<div column 50% #intro>
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===== Bottecchia =====

 
Teodoro Carnielli of Cavazare, Italy((Some sources suggest the initial location was Serravalle di Vittorio Veneto, Italy.)), opened a local bike shop 1909.  In 1926 Teodoro convinced Ottavio Bottecchia to lend his name to a new bike brand, after Ottavio became the first Italian to win the Tour de France((Ottavio is one of only three riders to have worn the leader's yellow race jersey on every single day of the Tour de France.  See TdF stats at: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_France]].  And, interestingly, Ottavio was likely assassinated by the fascists in 1927.  See: [[https://velo-orange.blogspot.com/2006/05/mysterious-death-of-ottavio-bottechia.html]].)).
Bottecchia Cicli S.r.l., the very first champion branded bicycle model, started by making high end road racing bikes and exactly 100 years later continues to do so: [[https://www.bottecchia.com/en/pages/cento-anni-di-bottecchia]].

It's likely Bottecchia branded MTBs started to appear in 1985, but no solid pics before 1986 are easily found.  Bottecchia catalogs do not show MTBs until 1990.  Most of their MTBs used low to mid-range components, with either terribly welded or nicely lugged frames, suggesting that many frames were cheaply sourced from Asia.  Meanwhile, their road bikes were top notch quality, with Columbus tubing and Campagnolo components, reflecting the Italian cultural disdain for proletarian mountain bikes.

The Carnielli family sold Bottecchia Cicli to a group of investors in 1995, and is now part of [[https://fantic.com/ii-en/index|Fantic Motor Spa]].  Carnielli continue to market their own Carnielli branded bicycles: [[https://www.carnielli.com/about/]].


Reources:
  * [[https://www.bottecchia.com/en/pages/ottavio-bottecchia]]
  * [[https://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2010/02/bottecchia-brand.html]]
  * [[https://www.alessandroscaglione.com/storie/carnielli]]
  * [[https://cyclists-in-the-great-war.fandom.com/wiki/Ottavio_Bottecchia]]
  * [[https://www.museoottaviobottecchia.it/en/]]
  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottavio_Bottecchia]]
  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottecchia]]
  * [[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bottecchia_(Fahrradhersteller)]]
  * [[https://www.cicliartigianali.co.uk/manufacturer-1/bottecchia]]
  * [[https://www.carnielli.com/about/]]
  * [[https://www.landevei.no/proffsykling/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-1924]]

{{tdf.jpg?360| Ottavio Bottecchia, 1924}}
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Ottavio biting his tubular tire off of his rim during the 1924 Tour de France.  It's not possible to patch a sew-up nor replace an inner tube on the road.  Instead, riders carried spare tires around their shoulders which they would glue to their rims.  
[[https://www.landevei.no/proffsykling/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-1924|landevi.no]]
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<div column 45%>
{{teodoro.jpg?400|Teodoro Carnielli, 1970}}
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Teodoro on far left, with team riders, 1970.
[[https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1016885322643626&set=gm.6439795872773485&idorvanity=594151374004660|facebook]]


{{ottavio.jpg?360| Ottavio Bottecchia, 1924}}
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Ottavio gravel riding up the Col d'Izoard.
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1924 Tour de France.
[[https://www.landevei.no/proffsykling/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-1924|landevi.no]]


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<div column 50% #s1986>
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===== 1986 Sherpa =====
Sachs Huret Rider v2 group set (1984-5), TIG welded frame.  Possibly a 1985, yet 1985s usually had a different paint scheme.
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<div column 45%>
{{1986.jpg?300|1986 Sherpa }}
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1986 Sherpa
[[ https://www.subito.it/biciclette/bottecchia-sherpa-26-mtb-anni-80-90-reggio-emilia-640403158.htm|subito.it]]
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<div column 50% #s1988>
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===== 1988 MTB =====
SunTour XCD 6000 groupset (1988-89), Modolo Rocky cantilever brakes and stem,
lugged frame
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<div column 45%>
{{1988.jpg?300|1988 MTB }}
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1988 MTB
[[ https://www.ebay.it/itm/366481433447|ebay.it]]
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<div column 50% #s1989>
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===== 1989 Yeti =====
SunTour XCD 6000 groupset (1988-89), Modolo Rocky cantilever brakes and handlebars, Columbus Off Road Aelle lugged frame, Miche headset, Modolo Rocky handlebars.


</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1989.jpg?300|1989 Yeti }}
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1989 Yeti
[[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH9wKzGftjI|youtube]]
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<div column 50% #s1990>
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===== 1990 Sunkiss =====
Suntour XCM (1989-90),  "calibrated hi-ten steel" frame with drippy toothpaste  welds, Miche hubs, Ofmega? cranks.
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<div column 45%>
{{1990.jpg?300|1990 MTB }}
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1990 MTB
[[ https://www.vinted.it/items/8653017431-mtb-bottecchia-sunkiss-26|vinted.it]]
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<div column 50% #s1991>
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===== 1991 Mountain Bike =====
Shimano Deore LX (1990-92), upper u-brakes rear, cantis front, lugged frame.
Possibly made with Columbus Max OR elliptical tubing.
</div>
<div column 45%>
{{1991.jpg?300|1991 Mountain Bike }}
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1991 Mountain Bike
[[ https://www.ebay.it/itm/157670721009|ebay.it]]
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<div column 50% #s1992>
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===== 1992 MTB =====
Shimano Deore LX (1990-92), newer V-Brakes (>2000), aluminum frame.
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<div column 45%>
{{1992.jpg?300|1992 MTB }}
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1992 MTB
[[ https://www.ebay.it/itm/365439622916|ebay.it]]
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<div column 50% #s1993>
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===== 1993 Tempest 883R =====

New-Old-Stock example on ebay.it, minty fresh.
Shimano Altus A20 (1993) gruppo, 3x7 gearing.

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<div column 45%>
{{1993.jpg?300|1993 MTB }}
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1993 MTB
[[ https://www.ebay.it/itm/134548112209|ebay.it]]
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<div column 50% #s1994>
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===== 1994 Taiga =====
Shimano Alivio derailleurs (1994, thus), Megaframe Carbon Steel welded frame.
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<div column 45%>
{{1994.jpg?300|1994 Taiga }}
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1994 Taiga
[[ https://www.subito.it/biciclette/mountain-bike-26-torino-616086103.htm|subito.it]]
</div>