From the celeste paint to the silver coat of arms head badge, there are brands none more iconic or evocative of cycling's rich tapestry of history than Bianchi. An Italian bicycle brand born at the dawn of cycling, Edoardo Bianchi formed the company bearing his name in 1885 when he started a workshop in Milanese, in north western Italy.

Despite impoverished and orphaned beginnings, young Edoardo founded Bianchi when he was just 21-years-old, and it wasn't long before he was producing thousands of bicycles built to the highest standard. He was quick to embrace some of the latest designs and technologies, and in 1939 was an early adopter of the then revolutionary Campagnolo rear derailleur, which allowed gear changes to be made on the move.