Bianchi USA Inc. San Jose

Price Paid:  $600.00 at Toga Bikes- Westside

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Central Park Laps

Bike Setup:
Stock, with 28's instead of the cross tires.

Summary:
I bought this bike to spin around New York, and for commuting after I crashed in central park and totaled my road bike. It's completely bulletproof, and rides like a dream. The San Jose eats potholes and cobblestones and keeps on trucking.

Long story short, this bike is a winner, and is a perfect beater/ commuter. I swapped the fixie for a 16, because sometimes I like to stop peddling.

The only weakness I've noticed is that the braking surface on the stock wheels are weak, and don't like the rain.

Strengths:
Bombproof, comfortable, and fairly fast for a bike with 1 gear.

Weaknesses:
Braking performance

Similar Products Used:
None.

Price Paid:  $400.00 at LBS

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Any rural tours

Bike Setup:
Stock except 6 degree stem, gearing and fenders.

Summary:
Spend more time on SJ than all other bikes. Changed freewheel to 19 and can go up most hills around here. Have taken on several 50+ mile tours. Enables me to ride w/ slower riders.

Strengths:
Simple. Just get on it and ride.

Weaknesses:
Heavy (but bombproof). Front brake hanger doesn't really fit. Front brake chatter. Tires not up to slippery going. Went down on ice last winter, broke collar bone.

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Providence Bicycle

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Through the city

Bike Setup:
61 cm with stock wheels, Conti Gatorskins 700x23, Egg Beater SLs, silver fenders.

Summary:
Nice inexpensive steel commuter/beater, relaxed geometry, nice wheels, comfy levers.

Strengths:
Crashed it....a lot...but it has held up. I have had all 200 lbs of me SMASH into a pothole at night that I didn't see coming while going fairly fast and flatted the tube but the wheel was fine. The hubs turn smooth, the rims rarely require truing and I ride this bike at least 4-5 times a week and hard (for a commuter) over potholes and all. Steel!

Weaknesses:
Front brake shudder. I'm suprised more people haven't mentioned this. I am one of three that I have spoken to that have this problem. But I ride it fixed + clipped in so it's very rare that I even use the brake, which is good because I had to toe the pads so far in to quiet them that they have lost quite a bit of power. It's been over a year....I wonder if it's too late to try to get a new fork from Bianchi... Oh yeah also I broke the bars clean in half at the stem....but I think I had over-tightened them. Shoulda come with a deeper drop front cable hanger too.

Similar Products Used:
Nothing similar too extensively.

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Price Paid:  $0.00 at Capitol Hill Bikes

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Off-road, but I digress

Bike Setup:
As purchased with the following changes: running 42x16, Terry Fly seat, 28 touring slicks and fenders added. Crank brothers pedals.

Summary:
I've been using the San Jose as my commuter for the past year (I typically commute 16 miles rt 4 days a week year-round). I enjoy riding this bike as much as any other bike in the stable. The frame dampens the many bumps I face on the DC commute and gives me a stable yet fast ride. The single-speed setup - I ride 42x16 freewheel - is hassle free. I've also come to really enjoy riding single-speed, which works well for a varied-pace commute. Moreover, it gives me strength training that has noticably increased my climbing pace.

Not much has been changed from the original specs. The faux fur seat is $20 junk, so it had to go, and I also switched to 28 touring slicks since I didn't really need the knobbly cyclocross tires for my all-pavement commute. And I installed some fenders. Initially I thought I'd put a carbon cyclocross fork on it, but I've come to love the solid compliance of the steel fork. Just changed out the rear brake pads but no other maintenance other than 1 flat.

Strengths:
Nice steel frame is stiff yet compliant. Overall setup is light for what is essentially being used as a steel beater-commuter. It is simply a joy to ride and is holding up to daily abuse.

Weaknesses:
This is a $600 bike, so there are obvious weaknesses off the rack, such as the throw-away seat. The wheels are holding up OK but they are clearly heavy and the rear likes to fall slightly out of true.

Price Paid:  $400.00 at Craigslist

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Any

Bike Setup:
bullhorns, continental slicks, candy's

Summary:
Phenominal bike. It's my favorite in my stable. I've put more miles on this than any other bike since I bough it. It's great for training, I can already tell the difference. I'm riding it fixie - in fact, I'm taking the freewhell off. I'll probably never use it.

Strengths:
Nice frame, super fast, easy to maintain/clean. Great rain rider.

Weaknesses:
Hmmm... none.

Similar Products Used:
Kona Paddy Wagon