Benotto

Giacinto Benotto, a 24 year old Italian racer, founded Bicicletas Benotto in 1931 in Turin Italy. In 1948 Giacinto Benotto read of the newly discovered oil in Venezuela and thought it a good opportunity and ipened a factory there with family member Felice Benotto. 

By 1953 Benotto expanded operations into Mexico as they rapidly became Latin America’s most popular cycling brand. At this point Benotto split their operations between Italy and Latin America. 

Benotto was now known as a serious bicycle among the cycling community and was being used extensively by pro teams. Freddy Maertens rode a Benotto in the 1980s SanGiacomo team and Moser rode a Benotto during the 1975 Tour de France. 

The production of all high-end racing bicycles remained in Turin until 1983/84. At that time Benotto made the decision to move both European and Latin American production of bicycles to Mexico. 

By 1985 all bicycles were manufactured in Mexico.