AcdB MUSEO
Alessandria City of the Bicycle
It might sound boastful, but with the recent opening of this wonderful new museum (born from an exhibition in 2016) Piedmont Cycling Resort can now offer you not one, not two but THREE wonderful museums of the bicycle within a 2 hour drive.
This one in Alessandria is barely 30 minutes down the autostrada! Uncle Larry was fortunate to visit yesterday, the last day before they close up for their summer holiday break.
These Alessandria city ordinances limited the use of the dangerous velocipede in the city limits. Yes, the city that later was the UCI headquarters and one of the centers of bicycle production almost banned their use in the beginning!
This museum concentrates on local brands, builders and racers.
Giovanni Maino was known as the Enzo Ferrari of bicycles
Think you could operate this shifting system? Gino Bartali won the Tour de France using one like it in 1938.
This 1922 Maino had two speeds - that is as long as you were willing to undo the wingnuts, yank out the rear wheel and reinstall it the other way round!
This restored bike is said to have been used by Costante Girardengo, the first Campionissimo.
This Nilux was used in 1949 by Luigi Malabrocca, the famous maglia nera from nearby Tortona.
This Fiorelli bike was used by the Champion of Champions - Fausto Coppi.
This Peloso I didn't learn much about, but it's gorgeous anyway and was made in this area.
I love the front brakes on these old bikes - super simple!
This one was raced by Giovanni Gerbi, the "Diavolo Rosso" from Asti.
The museum features replica workshops like this one of Giovanni Meazzo, but they're not actual workshops but photo murals! Amazingly realistic - looks like you could grab something right off the shelves!
Check out the front fender ornament!
Chromed steel and polished aluminum, the golden age of cycling!
It really looks like you could just grab a wrench!
Larry's workshop is a bit less messy..but not much.
But his workbench is NEVER this bad!!!
The charming Isabella showed me around the museum, explaining a lot of the exhibits. GRAZIE MILLE!!!
Piedmont Cycling Resort will offer visits to AcdB next season, just one more reason to join us!
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