Umberto Dei, man bicycle, 1920, Italy Special bicycle probably built in a unique specimen as a prototype. The particular thing about this extraordinary DEI is its front hub where the gearbox is located, operated by a lever on the horizontal tube. Bicycle models with similar gearboxes were sold in the 30s and 40s in Germany,...

Dei Campione d’Italia, racing bicycle, 1926, Italy This model was called “Campione d’ Italia” (“Italian Champion”) and won the title with Giovanni Brunero in 1926. Alfredo Binda came second. At the time this was the most expensive racing bicycle. It’s also a very rare piece. UMBERTO DEI: Company established in Milan in 1896 by the homonymous racing cyclist. Since it’s...

Damiani, racing bicycle, 1999, Italy Special bicycle made for the DAMIANI ITALIAN FRAME APOLLO time trial. This bicycle is the perfect example of how aerodynamics applied on components and ergonomics keeps developing, creating unusual shapes and lines. One-off. Technical notes: Extra rigid frame, ergonomically shaped for a stretched aerodynamic position of the cyclist on the...

Damiani, man bicycle, 1930, Italy Rare bicycle, with aluminum frame, with backpedal brake, made by Damiani Cicli, a bicycle company from Ghedi. Technical notes: Ivory paint Aluminum fenders and rims Backpedal brake Brook Professional leather saddle Hand pump under the tupe Side stand with safety lock Ambrosio super lusso handlebar: Luigi Zucchini patent

Sea W. Schater Type B, racing bicycle, 1940, England Technical notes: Black frame with pink finish Le Said brakes Tangent-spoked Betacon wooden rims Dolomiti saddle PAT. DEGM Killer handpump Tool bag Fixed gear

Diamant la Francaise, bicicletta da corsa, 1910, Francia High-quality bicycles built for sport enthusiasts. With these bicycles, you could race on Sunday and go for a ride on the other days. In automotive terms, we could define this bicycle as a “granturismo”. Technical notes: Welded frame, without conjunctions (French-style) Tailor-made for a medium-height cyclist Racing...

Gladiator, Touring bicycle, 1902, France Interesting example of a brand that started producing bicycles and then turned to cars. “Pierre Alexandre Darracq is a French businessman,  pioneer of car industry. Born in Bordeaux the 10th November 1855, from a Basque family, Pierre Alexandre Darracq started his traineeship at the Tarbes arsenal and in 1891 opened the...

Labor, racing bicycle, 1908, France Labor is a well-known French company. In the early years of 1900 it built bicycles with the typical horizontal-tube frame. A Labor bicycle was used by Romolo Rocca, a racing cyclist from Rovigo that raced in the first decade of the 20th century. The bicycle he used was bought in...

Magnat & Debon, Man Bicycle, 1906, France Man bicycle, black paint with golden finish, 2 or 3-speed gearbox on the front hub, operated by a shaft on the horizontal tube. This kind of gearbox was a Magnat & Debon patent and helped the company being successful in the cycling world. The inventor and clock manufacturer Joseph...

Cycles Mericant, racing bicycle, 1887/89, France Here’s a typical example of a touring bike, built in France by Cycles Mericant in Paris. The new vehicle was turning into a huge economic and social phenomenon. Just think about the independence the bicycle gave, finally a vehicle which didn’t need animals or thermal energy to move. Back then...

Columbia 5-Star 1952, 110th Anniversary bicycle 1986, USA US bicycle bought by Luciano Nicolis in 1985 in California, with a unique design and some sort of fuel tank under the horizontal tube. COLUMBIA is an historical bicycle company. Its founder, Mr. Pope, was already a coachbuilder and managed to turn Columbia into the world’s largest bicycle producer...

