# Where are Bianchi frames made?



## utente (Oct 10, 2004)

I'm about to order a 2005 Bianchi, either Eros or Veloce. (Unfortunately, they don't have any 2004's in my size.) They should be out in a few weeks (?).

Anyway, a salesman at an lbs yesterday told me that the Eros frames are now made in Taiwan, and the Veloce frames are still made in Italy. The Bianchi usa website doesn't say where the frames are made.

Anyway, the specs on the frames (steel) are exactly the same. Anybody know whether Bianchi has the exact same frames made in 2 different countries / continents? Or, where I can find out?

Also, do you think that it would make any difference either way?


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## Sherpa23 (Nov 5, 2001)

utente said:


> I'm about to order a 2005 Bianchi, either Eros or Veloce. (Unfortunately, they don't have any 2004's in my size.) They should be out in a few weeks (?).
> 
> Anyway, a salesman at an lbs yesterday told me that the Eros frames are now made in Taiwan, and the Veloce frames are still made in Italy. The Bianchi usa website doesn't say where the frames are made.
> 
> ...



A Bianchi rep told me this exact same thing last year. I hope that helps.


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## Rusty Coggs (Jan 28, 2004)

utente said:


> I'm about to order a 2005 Bianchi, either Eros or Veloce. (Unfortunately, they don't have any 2004's in my size.) They should be out in a few weeks (?).
> 
> Anyway, a salesman at an lbs yesterday told me that the Eros frames are now made in Taiwan, and the Veloce frames are still made in Italy. The Bianchi usa website doesn't say where the frames are made.
> 
> ...


Check the past model year archives at www.bianchiusa.com. Up thru 03 the veloce had been mentioned as having a reparto corse tubeset. In 04 the Tubeset changed to 631... Even tho they don't say it, I'd say the 04s and later are from the orient.


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## utente (Oct 10, 2004)

Yes, I think that the Veloce changed in mid-2003. The 2-chain ring was aluminum and the 3 went to steel. (I think it's still the same.) What doesn't make sense is that Bianchi would have the exact same frame (which is used on about 4 or 5 of their bikes) made in Asia for some models and in Italy for others. They'd be losing the economy of scale, and there isn't enough difference in price to make up for having the higher-priced bikes' frames made in Italy.

So, it does make sense to me (but who knows?) if they're all made in Asia or all made in Italy. And, would it make any difference?


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## bikeshopguy (Oct 27, 2003)

*TAIWAN by Maxway*

almost all Bianchi frames are made in Taiwan by Maxway; if they use steel tubing
even the ones that say made in italy


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## utente (Oct 10, 2004)

That makes more sense, rbg, than the idea that some steel frames would be made in Italy and others made elsewhere.

Also, I looked at the bianchi.it site. The Italian bikes don't seem to correspond at all to the American ones. Seems that there are 2 completely different lines. The Italian bikes are carbon or aluminum, with (from what I saw) no steel frames. 

I'm off to the Bianchi dealer here. He has an Eros (2004) in my wife's size that he can configure for her, and I'll probably end up ordering an Eros (2005, since there's nothing left in my size from 2004) for myself.

The $400 difference in price for the Veloce doesn't seem worth it. The Eros is already a better bike than I am a rider.


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## bikeshopguy (Oct 27, 2003)

*makes sense to lots of "italian" makers*



utente said:


> That makes more sense, rbg, than the idea that some steel frames would be made in Italy and others made elsewhere.
> 
> Also, I looked at the bianchi.it site. The Italian bikes don't seem to correspond at all to the American ones. Seems that there are 2 completely different lines. The Italian bikes are carbon or aluminum, with (from what I saw) no steel frames.
> 
> ...



All kinds of 'Italian' frames are made in Taiwan; shipped via container to Italy; pianted and decaled in Italy and sold as "made In Italy"

Bianchi is not the only one to do this; most makers do it; it even happens with bars, stems, seatposts and sadles

customers are buying stuff all the time assuming it is from one place; when in fact it is from somewhere else

bottom line is ~ do not count on the country of origin sticker meaning much if anything; instead buy what you like or think is a good deal or whatever - without regard to claims by manufacturer (including where it was made)


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

If the frames say "reparto corse " on them ( racing department ), they are probably are made in Italy. Anything else is probably outsourced.
I wonder what Bianchi did with their lage factory with it's huge production lines, where they used to churn out their low and mid level bikes ? All of their racing department frames were made in a small shop that was attached to the end of the factory. The shop was the size of a small house. The bikes were built like other small Italian frame shops. The main factory built bikes using automatic welders and wheel building machines.


