| Yes, there is such a thing called a Bianchi Bike. It has | | | | Famous Riders |
| style, grace, and versatility. It's also a favorite among | | | | When it comes to champion riders, Bianchi has a few. |
| the fixed gear bike community. | | | | From Jan Ullrich to Danilo Di Luca, Bianchi has won |
| A little about Bianchi Bikes | | | | numerous Tour de France competitions as well as |
| Formed by Edoardo Bianchi in Milan, Italy, Bianchi Bikes | | | | victories at Giro d'Italia. This bicycle company has a |
| was founded in 1885 (that's old!). In the same year, the | | | | reputation for winning awards on the track and on the |
| company pioneered the equi-sized wheel use with | | | | streets, so don't think you're getting a cheap-o bike |
| pneumatic rubber tires (not to mention the front wheel | | | | here. |
| caliper-operated braking mechanism as well). Known | | | | The Auto Connection |
| as one of the worlds oldest bicycle companies, Bianchi | | | | In the mid 1950s, Bianchi teamed up with Pirelli and Fiat |
| is known for race bikes, track bikes, leisure bikes, and | | | | to form Autobianchi. This short -lived auto |
| even fixed gear bikes of the modern age. | | | | manufacturer ceased production of vehicles in 1996. |
| Bianchi in the US | | | | They produced vehicles such as the Bianchina |
| In the United States, Bianchi headquarters is located in | | | | Trasformabile, Stellina, and Primula (not to mention the |
| Hayward, California. Today, Bianchi makes bikes in the | | | | A111 and A112). But enough about cars...back to bikes. |
| following categories: Ducati Corse, Hors Categorie, | | | | Traditional Bianchi Green |
| Born For Performance, Coast 2 Coast, Dama Bianca, | | | | You may have heard of the traditional Bianchi Green. |
| D2 Special, Classica, Road Steel, MTB Performance, | | | | It's a turquoise color referred to as Celeste. The |
| MTB Leisure, Sport, and Cross-Terrain. Of course | | | | theories and stories surrounding this color range from it |
| within each one of these categories lies a number of | | | | being the color of the Milan sky, the color of the Italian |
| sleek, high-performance bikes ranging from multi-terrain | | | | Queen's eyes (at the time), and even that it was a |
| to classic road bike styles. Also today, fixed gear | | | | mixture of surplus military paint. Regardless of the |
| fanatics like Bianchi bikes for their history, designs, and | | | | reason, Bianchi Green is part of the tradition and |
| prestige (they also look great with Campagnolo parts). | | | | recognizable by Bianchi fans the world around. |
| The Taiwan Conspiracy | | | | So, Do You Want a Bianchi? |
| Known from originating in Italy, Bianchi bikes now split | | | | If you're thinking about getting your first road/mountain |
| their production in Italy and Taiwan. Although some | | | | bike, Bianchi is definitely a brand to check out. It's rich |
| may say this has degraded the purity of Bianchi and | | | | history and lasting brand power make it a bike worth |
| the prestige as one of the truest road bikes, overseas | | | | the investment. Prices range and will vary from model |
| production has undoubted helped keep costs down | | | | to model and the accessories available, so be sure to |
| and allowed many to discover Bianchi for the first time | | | | shop around. For you fixed gear fans, older Bianchis |
| at an affordable price. In the U.S., the majority of | | | | can be picked up online from Craigslist and other online |
| Bianchi bikes sold are made in Taiwan. Only the | | | | offline second-hand outlets. If you're lucky, you might |
| Reparto Corse category is still made in Italy. | | | | just find one at the local neighborhood garage sale. |