Our mission
“Through over 230 models we want to deep dive you in to over 200 years of bicycle’s history.
The collection, divided into 15 sections, will take you philologically through the entire technical evolution from very first era till 1940s for touring bikes and the 1950s for racing bikes.
We put great attention to the conservation and restorations carried out in our restoration center
In so many years of passionate research, we have been guided by a single awareness: we are the temporary owners of these mighty cycles, our mission is solely and exclusively to preserved and safeguard them to leave them all for generation to come in full respect of their history.
Have a good trip”
Alfredo & Carlo Azzini
The Beginning
Antique Velocipedes and Bicycles – Private Collection A & C Azzini
As we know all the stories have a starting date, ours dates back precisely to November 25, 2008, my birthday just happens to be.
On that date I went to our favourite cycle shop in the town, where our collection still lives today, to collect the birthday gift that my dad gave me: a Triumph Imperial Oil Bath, I used this bike only to go to drink Sunday coffee, then it was dusted and brought back to sleep under her blanket to be ready and efficient for the next week.
From there it all began, the next purchase in 2009 was a Maino (Piedmont brand cycle), again with reverse levers, and then after a few weeks a Taurus model 19, in a short time the number increased to about twenty bicycles.
The first exhibition relating to vintage bikes that we organized was held on the occasion of the Easter Monday market, it was a double success as the influx of people was exceptional and they themselves proposed us to collect some of the no longer used bikes that they had in the most disparate places: farmhouse floors, cellars, garages, etc.
We then went from purchases of single bikes in good condition to purchases of lots made up of bicycles that needed heavy extraordinary maintenance or integral restoration.
In May 2010 we therefore began to try restoring these bikes to our friend Augusto, he had garage which has been turn it up in to a workshop for that plan, the first to come out of the restoration cycle was a Taurus model 19 followed closely by a racing Bianchi Folgore from 1941.
Augusto’s garage was in a dusty road in Soresina, apparently it might have looked like a common detached garage for cars but when that door slid upwards the garage was actually a fully-fledged workshop equipped with a lathe, milling machine, working bench and all the necessary tools also useful for setting up motorcycles.
Time passed and the autumn became colder, so much so that in the first weeks of October 2010 we decided to open, with the help and advices of Augusto, our internal workshop ( named rust workshop) dedicated to the recovery of the bikes found in pitiful conditions in the various purchases of the lots.
Often Augusto and I went hunting for missing components, in specialized markets, useful for finishing the restorations or we also dedicated ourselves to more ordinary activities such as the collection of the restored painted frames in Caorso by Mr. Finali and the collection of the galvanized parts at the chrome plating named “Elia” di Lodi, where we made a stop for a glass of white wine at the famous osteria L’Antica Barca in Cavenago.
The restorations of the most important bicycles required the deployment of people who provided special material and advice: one of these is Mario who, thanks to his previous job, did not struggle to get us special steel sections, or Silvio who thanks to his experience in the world of molds for plastic has gained experience in micromechanics useful for the set up of bicycles.
But the question that naturally arises is: and where the bikes go after the restoration?
From 2013 until the first weeks of March 2014, me my father and our three friends: Omar, Claudio and Mario have dedicated ourselves to the recovery of the interior spaces of a wing of the familiy building that was not in use and we turning it into an equipped space that accommodates over 230 velocipedes.
Even today the recovery activities continue thanks to the help of Silvio and the teachings of Augusto Colla who left us in August 2015, we have internally developed the technical skills and built from scratch the tools which allowed us the restorations, in particular the specific tools dedicated to the fixing of internal brake equipped on the bikes e.g. Bianchi R Super and the various Taurus models.
We think that the world of bicycles is fascinating not only for the beauty of the bikes themselves but also for the people we met along this periodo of collection that has lasted for 11 years now; and as Rick Harrison, owner of a pawn shop in Las Vegas, says: “you never know what will come through that door…“.
Our story
The Collection of Velocipedes and Antique Bicycles began with the passion for history and mechanics of Alfredo and Carlo Azzini, respectively father and son.
Alfredo, who has always been passionate about engines, became a collector of vintage cars and an admirer of “beautiful mechanics” in 1987.
In 1996, the first vintage bicycle entered the family and since 2007 Carlo has intensified his research and collection of velocipedes.
The need for restorations carried out in full compliance with the quality, type and correctness of the materials originally used, has required the setting up, since 2008, of a restoration center to ensure respect for the originality of the velocipede.
In 2014, after the recovery of a large part of the historic building named: Palazzo Vertua Robbiani, the collection of velocipedes was organized in a museum form, giving rise to:
Antique Velocipedes and Bicycles – Private Collection A & C Azzini
which immediately stood out for its great philological respect for the history of the bicycle.
Today the collection is a point of reference for enthusiasts and hosts and offers tourist, sporting and cultural events. In the summer season, the large courtyard hosts cultural events of remarkable interest.
