ok, after an extra week plus, i just now (drumroll, please) rode the san jose home from the shop.

love it. i took the longish way home, hit some very light dirt trails that parraellel the bike path. i missed being fixed a little, but thats easy to fix with some cash down the road.

anyway, i know pics are in order but probably won't be up for a few days.

I saw and it seems pretty cool it and pretty functional but it really increased the price. I can't the site to come up either but I recall it was around $800. Kind of takes away from some of the appeal of the San Jose for me - namely that is is so inexpensive and so simple. I'd probably go with a cross check or the Castro Valley is I was going to spend the extra $$.

Harris Cyclery is selling these for $950. A little pricey, no? But I guess if you want a bulletproof 8-speed bike with upgraded wheels and better tires...

ok, i posted a few pics and a link in the 'show us your cross bike' thread.

Still enjoying the San Jose? I finally rode one of my other bikes, my Litespeed w/Ultegra 9, on Saturday. It's been 5 months since I've been on anything but a fixed or single speed & two months since I've ridden anything other than my San Jose. I think the off road intervals have helped my speed on the road.

yeah, went out and ran a few errands in the rain yesterday. i'm really happy with the 'all around-ness' of the bike so far. hopefully it will clear up long enough sometime this week for my son and i to go mudding.

In case anyone is looking for one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7229814529&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1

Yeah the wheels are the weak point of this bike....but I figure that they make nice winter wheels. I uses to riding Michlen Sprint 700/30's...the are a bit more lively than the WBT's thatcome with it. After the winter I'm going to ut on a campy datona crank and replace the bar and stem combo......but onl after I put 1000 miles on it.

I'm seriously interested in this bike. What's the downside of the wheelset? Is it weight, durability or smoothness? I can live with a few extra grams if the hubs are really nice, or if the wheels are bombproof. Or is it that they're really road hubs not intended for off-road use?

I would say that they are really road wheels not intended for off road use. Not the most bomb proof things I have seen. They ride nicly on the street.

My girlfriend got one.
She got it a shop called Performance on Grand located in St.Paul Minnesota and she said the guy who helped her with it was great.

She had been previously riding around on an old department store bike that was a...department store bike. Then she went to our local DIY shop and someone helped her build one up there. After a couple of weeks of mechanical problems she decided to put her new credit card to use.

I was recommending the Redline 925 to her since it was simple and came with fenders. We looked at one shop and they didn't have the size so they sent us to another location. The San Jose caught her eye and she made a B-line right for it.

We've been a few rides (not nearly enough, though) and she can go. It's awesome.

I plan on getting a SanJose as well and maybe down the road upgrade the wheels to a Surly/Salsa Delgado set.

I picked one up on Monday of this week. First real commute was today and it was great. I really enjoyed the feel of the bike and the "hum" of the tires at certain speeds. Don't know how fast I was going but it felt like 15-18 mph most of the time. A few small hills so the 42x17 felt about right. I asked the LBS to throw in a 48 tooth chain ring so I can ride with my son on his pista and not have to spin like a madman to keep up. I also took off the leopard skin saddle and replaced it with my Brooks B17. Anyway, cool ride I'm glad I bought it.

Think Rollo the Clown. ...

I just got the 06 Pista and it rocks with the flip flop hub. BMX gog screws right on. Specialized Tri-cross comp knobby 28's fit just fine.


rjcory- So 27 1 1/8 are really equiv. to 700 x 25. Can you run them on the same rims (700's)? Hmmm. it does open up options.

JG


Tmax1:

How does the pista do off road? I've thought about it with mine, but the 48x16 and slicks on there now don't make dirt much fun!

Thanks

This is probably old news to those of you who have had single speeds before, but make sure you tighten the rear axle nuts very securely prior to really standing on the crank to take off. It can slip the tire into the chainstay causing the rear tire to lock up and without the ability to quickly unclip you will bust your ass in the middle of the street in front of several onlookers. Dammit.

