Eduardo Bianchi (Ed White) is the oldest bicycle company still in business. (Capo, founded in 1930, may well be second. I don't count Schwinn or Raleigh, because the new companies have no relationship whatsoever with the respective originals.) My Bianchi (see signature) has a delightful geometry for fast sport riding -- not too laid back, not too aggressive. Others have already mentioned the criterium craze, which produced steep head tube angles and high bottom brackets -- my Bianchi is a nice mainstream 73 degrees.
Austrian rider Adolf Christian on his Capo in the TdF:
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
Last edited by John E; 10-23-12 at 10:25 PM.