Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Full dura-ace
Deda high-end parts all 'round

Summary:
Absolutely fantastic bike! Originally I build it for hot summerdays, but it's now my winterbike. Yes, I know it's a scandal, but the bike is just awesome when it comes to comfort and longdistance riding. It has a kind of welcomming feel to it that you don't find anywhere else. It's surprisingly stable at high speed, tracks very well on descents, so you have a relaxed handling in all cases. Finish is absolutely stunning, I have the rare blue/white clear coated frame. Craftmanship is unmistakeably italian, with love and attention for detail. Great bike.

Strengths:
Wonderful finish
Very comfy and highly stable geometry
Made of last-forever- 3/2.5 titanium (not crispy 6/4).
Classic horisontal geometry - when it fits, you can't beat the feeling.
Italian sense of fine details.
Rare, you'll be the only one the hood to ride one.

Weaknesses:
Price. It's - frankly - extremely expensive.
Not overly well suited for climbing

Similar Products Used:
many! I have owned 10 bikes - and tried even more over the years

Price Paid:  $0.00

Favorite Ride:
Sac river ride

Bike Setup:
campy record, ritchey carbon bars and post.

Summary:
this bike is awesome! My previous ride was a trek 5200 so the balance, stiffness, and overall smoothness of the ride was very noticeable. The welds are a work of art as well as the paint job. Definitely a bike I can hold on to for years to come.

Strengths:
smooth handling
descends well

Weaknesses:
none.

Similar Products Used:
Trek 5200
Specialized Allez

Price Paid:  $2300.00 at Bikycle.com

Favorite Ride:
Key Biscayne circuit

Bike Setup:
Campy Chorus 10s gruppo, Mavic Open Pro rims, Selle San Marco Regal saddle, Look pedals, Deda stem and bar, Ergobrain computer

Summary:
This is one great bike. Yes, the Ti is a bit heavier than its carbon or alu peers, but the ride is just amazing. It's stiff enough for sprints and climbing out of the saddle and comfortable enough to go all day. The geometry is similar to the Pinarello Prince, but a bit more laid back and less twitchy. It hugs curves with ease, descends with confidence, and responds when you want to lay down the hammer. I've piled on over 15,000 miles on this bike on club rides, centuries, crits, and in hills, flats, crappy roads, etc. Its a great all around bike.

After riding steel for 20 years, I wanted something that would provide the same comfort without sacrificing performance. The Palladio delivers and it's damn sexy! It is unmistakably Italian. The finish is gorgeous.

My understanding is that the Palladios haven't sold very well. I don't know why. If you are looking for Ti, in my opinion, the only frame in its class is the CT-2. Litespeed, Moots, Merlin, et al pale in comparison. Even the high end models. The quality of the build is evident, unmistakably high end Pinarello.

This is definitely a closely held secret.

Strengths:
Comfort, stiffness, versatility, and quality of build.

Weaknesses:
- Price (It's up to $2700 since the euro strengthened) but its still cheaper than the CT-2 and other comparable high end Ti
-3/2.5 Ti instead of 6/4 although I don't consider this a weakness unless you're a beefy rider.

Similar Products Used:
Various Colombus SL steel frames from 80-90s, Litespeed, various Alu frames, Trek 5200, Colnago CT-1