Mine finally came in a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, it was just in time for me to leave for vaction for 9 days. I've only been out on it for two very short rides. I haven't got the postion worked out yet. So far the bike feels "short" to me. I ride a 56tt on my road bike and a 55tt on my geared 'cross bike. I'm not sure why the virtual 56tt feels cramped but I'll have to work on refining the position. I think I'm going to throw on my fixed wheelset with some cross tires. Not sure how it will work out.

Its finally sunny out, here are a few pics of my San Jose.

On-One Mungo bars
Brooks Team Pro saddle on a Thomsen Elite post
stock wheels and tires rebuilt with IRO high flange hubs, fixed/free.
Crank Brothers Mallets

otherwise everything else is still stock.

http://static.flickr.com/52/131004047_4fb2f7a196_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/56/131004049_bc2a9b29b7_b.jpg

Its finally sunny out, here are a few pics of my San Jose.

On-One Mungo bars
Brooks Team Pro saddle on a Thomsen Elite post
stock wheels and tires rebuilt with IRO high flange hubs, fixed/free.
Crank Brothers Mallets

otherwise everything else is still stock.

Looks great! Hey, what's your chainline at the crank, and what model of crank (I know the brand is Sugino) is it? I got hold of a frameset w/stock headset and BB (I think the BB is stock, anyhow- gives me a 52mm chainline with an older Shimano MTB triple on the outside ring). I've been trying to find a ss wheelset that matches that. I know the IRO doesn't, unless I go with the singlespeed hub, but that's 135, not the 130 of the San Jose spacing. I have the option of using a road hub with spacers and a Nashbar bolt-on skewer, but even there, I'm not sure I can get a sprocket far enough out on the cassette to make 52.

Looks great! Hey, what's your chainline at the crank, and what model of crank (I know the brand is Sugino) is it? I got hold of a frameset w/stock headset and BB (I think the BB is stock, anyhow- gives me a 52mm chainline with an older Shimano MTB triple on the outside ring). I've been trying to find a ss wheelset that matches that. I know the IRO doesn't, unless I go with the singlespeed hub, but that's 135, not the 130 of the San Jose spacing. I have the option of using a road hub with spacers and a Nashbar bolt-on skewer, but even there, I'm not sure I can get a sprocket far enough out on the cassette to make 52.


Hmmm, I'm pretty sure I've got 42mm in the front. I need to check the rear again, but it looks pretty straight.

Am I the only one who thinks it is a pain to replace chainrings with the stock Sugino since the crank arm covers one of the bolts. It is impossible to get the chainring bolt tool or allen wrench in between the arm and the bolt. Using a small flat tip screwdriver to hold the slotted side works but not very well. Is there a solution?

Am I the only one who thinks it is a pain to replace chainrings with the stock Sugino since the crank arm covers one of the bolts. It is impossible to get the chainring bolt tool or allen wrench in between the arm and the bolt. Using a small flat tip screwdriver to hold the slotted side works but not very well. Is there a solution?

I noticed this too, but I haven't tried anything yet. If I do I'll post about it.

that sure is one purdy bike. Those allterrainasaurus tires look alot better on the bike then the WTB site would lead one to think. Still waiting for my Volpe...

Just got my SJ built last night, (got the frameset of ebay) can't wait for this afternoon to go fo a ride. Was built mostly with stuff I already had. Right now it's set up as fixed, but also have a freewheel on the other side. Joshr, I liked the Mungo bars so much in yours I had to get those. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/akky/Bikes/Bikes%2006/873c5b56.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/akky/Bikes/Bikes%2006/0e2d9830.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/akky/Bikes/Bikes%2006/b0d1741d.jpg

My LBS said the San Jose runs small, is this true?

Actually, i think it might run big. When the guys at harris cyclery fitted me for my san jose the 58 was the one that was the right size. The 61 was just too big and i felt like i was reaching or stretching too much. Im 6'2" with a 32 inseem and I figured I would need to go with a 60 or 61. The 58 fits me NICE!
I love this bike

I test rode the redline 925 in a 60 or 61 and it felt more cramped to me than my san jose.

