Bianchi - back on track or not ?

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superleggera
Posts: 126
Joined: Tue Sep 14, 2010 7:31 pm

by superleggera

In fairness, Bianchi makes some good bikes... I've just had a few bad experiences with the company

BrianAllan
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by BrianAllan

One shouldn't conclude that because a brand isn't popular on weight weenies, it is not a good quality bike. Many people on this site have superficial and asinine views on things like:
1. what is aesthetically pleasing (not as subjective as some people like to think)
2. what performance metrics are truly important

Generally, I find Bianchi's to be beautiful bikes, and they have sponsored numerous high-level teams over the years. I find the Oltre to be quite lovely: Image

Aside from 1 Colnago model, I'm aware of very few "Italian" bikes made in Italy. It's kind of a silly point to make..

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theremery
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Location: New Zealand

by theremery

The top Wiliers are still built in Italy (in-house)...
One of the kids in our school team has a new Bianchi (Sram red equipped level and K-sword bars etc)....it's pretty nice!!
Updated: Racing again! Thought this was unlikely! Eventually, I may even have a decent race!
Edit: 2015: darn near won the best South Island series (got second in age
-group)..woo hoo Racy Theremery is back!!

BrianAllan
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by BrianAllan

theremery wrote:The top Wiliers are still built in Italy (in-house)...
One of the kids in our school team has a new Bianchi (Sram red equipped level and K-sword bars etc)....it's pretty nice!!


I don't believe that Wilier builds any carbon in Italy. Can you reference that?

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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

BrianAllan wrote:Aside from 1 Colnago model, I'm aware of very few "Italian" bikes made in Italy. It's kind of a silly point to make..

http://www.vinerbikes.com/about-us/ital ... 4_395.html wrote:All Viners (apart from two entry-level models manufactured overseas in order to keep prices competitive), are hand made by craftsmen at our Italian premises. Even the entry-level models are hand finished and painted here in Italy, under our watchful eye.

sawyer
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by sawyer

+! the Oltres look good. Like the co-ordinated FFWD celeste decals on the team bikes.

They haven't had anything stand-out in recent years though (weight, handling, aerodynamics, value etc.)
----------------------------------------
Stiff, Light, Aero - Pick Three!! :thumbup:

BrianAllan
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by BrianAllan

HammerTime2 wrote:
BrianAllan wrote:Aside from 1 Colnago model, I'm aware of very few "Italian" bikes made in Italy. It's kind of a silly point to make..

http://www.vinerbikes.com/about-us/ital ... 4_395.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; wrote:All Viners (apart from two entry-level models manufactured overseas in order to keep prices competitive), are hand made by craftsmen at our Italian premises. Even the entry-level models are hand finished and painted here in Italy, under our watchful eye.


So, I didn't say that there aren't any bikes made in Italy. Obviously there are. More to the point, there are very few "major" manufacturers that produce frames in carbon. I love Pegoretti : )

Viner bikes has a website that makes me think they're 1. no longer in business or 2. that they're not of any substantial size and terrible run. Then again, the Italians have a flair for bad web design. It's April 2012 and they say, "SITE PRODUCT PAGES CLOSED FOR UPDATE". It's not even August yet : )

BrianAllan
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by BrianAllan

sawyer wrote:+! the Oltres look good. Like the co-ordinated FFWD celeste decals on the team bikes.

They haven't had anything stand-out in recent years though (weight, handling, aerodynamics, value etc.)


The Oltre in a size 57 with paint is about 1050g. Don't even mention aerodynamics unless you have some data :smartass: . The Oltre has some aerodynamic design qualities including internal cabling, and an aero-seatpost.

But, this is a $5000 frameset/post - and this places it at the very top of expensive ass framesets. Value is not something this posses : )

TimW
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by TimW

BrianAllan wrote:
HammerTime2 wrote:
BrianAllan wrote:Aside from 1 Colnago model, I'm aware of very few "Italian" bikes made in Italy. It's kind of a silly point to make..

http://www.vinerbikes.com/about-us/ital ... 4_395.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; wrote:All Viners (apart from two entry-level models manufactured overseas in order to keep prices competitive), are hand made by craftsmen at our Italian premises. Even the entry-level models are hand finished and painted here in Italy, under our watchful eye.