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## bikeman105 (Oct 16, 2004)

This remindes me of a similer question regarding Tommaso bikes. Their website says that they are "Italian" bikes, but I know the frames are made in China (at least my Capri is). Would these bikes have even been in Italy, or would they have been made in China and shipped directly to North America, and the "Italian" thing would just be name only?


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## Rusty Coggs (Jan 28, 2004)

*Tommaso*



bikeman105 said:


> This remindes me of a similer question regarding Tommaso bikes. Their website says that they are "Italian" bikes, but I know the frames are made in China (at least my Capri is). Would these bikes have even been in Italy, or would they have been made in China and shipped directly to North America, and the "Italian" thing would just be name only?


 Another one that use to be made in Italy.Think the name was sold like many others and are now made in the orient.Masi is another one. US name sold and now made in the orient. The Italian Masi connection is still making bikes for sale in the US under the Milano name.Motobecane and Peugeot are additional examples of current stuff having no connection to the original name or bikes. All this has nothing to do with Bianchi tho. Bianchi has has a manufacturing faclilities in the orient for yeears, first Japan and now Taiwan.


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## mp3ison (Jun 8, 2005)

*Does it matter?*

There seems to be a lot of discussion on where things are made - especially frames. But does it matter? This question seems to imply Italy might be a better place to make frames - but way? It appears to me most big names use frames from Taiwan. And when it comes to weilding together 7 or 8 tubes or whatever it is - is one country known to do it better than another. [I know one thing, I will never own an Italian car again - LOL]


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

mp3ison said:


> There seems to be a lot of discussion on where things are made - especially frames. But does it matter? This question seems to imply Italy might be a better place to make frames - but way? It appears to me most big names use frames from Taiwan. And when it comes to weilding together 7 or 8 tubes or whatever it is - is one country known to do it better than another. [I know one thing, I will never own an Italian car again - LOL]


The Taiwanese certainly make excellent frames, just take a look at any high end Giant however Italian mastery in the art of frame building is undeniable. I was recently at my LBS and he had set up a whole row of De Rosa frames. What caught my attention were the welds on one of the De Rosa aluminium frames. They were so perfectly smooth that it seemed as if this frame was made from a single piece of aluminium. That kind of skill, attention to detail and perfection is very typical of high end Italian manufactured goods whether they are bike frames, furniture, clothing or whatever. 
I'd be hard pressed to find a Taiwanese made frame that embodies so much attention to detail.


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## mp3ison (Jun 8, 2005)

Italianrider76 said:


> The Taiwanese certainly make excellent frames, just take a look at any high end Giant however Italian mastery in the art of frame building is undeniable. I was recently at my LBS and he had set up a whole row of De Rosa frames. What caught my attention were the welds on one of the De Rosa aluminium frames. They were so perfectly smooth that it seemed as if this frame was made from a single piece of aluminium. That kind of skill, attention to detail and perfection is very typical of high end Italian manufactured goods whether they are bike frames, furniture, clothing or whatever.
> I'd be hard pressed to find a Taiwanese made frame that embodies so much attention to detail.


Interesting - they sure do not bring these skills to bear in Cars.
Of course, another question is how much is a DeRosa bike and does it actually ride better than a Giant made in Taiwan? My guess is that smooth welds do not improve ride and that they are actually the result of big welds that have been filed down.
Anyway, it is all very interesting that lots of bikes with names from France, England, USA, Japan, and Italy are really made in Taiwan.


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## lyleseven (Nov 15, 2002)

*You obviously haven't been in any high end Italian cars...*

I find the Italians to be master craftsmen in just about anything they manufacture and have been to some Italian bike factories. I was very impressed with their attention to detail and their sense of not being rushed to put out x number of bikes in a given day.


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

mp3ison said:


> Interesting - they sure do not bring these skills to bear in Cars.
> Of course, another question is how much is a DeRosa bike and does it actually ride better than a Giant made in Taiwan? My guess is that smooth welds do not improve ride and that they are actually the result of big welds that have been filed down.
> Anyway, it is all very interesting that lots of bikes with names from France, England, USA, Japan, and Italy are really made in Taiwan.


As far as cars go.....I know......FIAT and Alfa Romeo (also owned by FIAT) often leave much to be desired when it comes to quality control but if we're talking about high end cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Pagani I have to agree with Lyleseven here.....they are masterfully built.

As far as bike frames go..........sure...the smooth welds won't improve the ride but I was just pointing out that fanatical attention to detail and that mastery in actually rendering them so smooth. Of course, you will have to pay through your nose for this attention to detail which in the end won't necessarily improve your ride but hey....if it's important to you, then go for it. I can't really justify spending $5000 on an Italian frame, that why I ride a Giant.....lol


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