tour in the same year). |
| 1950 | Market Innovation | Introduction of the Aquilmotoro, a retrofit engine for bicycle frames. |
| 1950–1951 | Product Milestone | Launch of the Paris-Roubaix model, renamed to honor Coppi’s victory in the “Hell of the North.” |
| 1952 | Technical Milestone | Tour de France model introduced, equipped with the modern Campagnolo Gran Sport derailleur. |
| 1953 | Racing Victory | Coppi wins the World Championships on a Bianchi featuring a pioneering integrated headset. |
| 1953–1954 | Product Milestone | Introduction of the Campione del Mondo racing model. |
| 1955 | Strategic Retreat | Vehicle division merged with Fiat and Pirelli to create Autobianchi; Bianchi begins transition out of car manufacturing. |
| 1958 | Racing Icon Debuts | The Specialissima racing model arrives, featuring the Campagnolo Record groupset and a 27.2mm seatpost. |
| 1960 (Jan) | Loss of an Icon | Fausto Coppi dies from malaria, stripping the brand of its most powerful public figurehead. |
| 1964 | Corporate Liquidation | Non-cycling divisions liquidated to forestall bankruptcy; Officine Metallurgiche Edoardo Bianchi SpA (bicycle division) survives independently. |
| 1965 | Racing Milestone | Felice Gimondi wins the Tour de France on a Bianchi, signaling a brand renaissance. |
| 1967 | Infrastructure Milestone | Inauguration of a modern factory in Treviglio, Italy, which remains the brand’s home. |
| 1980 | Acquisition | Bianchi becomes part of the Piaggio industrial group. |
| 1985 | Centennial Milestone | Release of the limited Centennial (Centenario) model to celebrate 100 years of history. |
| 1988 | Product Innovation | Launch of the X4 model, showcasing peak steel craftsmanship with black chroming and Columbus SLX tubing. |
| Late 1980s | Manufacturing Shift | Reparto Corse begins experimenting with aluminum, titanium and carbon; production of certain lines moves to Japan. |
https://ebykr.com/bianchi-history-ultimate-guide/
https://www.ebykr.com/edoardo-bianchi-bicycles-history/
https://www.ebykr.com/the-eagle-and-the-bianchi-bicycle/
https://speedreaders.info/143-edoardo_bianchi_by_antonio_gentile/
https://www.museonicolis.com/en/35297/
https://www.cyclingwest.com/july/july99/classic.html
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.I.V._Edoardo_Bianchi
https://theamericanmag.com/orphans/
https://www.icenicam.org.uk/articlesb/art0179.php
https://www.registrostoricobianchi.it/la-bianchi/le-auto/
http://www.ciclostileparma.it/cataloghi.html
https://www.registrostoricocicli.com/cataloghi-cicli-depoca/
