Weight Weenies

Hello everybody, I'm willing to buy a brand new Bianchi EV4 Hyperalloy frame on my size...

The only problem is that I have read this frame is quite fragile and sometimes even weak. Is very light so I was wondering if it's gonna be strong enough. Apparently when Bianchi released it back in the days few customers had problems because the frame end up breaking quite soon.

I was wondering if somebody around here can help me to decide from their own experience with that frame, any review, problems etc will be very welcome.

Cheers

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As it's a smallish frame, I presume you don't weigh that much? I also remember these breaking and it was generally thought that for hard riding one shouldn't use the frame for more than 2-3 seasons, tops. With "hard riding" I think it was implied the typical Cat1 or Pro rider, not a Cat4 weekend warrior, but ofcourse with such an extreme frame, body weight and/or power output will make a difference there too.

Strong enough for Ullrich.
But yes, probably prone to fatigue in the long term much the same as many light Scandium type Alu frames.
I'd absolutely love one of these BTW? Really a nice bike.

Thanks for both quick replies.

I weight around 155-165lbs (70-75kg), my size on steel frames is 52cm, the bianchi frame I found is perfect.
The idea is to use it everyday commuting from work-home (about 40km) and then for longer rides the weekend (100-120km)...
I'm not gonna be hard racing...

The other option I have in my hand is a Wilier Lavaredo for half the price of the Bianchi, brand new, like 200gr "heavier" but obviously not so beautiful or classy as the Bianchi...

The Wilier will probably be a better bet if you want something that'll last. Having said that, it's not like you're a heavy rider or anything.
I think I'd drop the cash and go with the EVO4 if it were me.
I used to have a Carbon XL in the matt black paint scheme just like the Evo3 and 4 that Ullrich rode, wish I'd never sold it now as it was one of the finest looking rides I've ever owned. At the time I used to lust after an EVO4 in the same paint or Celeste but it never happened.

I hardly see any trouble with the EV4 at your weight and intended use, seeing as the frame is previously unused too. That said, life is too short to commute on the Wilier if the EV4 is an option

I have a 2005 EV3 which I still ride all the time.
After the EV2, Bianchi designed with oversized CNC headtube and bottom bracket shell as well as filling some sections of the thinner walled frame tubes with structural foam. I say go for it.

+1

I really don't know of any difference between the EV3 and EV4.

I do know that following the Pantani/Mercatone Uno craze of the late 90's some reliability and durability issues possibly resulting from poor quality control quality control due to hasty production combined with emphasis on weight reduction resulted in the fact that many EV2's ended up breaking necessitating a redesign of the Evolution series. Hence the heavy BB shell and headtube as well as increasing the steerer diameter and filling some frame tubes with foam for stiffness.

Some EV3's were offered with carbon rear (b-stay) and some with aluminum.

My frame weighs 1276 grams and easily built into a 15 lb bike with the components pictured above.

I have owned two EV4s one EV3 and an EV2, that being said the EV4 is an absolutely magical ride. I don't know what they did in the engineering of this frame but it makes climbing easier and it isn't just the light weight. Around the time that I owned my last EV4 I also had a Mercks Team SC and can honestly say that I was better on the EV4.

I have seen cracked head tubes from internet pictures. There is a very peculiar semi integrated headset that this frame takes to get the front end dialed in correctly. My guess is that many people threw the wrong headset on there because looking at the inside of the head tube when the frame is stripped reveals a beaffy headtube. Bottom bracket is stiff, you will feel road bumps but it isn't buzzy like you would expect from Aluminum. If I could get my hands on another one in my size I would, I would jump on it in a hearbeat.

There is a slight difference between the first batch (2001-2002 I believe) and the second batch (2003-2004). The later batch has the tribal paint scheme on the top tube or 'Hyperalloy" under EV4 on the top tube. Those are a bit heavier and a bit sturdier. Good luck

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Just looked at some old pics... the script on hyperalloy is a bit different on the later models. They all say hyperalloy. I am not definitively sure on how you can tell the difference other than the tribal sign.