Car lovers have the Ford T or the Volkswagen Beetle. Motorcycle enthusiasts idolize the Vespa or Harley-Davidson. Icons that go beyond trends, with which millions of people around the world identify. But... what about cycling? Which are those models that marked a before and after in the history of this sport? Is there any associated with a great cycling feat without which it would be impossible to understand modern cycling? As with every list, some may miss a particular model, or prefer certain brands over others, but what is certain is that all the bicycles included in this list deserve a place of their own in the cycling hall of fame.
1. The Bianchi of Fausto Coppi
Photo credits: vitaleonlus.it
Fausto Coppi ruled cycling with an iron fist in the 1950s. His record is unrepeatable, but suffice it to say he won 5 Giros d'Italia and 2 Tours de France, and until him, no one had ever won the Tour and the Giro in the same year. To all this must be added his World Road Cycling Championship. The marriage between the brand Bianchi and the Italian lasted his entire carrera, as he signed with the team of the same name in 1949 and never changed bicycle models again. It's hard to believe, but back then a bicycle was useful for several years and used for all types of competitions. If there is one Bianchi significant in the carrera of the Piedmontese, among all, it was the one with which he was crowned in 1953, in Lugano (Italy), as World Road Cycling Champion. Made of metal and wood, with two huge containers on the handlebar to hold water bottles, it had frame-mounted shifters and featured artisan work on the wheels, pedals, and saddle.
2. The 5.5-kilo Colnago of Eddy Merckx
Photo credits: Colnago
As if aware that his name was destined to appear in the history books, Eddy Merckx, at barely 20 years old, was already saying that one of his great professional challenges was to break the hour record. Seven years after that statement, on October 25, 1972, he achieved it at the velodrome in Mexico City. The Cannibal used a Colnago model with 28-spoke wheels, titanium stem, and steel tubing that weighed 5.5 kilos on the scale. Needless to say, at the time, this bicycle was a technological marvel for its aerodynamics and weight. Cycling fans were fascinated by the lightness of its frame. The Belgian was loyal to the Italian brand, at least during his most successful professional period, but none of the other models he used until his retirement ever became so popular. It was, by the way, one of the first occasions when a cyclist's name was printed on the bicycle itself, in this case on the lower tube of the frame. Merckx's hour record lasted 12 years, until it was broken by the Italian Francesco Moser. A fun fact: if you want to see the bicycle, it is on display at the Eddy Merckx metro station in Brussels.
Additionally, Eddy Merckx also has his own cycling brand and we have some models available at Tuvalum. Discover the Eddy Merckx Lavaredo here.
3. The Bottecchia with aerobars of Greg Lemond
The 1989 Tour de France will forever be remembered as the one in which Greg LeMond snatched the yellow jersey and overall victory from Laurent Fignon in the final stage. A time trial and a win that was the closest thing the French race has ever seen to a last-minute overtime goal or a buzzer-beater basket. What made the American's bike special, a Bottecchia with Mavic wheels (the rear, disc), were some then-innovative extensions attached to the handlebars. The now-popular aero bars helped LeMond make up the 50 seconds he needed and even gain 8 more on the Frenchman. This bike can be seen up close at the Three Oaks Spokes Bicycle History Museum in Michigan (USA).
👉 Here you can discover the road bikes available at Tuvalum and make history on your rides.
4. The Pinarello Espada of Miguel Indurain
Photo credits: Pinarello Spain
Pinarello is one of those manufacturers that in itself sums up the love affair between Italy and the world of bicycle design. Their models have been used by some of the most legendary cyclists since 1953. But in the 1990s, they wanted to go one step further and forever associate their name with cutting-edge technology applied to the world of two wheels. They achieved this with the help of the great Miguel Induráin, and in the process etched the shapes of their creation into the memories of countless devotees of the Navarrese rider. To talk about the Pinarello Espada is to mention the bike with which Induráin set a new Hour Record on September 2, 1994. The one-piece carbon fiber frame became as famous as its two disc wheels, the front smaller than the rear. Conceived by Formula 1 engineers, it barely exceeded 7 kilograms by 200 grams and was adapted to the anthropometric measurements of the Navarrese cyclist. The handlebars were by ITM and the wheels were made by Campagnolo. One interesting fact about it is that its frame was made from molds, and the manufacturing cost of each exceeded $5,000. There was a later road version with which Induráin continued to compete in the Tour. Those who want to see this piece of cycling history again can do so at the Sports Museum of the Rafa Nadal Academy, in Manacor (Mallorca).