I wrote something, then it went away - apologies if this is a re-post

One of the best affirmations of Bianchi's brand values I read dates from 1944. Wonderful travel writer called Eric Newby escaped from a prison camp in occupied Italy. (Story, 'Love and War in the Appennines')

An Italian family harboured him. The daughter of the family (whom he later married) had her bike empounded. She demanded its return, confronting the soldiers --'It's not a bike, it's my Bianchi'. To her, worth getting shot for

Sorry for potential thread theft, but that characterises the brand value to me