Bianchi Tour de France, racing bicycle, 1949, Italy

This bicycle is an ultrarare supercorsa, uncommonly fitted with a SIMPLEX gearbox.

With a bicycle like this Fausto Coppi won the Tour in 1949.

Bianchi celebrated this great victory by launching a new “Tour de France” bicycle, fitted with a Campagnolo gearbox instead of Simplex. It seems that the implementation of the Simplex gearbox on the bicycles of that year was due to a late tune on the new Record gearbox, that later became very famous.

 

Technical notes:

• 4-speed SIMPLEX gearbox


• Direct lever SIMPLEX derailleur


• UNIVERSAL brakes


• BIANCHI tailor-made handlebar