Clement, touring bicycle, 1900, France Cycles Clement from Paris (the famous rooster brand) is the French counterpart of Prinetti & Stucchi, the oldest and biggest Italian brand at the time. The quality of their products was excellent. Technical notes: Touring handlebar Front spoon brake Leather saddle Oil headlamp Rene Valentin watch on the handlebar

Cicli Roma Sport, Man Bicycle, 1920, Italy Special bicycle probably built in limited numbers with a view to search new ways to make the ride more comfortable. The “superspringy” seat is fixed to an articulated stand that aims to make the connection with the frame as small as possible, so that the oscillations due to the...

Dulucq, man touring bicycle, 1902, France Cycles Il Dulucq, built in Bordeaux, France. Technical notes: Racing handleba Odd shape of the crown Perjhon leather saddle Oliers on the hub Fixed gear Black paint with red touches

T.Cavaille, racing bicycle, 1908, France Interesting bicycle built with care and artisanal method by a little company in Grenoble, putting together parts from different sources. In fact there were many companies that built only parts, to the benefit of the then numerous artisans. Technical notes: Sport/Race model Racing handlebar with vertical tube Racing saddle Single...

Bottecchia Specialissima Corsa “Paris-Roubaix”, racing bicycle, 1935, Italy Bottecchia is a company founded in 1926 by Ottavio Bottecchia, the taciturn Champion from Conegliano Veneto, the first italian that won the “Tour de France” in 1924 and 1925. The company will later be bought by the Carnielli family, that will keep producing bicycles, like the famous Graziella,...

Bluebird, Experimental Bicycle, 1930/40 Born to go fast on bumpy terrains, this bicycle works thanks to a series of gears that accelerate the bike. From the up-and-down bumps the motion turns into rectilinear. There are no pedals, just footrests to press. The more you hit bumps, the more the speed increased… The best terrain to...

Michaudine, 1865, penny-farthing, France According to reports, the pedal application on the Draisine and the improvements that will turn it into the “Michaudine“, was made by a technician called Lallement, collaborator of Michaux, to whom the Michaux family (that patented the idea) didn’t show the right gratitude. We have to remember that the Michaux family already...

Gratuita bicycle, Italy, 1880 Iron frame and iron front and rear fender, solid rubber tires, iron bell, oil headlamp with wick, fixed gear, chain drive, spoon brake on the front wheel.

Touring man bicycle, 1954, Switzerland Technical notes: Siluma headlamp Front spoon brake Boni Feldbach Swisse rear drum brake Cosmos lock on the rear wheel Leather tool bag Leather mud flap under the front fender

Saddle with skis

Children’s racing bicycle Children’s racing bicycle made by the historical Wander company, established in 1909 in San Vito al Tagliamento. After WWI the company constantly developed and the bicycle became a universal, cheap and safe vehicle.

Bianchi Super, touring bicycle, 1927, Italy This Bianchi model was very expensive at the time, because the wires of the braking system were placed inside the frame tubes, so the style was cleaner. The reparations were laborious and required a lot of skill. This bicycle is also fitted with some accessories from the time: headlamp,...

Bianchi, Tandem, 1950/60s, Italy Two-seater tandem: the front passenger operates the handlebar and the gearbox too. The transmission is different from a normal bicycle, since there are now two axis: the two sets of pedals are connected by a chain on the left side, while the two cranksets are the same size to keep the...

Bianchi Rekord 841, racing bicycle, 1984, Italy Racing bicycle for non-professional racers. Edoardo Bianchi was born on July 17, 1865 and in 1885, when he was only 20, he opened his first workshop on Via Nirone, 7 in Milan. In addition to velocipedes, Edoardo initially produced and repaired different articles such as wheelchairs, surgical equipment...

Bianchi, racing bicycle, 1974, Italy Special racing bicycle, equipped with all the 1974 technological upgrades: from the carbon tubular frame, to the innovative special fiber handlebar. Technical notes: Frame made of special COLUMBUS carbon steel FIR light alloy rims DUAL SPRINT Bianchi hubs Light alloy CAMPAGNOLO gearbox UNIVERSAL aluminum brakes IMPERO handpump ITALMANUBRI handlebar