Week Ending C & V: Little Bianchi Folder

This little double-label Bianchi / Nealeco was, believe it or not, bought by its previous owner as a boat-hauler. The guy would reach a launch point on a favorite river, stow the folded bike, and a Burly kids trailer into his puff-up boat, float down a mile or two, fishing the whole time. When he had gone far enough he would land, unfold the bike, unfold the trailer, collapse and fold the boat, stow it in the trailer, and ride back. Makes perfect sense to me, but he admitted, that he doesn't know what he was thinking when formulating the plan.

Apparently this style folding frame was quite popular in Europe during the 1970s - many small boutique bike companies imported them [from Yugoslavia?], slapped their own identifying marks (decals) on them and sold them to their urban, and urbane, clientele. At least that is what I have read about them. It came / comes equipped with a rear coaster brake, but the fork is drilled to accommodate a caliper up front as well. I would think that incorporating the rear rack into the frame, and its low center of gravity would make it pretty stable when hauling stuff about. Those knobbiest might be overkill on pavement though.

See it for yourself at the Velo in Claremont.