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Want to own Fausto Coppi's custom 1946 Bianchi road bike? This masterpiece is yours for £103,505

This bike is one of six made for Fausto Coppi by Bianchi's elite Reparto Corse innovation and engineering department, and if you have deep pockets it could be yours

This Bike at Bedtime dives into the world of cycling legend Fausto Coppi, and more particularly, one of his lovely Bianchi road bikes. This expertly-crafted machine, reportedly built by the legendary frame maker Luigi Valsassina in 1946, is arguably a true testament to Coppi's impact on cycling and his quest for technical perfection, and we've spotted it's available for purchase from steel-vintage.com... yours for £103,505 (or your very best offer)!

Dubbed the Fausto Coppi Personal Bianchi Road Bicycle, this masterpiece will have fans of classic steel bikes drooling. Meticulously reinforced lugs, Campagnolo Corsa shifting and other rarities adorn the frame, and Coppi's name is etched on the top tube. Imagine turning up for L'Eroica on this?! 

> Retro vs modern: comparing a vintage steel racer with a modern machine

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The frame still has the serial number visible on it if you weren't convinced it was the real deal, and it's one of half a dozen frames (three for road, three for track) made for Coppi by Bianchi's 'Reparto Corse' elite manufacturing and engineering squad. According to the Steel Vintage listing the actual frame builder was Luigi Valsassina, a well-known Italian master frame maker most active in the 1940s and '50s, who also worked for Cinelli. 

The frame's lugs, especially those securing the seat stays and steering tube, reveal 'unique design enhancements'. It's thought they could have been reinforced to deal with the extra force and power Coppi was laying down compared to your average cyclist in the 1940s. 

> 10 of the best British bike brands of the ‘70s and ‘80s

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A standout feature is the Campagnolo Corsa shifting, with a four-speed freewheel and a very rare iron crankset. This is one of very few Coppi-owned bikes with Campagnolo Corsa on it, as he was more associated with Simplex shifting at the time because it allowed him to change gears without counter-pedalling. Coppi even won the Tour de France on a Simplex-equipped bike in 1949, much to the horror of Tulio Campagnolo. Natural order was restored when Campag's revolutionary Gran Sport derailleur launched in 1951, and Coppi used it to win the 1952 Tour de France. 

> 8 bygone bike technologies we're now well rid of

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The wheelset is more of a standard affair, featuring a combination of 36 front and 40 rear spokes laced to high flange hubs and nisi rims, as was fairly typical at the time. The braking power is provided by top-of-the-line universal mod brakes, offering Coppi the assurance he needed during high-speed descents.

> From Coppi to Van Vleuten: Cycling’s greatest ever seasons

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Adding a personal touch, the bicycle is equipped with F.O.M. pedals, a preferred choice of Coppi and reminiscent of his time spent in Legnano, so we're told. 

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The top tube bears the distinctive 'F. Coppi' signature. This detail is a nod to the cyclist known as 'Il Campionissimo' (the champion of champions) and his contribution to cycling. 

Coppi's Legacy

Fausto Coppi (CC licensed by Glory Cycles:Flickr)

Fausto Coppi revolutionised cycling, not just through his racing prowess but also through his innovation and trailblazing spirit. His collaboration with the Bianchi team reshaped cycling tactics, training methods, and technical advancements, laying the foundation for the successes of future cycling legends like Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain and Froome.

> 50 years on: Italy remembers Fausto Coppi

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This piece of cycling history was likely ridden to victories by Il Campionissimo himself, and it could be yours if you've got £103,505 hanging around.

Would you fancy riding this bike around town, or perhaps keeping it very safe behind bulletproof glass in your mansion instead? Let us know in the comments, and also check out our other Bike at Bedtime features

Suvi joined F-At in 2022, first writing for off-road.cc and then road.cc and ebiketips too until August 2024. She contributed to all of the sites covering tech news, features, reviews and women's cycling content. A lover of long-distance cycling, Suvi is easily convinced to join any rides and events that cover over 100km, and ideally, plenty of cake and coffee stops. 

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4 comments

Avatar
Robert Johnson | 1 year ago
1 like

Bianchi's Reparto Corse department made 57 road bikes for Fausto Coppi in their 13 year association not 6

 

Avatar
Rendel Harris | 1 year ago
3 likes

It's fabulous that he won the Tour on a bike with mudguard lugs.

Avatar
Daddy Feebs | 1 year ago
3 likes

All that money, and it's still rim brake? Plus, there's no Di2 either, and the tyre clearances mean it's unlikely you'd be able to get some nice fat tubeless tyres and ride some "all road" or "gravel". But the biggest thing for me is there's no way those skinny bars would have anywhere to clamp my iPhone. If I can't take staged Instagram shots of a bike, does that bike even exist? Come on, bike industry, it's 2023, time to up your game!

Avatar
brooksby replied to Daddy Feebs | 1 year ago
1 like

Daddy Feebs wrote:

All that money, and it's still rim brake? Plus, there's no Di2 either, and the tyre clearances mean it's unlikely you'd be able to get some nice fat tubeless tyres and ride some "all road" or "gravel". But the biggest thing for me is there's no way those skinny bars would have anywhere to clamp my iPhone. If I can't take staged Instagram shots of a bike, does that bike even exist? Come on, bike industry, it's 2023, time to up your game!

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