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- Bianchi is the world's oldest continuously-operating bike brand — founded 1885 in Milan. The celeste green (a pale turquoise) is Bianchi's signature color since the 1930s and is trademarked. Bianchi was acquired by the Piaggio Group (Vespa) in 1997 and is now owned by the Selle Royal group
- Road hierarchy: Specialissima (lightweight climbing, the flagship) → Oltre (aero race) → Infinito (endurance) → Aria (aero/endurance, the do-it-all). The Specialissima RC is the bike of the Astana Qazaqstan pro team
- Gravel: Sprint (alloy entry) and the Impulso/Inferno line. Bianchi's gravel presence is smaller than competitors — the Sprint gravel is the main offering, positioned as a value alloy gravel bike
- MTB: Methanol (XC full-suspension, carbon) and Duel (trail hardtail). Bianchi's MTB presence is minimal compared to road — the Methanol is a legitimate XC race bike, but the brand is road-first
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Road — Specialissima, Oltre, Infinito, Aria
Specialissima: Bianchi's flagship lightweight climbing bike, the bike of Astana Qazaqstan. 'Specialissima' means 'the most special' in Italian. The frame uses Countervail — Bianchi's proprietary vibration-damping resin baked into the carbon layup, licensed from the aerospace industry. Countervail reduces road buzz without adding weight; it's unique to Bianchi. The RC tier (Reparto Corse, the racing division) is the lightest; the standard Specialissima uses a heavier layup.
Oltre: Bianchi's aero race bike, for sprint and flat stages. 'Oltre' means 'beyond'. The Oltre RC has the integrated cockpit and deepest aero tubes; the standard Oltre is the value aero. Heavier than the Specialissima but faster on flat stages.
Infinito: Bianchi's endurance bike, with Countervail for compliance, endurance geometry, and 32 mm tire clearance. The Infinito is the bike for long days and rough roads — the Countervail damps vibration that a standard carbon frame would transmit.
Aria: Bianchi's do-it-all aero bike, available as a road bike and a time-trial bike (with a bolt-on TT cockpit). The Aria is positioned as the value aero/TT option — one frame, two uses.
Bianchi road family. 'RC' = Reparto Corse (racing division, the pro tier). Carbon grades: Bianchi doesn't heavily market grades — the tier is in the model name.
| Model | Category | Frame weight | Key feature | Tire clearance | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialissima RC | Lightweight climbing (race) | ≈780 g (size 55) | Countervail vibration damping; Astana pro bike | 32 mm | ≈$11,000 (Dura-Ace Di2) |
| Specialissima | Lightweight climbing | ≈820 g (size 55) | Same frame, heavier layup; Ultegra Di2 | 32 mm | ≈$6,000 |
| Oltre RC | Aero race (race) | ≈970 g (size 55) | Integrated cockpit, deep aero tubes; sprint stages | 30 mm | ≈$10,500 (Dura-Ace Di2) |
| Oltre | Aero race | ≈1,000 g (size 55) | Same aero shape; Ultegra Di2 or 105 Di2 | 30 mm | ≈$5,000 |
| Infinito | Endurance | ≈1,050 g (size 55) | Endurance geo, Countervail, 32 mm clearance | 32 mm | ≈$4,000 (105 Di2) |
| Aria | Aero/endurance (do-it-all) | ≈1,000 g (size 55) | Mid-weight aero; TT and road variants | 28 mm | ≈$3,500 (105) |
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Countervail — Bianchi's vibration-damping tech
Countervail is a viscoelastic resin embedded in Bianchi's carbon fiber layup. Developed by the Materials Sciences Corporation (originally for NASA aerospace applications), Countervail cancels vibrations in the carbon structure — reducing road buzz and fatigue without adding significant weight or sacrificing stiffness.
Bianchi is the exclusive cycling licensee of Countervail. The tech is baked into the frame during layup (it's not a sticker or a layer added after). Independent testing (VeloNews, BikeRadar) has confirmed that Countervail frames measurably reduce high-frequency vibration transmission compared to standard carbon frames.
Countervail is on the Specialissima, Oltre, and Infinito (the carbon road platforms). It's NOT on the entry Aria or the alloy Sprint. The presence of Countervail is one of the justifications for Bianchi's premium pricing.
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Mountain — Methanol and Duel
Methanol CV: Bianchi's XC race full-suspension bike, with Countervail in the carbon layup (the only MTB with Countervail). 100/100 mm travel, 29" wheels. The Methanol is a legitimate XC race bike — it's the bike of Bianchi's (small) MTB pro team. The 'CV' suffix indicates Countervail.
Duel: Bianchi's entry alloy hardtail. The Duel is the budget trail/XC bike — available in 29" or 27.5". It's the cheapest way to get a Bianchi mountain bike.
Bianchi MTB family. Minimal MTB presence — road-first brand. Methanol is the carbon XC race bike; Duel is the entry alloy hardtail.
| Model | Category | Travel (F/R) | Wheel size | Frame | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methanol CV | XC full-suspension (race) | 100 / 100 mm | 29" | Carbon (Countervail) | ≈$7,000 (XX1 AXS) |
| Methanol 9.x | XC hardtail | 100 mm (F only) | 29" | Carbon | ≈$4,000 (XT) |
| Duel | Entry hardtail | 100 mm (F only) | 29" or 27.5" | Alloy | ≈$1,200 |
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Bianchi's heritage and the celeste
Oldest brand: Bianchi was founded in 1885 by Edoardo Bianchi in Milan — making it the oldest continuously-operating bike brand in the world (older than the Tour de France, which started in 1903). Fausto Coppi won the Tour on a Bianchi in 1949 and 1952; Marco Pantani won on a Bianchi in 1998. The heritage is a core part of the brand's identity and pricing.
Celeste: the signature pale turquoise-green color, used since the 1930s. The origin is disputed — some say it was the color of Milan's sky, others that it was a surplus paint from a different industry. Whatever the origin, celeste is trademarked and is the most recognizable bike color in the world. Most Bianchis are celeste; a few pro-team builds are black or white.
Made in Italy: like Colnago, Bianchi frames are designed in Italy. High-end frames (Specialissima, Oltre RC) are manufactured in partnership with Italian/Asian carbon specialists; entry frames are made in Asia. The Treviglio factory (near Milan) handles final assembly and quality control of premium models.
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