So, I didn't say that there aren't any bikes made in Italy. Obviously there are. More to the point, there are very few "major" manufacturers that produce frames in carbon. I love Pegoretti : )

Viner bikes has a website that makes me think they're 1. no longer in business or 2. that they're not of any substantial size and terrible run. Then again, the Italians have a flair for bad web design. It's April 2012 and they say, "SITE PRODUCT PAGES CLOSED FOR UPDATE". It's not even August yet : )



1. 3 Colnagos models are made in house in Italy. C59, EPQ and Master.
2. Viner are a very small company but still make most of their bikes in Italy. You were looking at the wrong website, this is the official one:
http://viner.it/
3. Isn't Mario Cipollini's new RB1000 also made in Italy, despite the fact it is a monocoque?

But I agree all relatively small companies. Wiliers are not made in Italy, just like Bianchi's. I wish there was some proper EU rule about branding.

Anyway, back to Bianchi's - I'll always have a soft spot for them. I just wish they wouldn't mess around with cutting corners like alloy steerers on some models. Also spares availabilty in the UK was abysmal, I remember trying to get hold of some replacement forks, impossible. Hopefully though that's better now.

The Oltre looks much better in Celeste than in the limited edition matte black. Without paint I thought it was pretty ugly when I saw it in January.

sawyer
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by sawyer

BrianAllan wrote:
sawyer wrote:+! the Oltres look good. Like the co-ordinated FFWD celeste decals on the team bikes.

They haven't had anything stand-out in recent years though (weight, handling, aerodynamics, value etc.)


The Oltre in a size 57 with paint is about 1050g. Don't even mention aerodynamics unless you have some data :smartass: . The Oltre has some aerodynamic design qualities including internal cabling, and an aero-seatpost.

But, this is a $5000 frameset/post - and this places it at the very top of expensive ass framesets. Value is not something this posses : )


On the point about aerodynamics - it's incumbent on Bianchi to produce data rather than us :D; I don't automatically assume a frameset with internal cabling and an aero seatpost is aerodynamic. I've never seen any data isolating the effect of internal cabling LOL. Anyone who's read the Tour tests etc. would know that the frames that test as aero have a bit more going on than the Oltre. :wink:

1050g for a 57 is nowhere near WW champions' league stuff!!!

So, nothing stand-out from Bianchi, and certainly not for the money, but they do look nice.
----------------------------------------
Stiff, Light, Aero - Pick Three!! :thumbup:

Andrewjn
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:54 am

by Andrewjn

This is the latest review on Bike Radar http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/cate ... d-12-46020. They talk it up but is a little pricey, but looks the goods to me. However I do believe that my Ciooc Devilry is pure italian masterpiece :P

justkeepedaling
Posts: 1712
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:14 am

by justkeepedaling

I've ridden my friend's chrome pista. Nothing special, especially in the fixed gear scene. A Cannondale track on the other hand... Anyways, Bianchi carbon road bikes are good. Not the best thing out there in my opinion, but hard to say anything bad about them.

ticou
Posts: 459
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 3:31 pm

by ticou

How many other 'fashion houses' are putting nano tech and kevlar reinforcements into their, er, budget frames? Nice little video of the Infinito ( which you can get M-M as well) on youtube on the beach with some jazz guy singing 'Somewhere over the rainbow'.

bicicleta
Posts: 76
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 7:20 am

by bicicleta

ticou wrote:How many other 'fashion houses' are putting nano tech and kevlar reinforcements into their, er, budget frames? Nice little video of the Infinito ( which you can get M-M as well) on youtube on the beach with some jazz guy singing 'Somewhere over the rainbow'.


Hmmm, is that the reason why they put aluminum steerer forks on a $2000.00 + bike?

That pretty much cancels their nano-kevlar wonder frames, I think ill pass.

And I'm not hating on Bianchi, I feel the same way about entry level Madones and the like.

by Weenie


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