[Cogito]

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.

 

[Cogito]

I noticed the typo on the Carbones but yet it seems apt. I shall let it stand.

 

[R.Rice]

VERY nice.What size?

I really want to test ride a carbon Bianchi.Both of my current Bianchis are alloy.I have had Treks that were carbon in the past and really would like to see how they compare.

 

[Cogito]

Thanks,
It's a 55.
I would like to know how it compares to the Trek too.

 

[R.Rice]

I ride a 55 aswell.Nice to know an actual weight of what size I would ride.

Any way you could measure the length of the headtube minus the Int Headset cap?I am really curious about that.I am eventually going to get a carbon Bianchi and it will be a 928L.However,on mt Freccia Celeste the headtube+HS cap stack height is so tall that I can't get the handle bars as low as I aould like them.This is even with a 73 degree stem.

 

[Cogito]

HT length

147mm without the FSA cone shaped cap, 164 with it.

 

[R.Rice]

Awsome.Thanks for measuring it.I have another favor,please no more pictures.You're killing me.

I guess my wife and I will be having the "another bike" talk sometime in the not-so-distant future.

 

[pagstx]

That is one gorgeous frame. Is the top tube square? I have to make a trip out to the only local shop that carries high end Bianchi frames. I'm thinking I can find something to do with that nice income tax refund this year.

Pags

 

[Cogito]

The top tube is an interesting shape. It looks square-ish but the top side and underside are convex. The sides are flat except at the ends where they are round as they meet the luggs. However as the underside is narrower than the top the sides slope inwards as they descend. None of the tubes are the same shape.
For me this frame is where beauty, performance and price converge. I hope your refund is invested in performance art whatever bike you buy.

 

[Cogito]

First ride

Over two evenings my neighbor, who is a first class bike mechanic, no longer in the industry, has built this bike from my old parts. The goal is to ride, the Italian gruppo will come in time.
It was a rewarding experience as he showed me the little things that go into building a bike perfectly. He said he enjoyed the process working with such a fine machine. The resultant first ride was flawless.
With 9speed Dura Ace, S Works bar and stem, computer, bottle cage, D/A pedals and Ksyrium SSC SLs with D/A 12-27 cassette, it weighs 17.79lbs. The frame weighed 2.6lbs, naked.
More ride time is required to give a good assessment of stiffness and power transfer. The ride quality was sweet, not "dead" in slightest. It transmitted the feel of the road surface but I could tell it was sparing me the high frequency buzz of rough chip seal and the sharp jarring of uneven pavement.
I can probably go to a bigger drop from seat to bars as I fiddle over the next few weeks.
My 54cm E5 had considerable toe overlap with the front wheel. With this 55cm frame toes clear when heals are down or level but just touches with toes down. Effective TT length is only 5mm more.
One good thing about using all the stuff of the old bike is I will have the chance to compare the frame fairly over my regular routes and club work outs.

 

[pagstx]

Gorgeous, just gorgeous. Please give us more updates as you get to know the frame better.

 

[Cogito]

928 Lugged update

I have some time to compare the ride characteristics of the lugged frame now. Compared to a fifty mile test ride on the monocoque frame the lugged has a significantly stiffer ride quality. Still carbon smooth but not as buttery as the test model. My bike is lighter and that will have some effect on a choppy broken road surface but the monocoque could turn chip seal into rolled tar. I like the stiffer feel but the monocoque has it's virtues. I bet it excels at fast mountain descents and High Sierra centuries.
In some spirited sprinting last Saturday it made me feel strong. In some power surges whilst remaining in the saddle the front end got light and the tire lifted a little. At that point I had little weight on the seat, was pulling hard on the bars and mashing the pedals. I think I will lower the stack height under the stem. I have 20mm there now as a starting point. I feel nicely stretched out so stem length isn't an issue.
The frame is silent. Scores high marks in a beauty contest. Only complaint is the money I have to spend on jerseys and a helmet that complement such a gorgeous companion.

 

[T-shirt]

Cogito,

I realize that this is an older thread, but I just wanted to compliment you on your bike. I hope that you still enjoy it as much as you did when you first built it.

I've seen the pictures of the 2007 monocoque frame, and it is sweet, but I like your lugged frame better.

Thanks,
Tshirt

 

[Cogito]

T Shirt,
Yes, I still love the bike.The 2007 monocoque does look very nice but I have no remorse. I am curious about the MSRP on the new frame.
Nothing like throwing your leg over, clipping in and just taking off for hours. The bike just seems to disappear under me as its response and handling have become so familiar.My stem is much lower now and I like the new position more when in the drops. Still no Campy on it yet but the drive train has required fewer adustments than my SASS single speed!
I did receive a litany of compliments from a male pick up truck driver of all people, who seemed in awe of the carbon weave and shapes. Made more amusing by his exclusion of a guy on a new Pinarello waiting at the light right next to me!
I saw the same frame as mine at a bike shop built with Record and carbon tubular wheels that weighed around 14 pounds.

 

[HBPUNK]

Cogito, Thanks to your thread, I just ordered a 928L, when my wife finds out I'm pointing towards you

I've went through a few different frames this year and can't find "the one", I hope the 928 does it.

the 2006 are on sale right now, $1400. I'm happy with the price

I like that I'm getting a bike with some tradition

 

[Cogito]

HBPunk,
I hope you enjoy your Lugged as much as I have mine. You get a lot of bike for the money you spent. Just have your wife call me if she gives you any grief!
On a general bike fit note but related to this thread I have found my perfect steerer tube/stack height. While riding I hooked up with a local bike shop owner with a many years experience fitting riders to bikes and no affiliation to Bianchi. He is not the type to pontificate on one way or another. One of the things he said he found over the years was when a rider is finally dialed in more often than not the C-C top tube length ended up being the same measurement as front axle to handlebars center to center. (the tops where they are attached to the stem). On my set up this is achieved with a 5mm spacer but I doubt I would notice if I had none. I feel well balanced in the cockpit, faster and more stable.
Enjoy your ride and post some pics.

 

[Corsaire]

I had the good fortune of test riding both the 928 Lugged and the 928 Monocoque (non-lugged) this last weekend. Although short rides, I personally liked the monocoque ride better, it was stiff, yet comfortable and fast under accelaration, as opposed to the lighter Lugged one which felt noticeably stiffer. The Moncoque I rode was ALL CELESTE, beautiful carbon frame. If I were to buy this frame it would be the Monocoque, I think is better looking, all joints smoothed out as opposed to the Lugged where you can see the joints, don't like that.
Corsaire