I just picked up my first Bianchi road frame. This is my first post to this forum and just wanted to share.
I have reached this happy moment by rather an odd route. Six years ago my girlfriend, already a roadie. thought we should try MTB. Full suspension was affordable and we got a couple of Specializeds. Three years later we upgraded. we were hooked. Some of my friends were doing a lot of road riding and I was intrigued. By Christmas she bought me a slightly used S Works E5 with full D/A. Year one I lost 20lbs, year two I was racing. What's this got to do with Bianchi? Well last year she thought I needed a handicap on our week end mountain bike adventures and bought me a SASS. This worked.(Kinda) (Yeah I know I am lucky) My obsessed brain now turned it's attention to this brand and I aquainted myself with the rich heritage and tradition that is colored Celeste. I know that this company has a foundation on steel and lightweight aluminum racing machines and so many readers here might eschew funky shaped carbon. I understand this. I get it. But I lust after the sexy shapes afforded by this material and if it comes with some celeste and Italian more the better. My LBS is really great and carry lots of Bianchis. The let me loose for a fifty mile test ride on a monocoque frame with veloce. San Diego has some great hills, the bike seemed poised and solid on the ascents. As expected, the carbon was comfortable but I never begged for mercy from my E5 either. I fit compact geometry better than traditional because of my relatively short inseam but don't particulary like the look. The 928 was perfect with it's slightly sloping TT. It was the descents and corners that really amazed me. I felt relaxed and confident whereas before it demanded my full attention to wrestle it to the bottom.
I haven't ridden the lugged frame but the numbers add up. It's lighter than the monocoque, I expect it to be stiffer. It is absolutely beautiful. The pictures don't do it justice. The celeste has a little metalflake in it that you don't notice until the sun catches it. I ride between 150 and 200 miles a week year round. This is going to be fun! I will buy her Campy jewelry and have some ksyriums and some comic carbones to ride on.
If you're curious like me you might notice the naked frame weight is 1190g.
I have reached this happy moment by rather an odd route. Six years ago my girlfriend, already a roadie. thought we should try MTB. Full suspension was affordable and we got a couple of Specializeds. Three years later we upgraded. we were hooked. Some of my friends were doing a lot of road riding and I was intrigued. By Christmas she bought me a slightly used S Works E5 with full D/A. Year one I lost 20lbs, year two I was racing. What's this got to do with Bianchi? Well last year she thought I needed a handicap on our week end mountain bike adventures and bought me a SASS. This worked.(Kinda) (Yeah I know I am lucky) My obsessed brain now turned it's attention to this brand and I aquainted myself with the rich heritage and tradition that is colored Celeste. I know that this company has a foundation on steel and lightweight aluminum racing machines and so many readers here might eschew funky shaped carbon. I understand this. I get it. But I lust after the sexy shapes afforded by this material and if it comes with some celeste and Italian more the better. My LBS is really great and carry lots of Bianchis. The let me loose for a fifty mile test ride on a monocoque frame with veloce. San Diego has some great hills, the bike seemed poised and solid on the ascents. As expected, the carbon was comfortable but I never begged for mercy from my E5 either. I fit compact geometry better than traditional because of my relatively short inseam but don't particulary like the look. The 928 was perfect with it's slightly sloping TT. It was the descents and corners that really amazed me. I felt relaxed and confident whereas before it demanded my full attention to wrestle it to the bottom.
I haven't ridden the lugged frame but the numbers add up. It's lighter than the monocoque, I expect it to be stiffer. It is absolutely beautiful. The pictures don't do it justice. The celeste has a little metalflake in it that you don't notice until the sun catches it. I ride between 150 and 200 miles a week year round. This is going to be fun! I will buy her Campy jewelry and have some ksyriums and some comic carbones to ride on.
If you're curious like me you might notice the naked frame weight is 1190g.