Wilier Izoard

Price Paid:  $2000.00 at world cycles

Favorite Ride:
san clemente

Bike Setup:
campy c record 10 (compact)
mavic wheels

Summary:
Wonderful customer service

Strengths:
handling, stability,comfort, climbs like no other

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
eddy merckx race
Look 585

Price Paid:  $2700.00 at Bike RX

Favorite Ride:
Anything in Northern Cali

Bike Setup:
I have it set up with 2008 Shimano 105 right now. Not great, but it works. For wheels I went with mavic Kysyrium Equipe's. I might upgrade to Campy Chorus in the very near future.

Summary:
I should start out by saying that this is my first road bike since I used to race on my Bottecchia SL with Campy Chorus back in the late 80's. (I've been riding mountain bikes since then.) So I really can't compare to other road bikes of recent past although I test rode ALOT of bikes before going with the Wilier. But I will say this, this bike seems to climb EXTREMELY well. Its not the most aggressive racing geometry, nor the best bike for an all out sprint, but it seems to just feel at home climbing mountains (hence the name I guess.) It also feels very solid and absorbs vibrations very well. I also get a lot of other riders glancing at it and asking me about it. I'm very pleased with bike in general. It looks great!

Strengths:
Finish and paint job, good climbing bike, absorbs vibrations well, not that many on the road.

Weaknesses:
None that I can think of though the geometry is not super aggressive so I would probably pick the Le Roi or Cento Uno if I were racing.

Similar Products Used:
Tried Specialized, Scott, Cannondale, and Giant bikes in same price range. Wilier felt better although parts on the other bikes were better for similar price.

Price Paid:  $2799.00 at Veloce Velo

Favorite Ride:
Lake Sammamish Loop

Bike Setup:
Ultegra package with my own wheels
Mavic Open Pro wheels w/Ultegra hubs

Summary:
I absolutely LOVE this bike. I rode several other top carbon bikes, but liked this one best. Incredibly stable on high speed descents. Stiff and light, but geometry not quite as agreesive as some race bikes, which is part of what I love about it. At this price point, they are all good bikes, buy what fits your riding style. If you are looking for a comfortably agressive frame that has the stiffness to race, but all day comfort, you can't beat the Izoard. And, not that this should drive the purchase, but this is one of the best looking bikes on the market.

Strengths:
Stiff but comfortable. Climbs like a dream. Super stable at high speed.

Weaknesses:
The fact that I didn't buy it sooner.

Similar Products Used:
Trek Madone 5.2
Scattante CFR
Specialized Roubaix

Price Paid:  $2050.00 at comobike (price with

Favorite Ride:
Brighton, Hurstpierpoint, Ditchling Beacon.

Bike Setup:
Ultegra grey groupset, Mavic Kysrium wheels, Michelin Krylion carbon 20c or Specialized Roubaix tyres, most other components Ritchey WCS, Keo pedals.

Summary:
Very smooth-riding, but also whippy-fast, bike.

I came to this from a Specialized alloy road bike, and the difference is very marked. The alloy bike was fun to ride and a great start in road riding (I'd been mountain biking for many years before I got my first drop-bar bike), but the Wilier has taken things up a couple of notches. Fast, all-day rides no longer leave me stiff and aching – just wanting to go out for more the next day. I spent a week riding in northern France 3 weeks ago in everything from hot sun to driving rain, and felt that the bike had had its first real test, which it passed with flying colours.

How much of the improvement over the Specialized is due to it being an Izoard, how much to it being carbon, and how much to it being fitted with Ksyrium SLs, I'm not sure! I'm very pleased with it, though.

Strengths:
Comfort, married to race-bike feel. (I test rode a Roubaix and hated it!)

Weaknesses:
Struggle to think of any. Price? But you probably have to accept that a boutique brand from a small workshop in northern Italy is going to cost more than a bike from a volume manufacturer.

Similar Products Used:
I haven't ridden anything as good as this!

Price Paid:  $0.00 at E-Bay, et al

Favorite Ride:
Any ride with my son

Bike Setup:
2005 Chorus
TekTro Quartz carbon brakeset
Velocarbon Superlight carbon seatpost
Selle Italia carbon saddle
ITM Millenium OS bar
Nashbar carbon stem (have an ITM Millenium, too)
Time composite RXE pedals
Campy Nucleon tubulars
Tufo S3 Lites

Summary:
This is a review after my first ride...more later. I only rode 21 miles this morning for my test ride, but, whoo, baby, this bike rocks! To begin with, it's light...as in 16 lbs, fully built, pedals included. I have carbon everywhere, which helps, but the frame/fork are light! And stiff, yet smooth, too. Much smoother than my Bianchi SL Daytona. The bike begs to go faster, screams to climb. Handling doesn't seem as twitchy as the Bianchi, seems more balanced and responsive.

I'll post reviews for some of the other components on the bike, mainly the new Tektro carbon brakeset (308 gr), the Velocarbon superlight carbon seatpost (157 gr), Tufo S3 lites (165 gr). I already did one for the Selle Italia carbon saddle (125 gr), which I friggin love!

Strengths:
Light!
Stiff, yet smooth. Carbn wrapped tubes really do the trick.
Finish
Unique

Weaknesses:
None yet.

Similar Products Used:
Bianchi SL Daytona
Orbea Mitis