1977 - Bianchi Campione del Mondo

Racing has always been very important to Bianchi. The first world champion title won by Giovanni Tommaselli in 1899 on the track for Bianchi was just as important as the title of Fausto Coppi in 1953. So in Milan Fausto Coppi's title was celebrated with the Campione del Mondo model, which was replaced by the Specialissima model in about 1960. 20 years later, the Campione del Mondo model was available again, in parallel and as a supplement to the Specialissima.

Celeste belongs to Bianchi and Bianchi is (known for) Celeste. But there is also silver paint on their top of the line models. And as you can see here, it´s not looking less iconic.

Bottom Braket: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Headset: Campagnolo Gran Sport
Crankset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Shift levers: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Brake Lever: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Brakes: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Wheelset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record with MAVIC rims
Saddle: 3ttt
Seatpost: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Stem: 3ttt Bianchi pantographed
Handlebar: 3ttt
Pedals: Campagnolo Nuovo Record

Frame tubing: Columbus Aelle
Fork tubing: Columbus Aelle

1976 - Bianchi Specialissima

Celeste, the unique color of Bianchi, has continued to evolve from the first inspiration of the pale sky blue of the Campionissimo Coppi era, to the recent adaptations of turquoise and fluor greens. In a sea of primary colors in the Pro Peloton or on a city street, it only takes a glance of the celeste color to know you’re looking at a Bianchi – even from distance the Celeste speaks, telling about the story of success, victories and famous racers and those eroici that will be all well remembered.

What started in 1885 in a tiny workshop in Milan went to become todays oldest bicycle manufacturer still in production, sums up to four world champion titles achieved on Bianchi Tour de France, Campione del Mondo or Specialissima bikes by racers like Fausto Coppi in 1953, Felice Gimondi in 1973, Moreno Argentin in 1986 and Gianni Bugno in 1992, the double of winning the Giro as well as the Tour at same year in 1949 and 1952 by famous Fausto Coppi and 1998 by Marco Pantani.

Those with a romantic streak believe that Edoardo Bianchi, who supplied a bicycle and riding lessons to Regina Margherita of the Savoia Royal House totally mesmerized by the striking color of her majesty’s blue eyes chose exactly her eyes color for the paint of her new Bianchi bicycle. Some say that she awarded him the right to use the royal coat of arms as the Bianchi Logo, where it has since appeared on the headtube of every Bianchi bicycle.

Those with a penchant for pragmatism believe that in  a market where color choice was largely limited to black (back than in 1895), Edoardo Bianchi delivered an unusual, iconic and enduring eye-catching color by having access to a ready supply of surplus military paint, in shades of light blue and pale grey, and from that blended paint the iconic Celeste Bianchi color origin was born.

But it could also be as simple as that Celeste is a vision of a stunning, clear Milano sky, high above the Bianchi factory.

Bottom Braket: Campagnolo Super Record
Headset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record
Crankset: Campagnolo Super Record Bianchi pantographed
Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Super Record
Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Super Record
Shift levers: Campagnolo Super Record, milled
Brake Lever: Campagnolo Super Record
Brakes: Campagnolo Super Record
Wheelset: Campagnolo Super Record with MAVIC rims
Saddle: 3ttt
Seatpost: Campagnolo Super Record
Stem: 3ttt Bianchi pantographed
Handlebar: 3ttt
Pedals: Campagnolo Super Record

Frame tubing: Columbus SL
Fork tubing: Columbus SL

1953 - C.N.C. Perucca

C.N.C. sounds like a military organisation but stands for Comptoir National Du Cycle and was a cycle manufacturer in the heart of Paris founded by the Fletcher family in 1936, who build custom bicycles to order. It doesn’t exist anymore, as the company went out of business back in the late 1980’s. Near to the Gare Du Nord, on Rue Du Foubourg Saint Denis, the C.N.C. headquarter was located but their frames were soldered at a suburban called Vitry because of Parisian city codes which do not allow industrial welding and soldering within the city limits anymore. C.N.C. is also known for owning the brands brands Thomann and Chaplait. But until now I didn´t come along a brand Perucca. However with beeing the owner of Thomann C.N.C. is next to Rene Herse, Alcyon, Follis, Barra and BACU or Carré what makes them probably part of the most iconic bike brands or frame builders of France 

The company employed about 63 people with 5 of them soldering frames but only 3 of them soldered those frames that were sold under the C.N.C. brand.

One of these three should have been a man called Ducret, who joined the company at its beginning and seems to have been the business partner of Raymond Fletcher and co-owner of C.N.C.

Nevertheless C.N.C frames were made to measure and of very good quality by using Reynolds or other high quality tubing. Later (in the 70s or 80s) the Russian bicycle national team was amongst their customers also.

But justify for yourself

Stay tuned!

1976 - Antares

There are features that can assign a frame to a region, a city and sometimes not only to a explicitly named frame builder, but to a certain periode also.

With this find features used by a few masters are found but the origin unfortunately remains in the dark. The rear brake bridge with the integrated brake mount points to Alberto and Faliero Masi as well as to Lucino Marastoni and others. However, I have never seen shift lever bosses made that way before and the rear dropouts are also puzzling.

Some of the details seen here would even look good on a French designer.

Maybe someone knows more about this frame? Any hint and help would be highly appreciated.

1936 - Wendl

Graz is closely connected to Steyr and Puch as well as to what´s called heavy industry. Dealing with  Puch and Austro Daimler you´ll most probably think of Peugeot either; competition bicycles taken from mass production and with an equipe achieving some success they formed a small team dealing with the equipes needs in really small numbers.

Consequently you´ll count Styrias capital more likely into bicycle mass production rather than a hot spot of small, fine frame builders that can compete against their well re-known Vienna brothers.


Franz Wendl started building steel frames in the mid-1930s and became known for frames created and soldered for e.g. Rudi Ottitsch and Ferdinand Gatternig, who in 1935 became Staatsmeister on a Wendl.

In 1939 Wendl passed the master craftsman exam, started working as an apprentice trainer in the local wagon factory and later as a calculator at Puch, turning most of the frames made by Wendl into prewar products.

In the present case, this already attracts the details; the OsGear dropouts come from the 30s and were rather unused in the post-war period.

Stay tuned!

1954 - Stöpel Sport

There is always a first time, even if it is not always such a bang, as it turned out to be on July 7, 1932 when Kurt Stöpel finished first theTour de France stage from Caen to Nantes becoming the first German cyclist with a stage win and simultaneously the first German in the yellow jersey.

At the end, Stöpel took second place behind André Leducq and started another 4 times in the most important cycling race in the world. Titles such as Deutscher Straßenmeister (1934) or placed second in Deutschlandrundfahrt (1930) also testify his successful cycling life.

How his life went on is unfortunately more or less unknown, so it is still unclear whether he ran a cycling shop at all or only his name was marketed.

However, what can be substantiated, is the age of the frame, since I got a copy of the original receipt.

In May 1954 a Berlin master baker stuttered the purchase price for the frameset in 11 installments.

Maybe someone knows more about Kurt Stöpel and his racing bike frames from you? Any hint and help would be highly appreciated.

But let me introduce the Stöpel Sport frame as it was found

Stay tuned!