The Italian Benotto is in the list of bicycle brands that have disappeared from the professional cycling environment, yet many clappers rode with this brand, such as Gianbattista Baronchelli, Roger De Vlaeminck, Moreno Argentin, Ole Ritter.
However, 1 name made Benotto known worldwide: Francesco Moser. He achieved numerous successes on his Benotto 3000, including the road world championship in San Cristobal in Venezuela when he beat Didi Thurau in a sprint with two.
Francesco Moser op zijn Benotto 3000
Founded by Giacinto Benotto
The Italian bicycle brand Benotto was founded in 1931 in Turijn by Giacinto Benotto who then, as a 24-year-old, pursued a career as a cyclist. His business was going well, but Benotto's greatest success was in Mexico, but an intermediate step in Venezuela was needed first.
In 1948 Europe was recovering from the 2nd World War and part of the Benotto family decided to seek their fortune in Venezuela and to set up a Benotto branch there. Felice Benotto quickly became established in Venezuelan cycling and in 1950 he accompanied the Venezuelan delegation to the World Championships in Mexico.
Giacinto Benotto with the model 3000
Felice was so impressed by the country and the possibilities to set up a bicycle factory that he informed Giacinto about it. It only took 2 years and Giacinto Benotto also moved to Mexico with his entire family to set up a branch there as well. A year later, he moved production to Mexico City.
This was the beginning of the Mexican success story of Benotto bicycles. In addition to regular bicycles, racing bicycles were also produced, but it was only from the 1970s that Benotto started making professional racing bicycles. In the beginning this happened in Italy, but from the 1980s this production was also transferred to Mexico.
Sponsorship of UCI 1 cycling teams
Between 1946 and 1989, with the exception of the period between 1954 and 1973, Benotto also sponsored several cycling teams in the UCI 1 category. The most successful teams were Filotex, Sanson, Gis Gelati, Sammontana Benotto, Ariostea Benotto.
The Filotex Benotto cycling team
Many top cyclists rode a Benotto racing bike, the most famous being Gianbattista Baronchelli, Francesco Moser, Roger De Vlaeminck, Moreno Argentin and Ole Ritter.
The last UCI 1 category team that Benotto sponsored was Titanbonifica – Benotto – Sidermec, after that it was only UCI 2 category cycling teams. The full list of cycling teams that Benotto sponsored can be found here
Benotto won no less than 10 world titles in all those years, the most important being those of Francesco Moser in 1976 (track pursuit) and 1977 on the road.
In 1968 Ole Ritter broke the world hour record in Mexico City on a Benotto bicycle
Most popular Benotto models
The most important models can be found below. These are mainly from the 70s and 80s and they are all characterized by the typical nickel beige color and the blue handlebar tape developed by Benotto and still very popular with collectors of vintage racing bikes.
- Benotto 3000 Campione del Mondo: the top model with Columbus SL tubes, so named after Francesco Moser became world champion on the road in 1977
- Benotto 2500 Corsa Professional with Columbus SL tubes and Campagnolo Nuovo Record group
- Benotto 2000 Corsa Competizione with Campagnolo Gran Sport group
- Benotto 1500 Corsa Amateur with Falck tubes and Suntour V derailleur
- Benotto 2700 Pista Professional with Columbus SL and Campagnolo Record Piste group
- Benotto 1700 Pista Amateur with Falck tubes
In general, the higher the number, the higher the quality.
Benotto 2500 Corsa Professional from the 1980s with the typical Benotto handlebar tape
You can recognize Benotto racing bikes by the typical logo with the eagle. The first bikes had a medallion on the front of the frame. The bottom bracket also features a heart.
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the typical hart in the bottom bracket
In addition to the above-mentioned popular models in the nickel beige color, many models were also released that followed the style of the fashion of the time, especially in the 90s. However, these are not so popular with collectors.
Benotto from the nineties
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By the way, Benotto still makes bicycles in Mexico, the factory in Italy no longer exists.
