In Greek mythology Icarus was the son of Daedalus (architect and builder of the Minotaur’s labyrinth) and of Naucrate a young slave of Minos.
In fact, the Bianchi Icaro model represents details and construction choices worthy of the Minotaur labyrinth designed by Daedalus, but to understand these oddities we have to take the clocks back to 1941 and make a comparison with other cycling manufacturers.
In the period immediately following the start of the Second World War, the major brands, which were directly in commercial competition with Edoardo Bianchi, already had light models with rigid transmission brakes in their catalogue, while Bianchi did not yet present a substantial offer. The major models that had enjoyed considerable commercial success, as early as 1938, were mostly: the “Lautal” model of the Taurus and the “Superleggera” model of the Umberto Dei.
The Icar“ model will ”fficially enter the catalog and into production from 1941 and will last until 1948-49, with the necessary exceptions for the years in which the Allied air raids put a forced brake on the industries of Milan in 1944 and 1945.
Being such a special model, the following special details are also used:
- the junctions of the frame similar to the road racing model “Folgore”,
- narrow aluminum rims with a diameter of 26 ½,
- tapered frame sliders which will then be introduced on the R-type models only from 1949,
- aluminum mudguards with rounded section and double lateral ribs,
- SIAMT hubs with “Bianchi” writing in italics equipped with aluminum flanges and clamp oilers,
- brake arches with a rounded tuning fork shape similar to the older Impero models but made of aluminium,
- steel handlebar with “B” shape hollow in the central part.
The model under analysis has two main variants, fans of the brand recognize in fact a first series produced from ’41 up to ’43-’44 and a second series produced from ’46 up to ’48, the main difference in this metamorphosis is from mainly subject to the differences listed below:
First series 1941-1943 | Second series 1946-1948 |
Handlebar: with brake lever ends with the classic dot motif. | Handlebars: With spoon-shaped levers that resembled the flagship “Super Extra” model. |
Chainguard: similar to the top model “Bianchi Impero” but shorter and adapted to 26-inch wheels. | Chainguard: officially in the catalog it had the carter unchanged from the 1st series, despite this, all the preserved models, known to date, of the 2nd series have the carter similar to the top model “Super Extra”. |
Crankset: the catalog shows a lightened crankset but in reality all the Icaros found mount a steel
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Crankset: with crank and chainring joined together mechanically. Crankset: same as the first series. |
Pedals: with trumpet shape but with aluminum center and external steel bushings.
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Pedals: according to the catalogue, the pedals had to be the same as the 1st series, however the known models all have completely steel pedals. |
Livery: The Icaro model shown in the Bianchi catalog shows only the pearl gray color with gold piping and polished mudguards, however this solution has never been noticed on any preserved Icaro model, the known solutions are: light gray with blue and green piping with red threads. |
Livery: The Icaro model shown in the Bianchi catalog has pearl gray with red piping or black with white flames and green piping, the only solution known on the preserved models is completely black paint, with gold piping.
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The substantial differences compared to the catalog on both series may lie in the fact that the few surviving examples that have come down to us were produced to order, changing some details that make each Icaro model a model in its own right.
The Icaro model is recognized for being one of the rarest models produced by Bianchi, this limited number of specimens is due to the period of its production which coincides with the war period and to the fact that this model was only produced with 26-inch wheels , this aspect limits its marketing to medium-high stature customers.
Looking beyond the collecting aspect, we can say that Bianchi started late (compared to Umberto Dei and Taurus) with the production of this type of bicycle and when the project was brought to the starting line, the factory managers tried to imitate solutions already adopted to previous models without rethinking and implementing them, these solutions are for example:
- the internal brake at the rear and external at the rear as in the “R” model produced from the 10s to 1923,
- the brake arches identical in shape and size to the “Impero” model, the substantial change is in the material, Icaro has them in aluminium,
- similar crankcase (on both series) to the top models “Impero” before and “Super-extra” later, being a bike that had to compete for lightness this is a questionable choice as no crankcase mounted on the Icarus model is present aluminum,
- the crankset, mounted on both series, completely in metal with crown and crank mechanically joined by mechanical pressing; this choice compromises the lightness, if more carved cranksets had been used it would have helped to contain the weight,
- the trumpet pedals mounted on standard travel bikes with little use of aluminum which could be useful to have more lightness,
- the junctions of the frame in correspondence with the steering similar to the “Folgore” model only partially as the front part does not have the voids.
The whole series of solutions indicated above seems devoid of innovation and, consequently, has brought little success by limiting the number of models produced, however, as every collector knows well, rationality fails in the face of the scarce availability of an object, for this reason the Bianchi Icaro represents a milestone in the history of Edoardo Bianchi.