Bike Setup: cinelli b-grove stem, handlbars, dura ace headset, campy veloce groupo for now.
Summary: This bike is hot! Not only does it look good(picture above doesn't do it justice) but it rides wonderfully and corners great. Handling is 50 times better than my bianchi was even with crapy wheels on. Everyone says aluminum is a harsh ride, i don't feel it on this bike and I've only ever owned steel before this. My first ride was 4 hours, I can't think of one bad thing about this bike. The blue paint sparkles in sun light. I was borrowing a titanium giordana while this was being built up, it's noticably lighter than the titanium.
Strengths: light, handles great, is a very pretty bike.
Weaknesses: none.
Similar Products Used: was riding steel bianchi veloce, bianchi campione d' italia, and used a borrowed titanium giordana between bikes.
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Bike Setup: 55cm equipped with mostly Campy Record 9 speed components, Deda bar with TTT forgie stem, San Marco
Summary: I have been riding steel bike all my life until I got this - what a revelation! Mine is the 2001 model built with Columbus Altec 2+ and Carve carbon fork. It is also equipped with Carve carbon wishbone seatstay. It makes me climb with great authority and ease but the responsive, light, yet predictable steering is an extra bonus. The carbon does absorb a fair amount of road shock but it is not in par with steel/Ti in terms of springiness and supple comfort. For an aluminum frame, it is not bad at all. It has tight geometry as witnessed by its lack of clearance between the rear tire and the downtube(1/8"!!) but that does not affect the ride quality. I was told that the brand new 2002 model is a compact frame with sloping top tube so that would have taken care of a slight flex I experience while climbing out of the saddle. All in all a great frame to ride and to look at. Very affordable too.
Strengths: Light, responsive, sexy, and affordable - price included carve forks and Columbus integrated headset. Bike frames with similar setup from pinarello, de Rosa, Merckx, or other "named" brand cost $500-1,000 more!
Weaknesses: A little harsh on longer ride but that could be my straight pull Proton wheels or my lack of alum experience.
Similar Products Used: My other bikes are a Ciocc SLX and a Colnago SL from the '80's!
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Bike Setup: As above but with Cinelli Sesamo stem and Campagnolo Shamal wheels.
Summary: Overall fast, responsive, comfortable and absolutely sexy. Generates more stares than any bike I have seen.
Strengths: Overbuilt BB area makes this bike super-stiff while S-bent seatstays and S-bent steel fork cushion out the road shock almost like a steel frame. Welds are built up and ground down to be invisible - A work of art. Responsive but stable.
Weaknesses: Slightly on the heavy side for a frame of this category. The San Marco 3D saddle it came with is the most painful thing I have ever sat on so I replaced it with the same Selle Italia Flite I use on all my bikes. Huge pricetag. No other faults I can find at all.
Similar Products Used: Various steel, have tried friend's aluminum.
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