Bianchi USA Inc. Cross Concept

Price Paid:  $2600.00 at Two Wheeler Dealer

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Area around the office

Bike Setup:
I swapped out the coffee cans,purchased from my local bike store, with a set of Shimano DX pedals. The tires of course have been swapped out and replaced with a set of Marathon Plus slicks which are much heavier than the stock tires. However the Marathon Plus tires are also much thicker and far more puncture resistant. I also added the all important water bottle cage as well. When I ride at night I use a night rider light.

Summary:
I own the 2008 Cross Concept Race Force/Rival,I bought it in the 2007 calender year. The Cross Concept is certainly a fast bike but its performance improved significantly after I switched out the coffee cans for a set of Shimano DX pedals. Being a road bike it took me a few weeks to get use to the Cross Concept's riding style. It's also not something you ride quite as leisurely as most upright bikes. However these disadvantages are offset by the crankset's smooth mechanism and easy power delivery. This is a bike that can put down the power easily and efficiently. I'm not a long range rider but if I had to ride 30-40 miles I would probably appreciate the bike's smooth mechanicals and excellent power delivery.
The Cross Concept Race's ride is superb I can go over a local set of railroad tracks without too much fuss. Rocks and bumps are tolerable and not bone jarring in any way. However I would have to say this bike is really for someone who wants to go fast,its not something for the recreational rider. Since I do most of riding around an industrial area I found the stock tires to totally inadequate in dealing with the sort of debris that's quite common place here: thorns, small but sharp pieces of wiring. I changed the stock tires for Schwalbe marathon plus tires I haven't had a puncture, but not riding quite as much either so I can't say the tires are the only reason I haven't had punctures.
This bike is true joy to ride with the proper pedals and transfers power so effortlessly compared to my other bikes. Is this bike really worth the money? That's a hard question to answer but after living with this bike for a while I feel that it offers an exceptional blend of comfort and speed that simply isn't available with lower cost bicycles. This bike encourages the rider to push his limits.

Strengths:
The mechanical power delivery on this bike is absolutely incredible if its outfitted with high quality pedals. Every time I pedal the power delivery is smooth and effortless. Ride quality on this bike is superb and I have no qualms about riding over railroad tracks. Note where I ride the railroad tracks have a slight concrete ramps.

Weaknesses:
At this price level you are really talking about diminshing returns for your money. Could you get a bike that can do 80% of what the cross concept can do for far less, absolutely. The carbon fiber cranks could be damaged quite easily especially if you eat "s***" and slip, which is a very real possibilty on asphalt with the stock tires. I already have a small thread of carbon fiber loose. For better or worse in my eyes the Cross Concept doesn't look like a $3,000 bike, it has a very utilitarian aesthetic.

Similar Products Used:
Dahon Jetstream XP
Dahon Speed D7
Dahon Jack

Price Paid:  $2000.00 at Raven Cross Country

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Denali Highway

Bike Setup:
fsa compact 50/34 crank, sram 11-28 cassette, shimano ultegra brakes, derailleurs, shifters, mavic ksyrium elites, crank brothers candy sl pedals, Selle Italia Flite Gel Classic Saddle

Summary:
Cross concept is a great bike. It has a bombproof design (I took this bike on numerous technical single track trails, yet it survived quite a few nasty crashes on pretty rooty sections), yet, it is light enough to do training road rides and class C and B races, the not so “important” ones (who are we kidding, all the races are important!). My bike weighs just under 20lb, everything is stock, except a 50/34 gearing of a crankset, and11-28 SRAM cassette. I weigh 170lb, most of the roads here in Alaska are crap, yet I am pretty comfortable on a 5+ hour ride over the gravel and chip-and-seal on 35mm tires. Rear carbon triangle and a carbon fork work excellently with the aluminum frame. It feels a little rough racing for 3 hours on 23mm tires, but hey, it is not a Cadillac! So, for someone with a budget of around $2000 this bike is a great deal, since it can do a lot of things pretty decently: commuting, cross, mountain and road races. Just swap rear cassettes and tires for appropriate terrain.

Strengths:
Durable, very spiffy frame, decent shock absorption, good all around gearing, great wheels: mavic ksyrium elites, feels solid on 60mph downhills, worth every penny.

Weaknesses:
A little on the heavy side for road racing, but only due to the components: cantilever brakes, heavy wheels, seatpost, but hey, it is a cross bike after all!

Price Paid:  $2500.00 at Two Wheeler Dealer

Model Year:
2007

Bike Setup:
With the exception of the lights and water bottle the bike has a stock setup.

Similar Products Used:
Dahon Speed D7. Dahon Jetstream P8. Dahon Jack.

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at bicycles outback/bia

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
cameron park - waco, tx

Bike Setup:
stock except: candy sl peds, ritchey pro wcs seat post/stem/bars, spec. allias saddle, swapped out irc tires for michelin roadies ~ weighs in at 19.6lbs with two bottle cages...this is a tru weight from the shop

Summary:
This is a great bike out of the box. You couldn't ask for a better parts list, but with full ultegra, mavic wheels , and gossamer crank(38/48), its well priced at retail. I TRULY CANNOT BELIVE THAT A 61cm bike is lighter than my 55! with stock parts~ but you can make this a light racer with swapping out wheels (mavics are kinda heavy) and all the bianchi parts . I saved quite a bit with the Rithey parts.

Strengths:
killer scandium frame w/ carbon fork & rear triangle...full ultegra, mavic wheels...gossamer cross crank

RED ON THE TOP TUBE ROCKS YOU WEENIES!
and makes you fast!
I did an employee purchase and when the bike got here it was 100smackers less than bianchi told me! so no, i didn't pay $1500-

Weaknesses:
bianchi components are heavy,
55cm bike weighed about 19ish out of the box, w/no pedals. Bianchi is not know for light weight rigs! get over it! the ride makes up for the weight!
bars are really narrow, & stem was a 120

Similar Products Used:
spec tricross & friends cross rigs

Price Paid:  $1900.00 at lbs

Model Year:
2005

Bike Setup:
stock

Summary:
Using mostly as commuter on fairly rough roads and some rail trail, and it's fast and fun. The 35c knobbies on Ksyrium Elite hoops can tackle just about anything, and she gets hungry for dirt and gravel if I'm on the road for too long. The frame is unyielding when I stand up and grind a big gear up hills, despite my 210 pound weight, yet it feels forgiving over rough roads. A very loveable bike.

Strengths:
Stiff yet forgiving frame, light weight for 'cross bike (my 61cm is an even 19 lbs), nicely spec'd, eye-catching (I happen to like the red on the top tube--it's going to nicely match the Ksyrium ES's I'm going to run on more road-centric rides), a blast to ride

Weaknesses:
Without having done proper research, I wrongly assumed that it would have lower gear ratios, so I've been forced to grind up steep hills at the end of the work day. I kind of like a bike that forces me to ride a little more aggressively, however.

Similar Products Used:
first 'cross bike, but was commuting/off-roading on Jekyll 1000 or KillerV 2000 fixie