Actually, i think it might run big. When the guys at harris cyclery fitted me for my san jose the 58 was the one that was the right size. The 61 was just too big and i felt like i was reaching or stretching too much. Im 6'2" with a 32 inseem and I figured I would need to go with a 60 or 61. The 58 fits me NICE!
I love this bike

I test rode the redline 925 in a 60 or 61 and it felt more cramped to me than my san jose.

Hm, well, I'm 'bout 5' 8'' with about a 30.5in inseem and my LBS had one built (58cm), which was too big for me, but I wanted to ride it anyway, the only thing that was really too big about it was the stretch like you said. The one I was thinking would fit me (55cm) still needed to be build, so I'm waiting on that now. Maybe I would need the 52cm? I'm used to MTBs, and I do like a little smaller fit.

EDIT: I had them get the 52cm instead, should be ready Thursday. Hopefully it fits like a glove and I can stop worrying.

Grant Peterson, of Rivendell, obviously likes the bikes made and sold by HIS company. But, the most recent issue of his "Rivendell Reader" had a rave review of the San Jose. He has "rules" for what makes a bike a USEFUL bike, including the ability to use fat tires, use fenders and racks, simplicity, reliability, and good fit. He thinks that at the $600 price point, the San Jose is a "best buy".

His one quibble was that it is difficult to get the bars as high as the saddle, his preferred postion. He had a photo of a San Jose that had been "Rivendelled". It had a higher stem, a brooks saddle, fenders...it even looked like a Rivendell.

do you have a link or a copy of the "Rivendelled" San Jose you could post? Or is the "Rivendell Reader" a news letter sent by mail?

do you have a link or a copy of the "Rivendelled" San Jose you could post? Or is the "Rivendell Reader" a news letter sent by mail?

The "Rivendell Reader" is a small bicycling magazine (about forty pages per issue and about four issue per year). If you want a copy of Issue 37, contact Rivendell at rivbike.com.

The subscriptions are $35 for three years. About half the magazine is about bikes and bike products sold by Rivendell. The other half is about anything in the world of cycling, old or new, that interests Grant Peterson.

Issue 37 included a review of the "Mazama", a bike for BIG, BIG guys from C-Motion Cycles, a note on why you should consider running up a hill with your bike instead of pedaling, a "rewrite 'The Raven' poetry contest, a review of the Shimano BL-400 brake lever, a profile of Lynn McClintock, age 87, who rides 5,000 miles a year, an article explaining the concept of "trail" in a bike fork, how to control "wheel shimmy" at high speeds, the review of the Bianchi San Jose, a note on why your handlebars need to be higher, and why Maynard Hershon is fed up with motorists trying to kill cyclists.

At about $3 per issue, it is a MUCH bigger bargain than the $2 cup of coffee up at the corner. Every issue is worth keeping and re-reading.

I asked this question in a San Jose thread in the single speed/ fixed gear forum but this thread is obviously a better place...

I thought I remembered looking at a San Jose with low rider rack mounts on the fork. I don't see these threaded holes on the picture that Bianchi has up on their site.

Am I crazy?

Also, for you owners out there, anyone running both fenders and a rack on this thing as a commuter? It looks like the rear only has one set of eyelets.

I asked this question in a San Jose thread in the single speed/ fixed gear forum but this thread is obviously a better place...

I thought I remembered looking at a San Jose with low rider rack mounts on the fork. I don't see these threaded holes on the picture that Bianchi has up on their site.

Am I crazy?

Also, for you owners out there, anyone running both fenders and a rack on this thing as a commuter? It looks like the rear only has one set of eyelets.

joshr's san jose, pictured in this thread, has lowrider eyelets... but I saw one in Boston that definitely did not.

The one in my LBS has the eyelets. Perhaps it's an option when you order it?

What do you guys think of this? http://www.bianchiusa.com

Also, on a side note, Bianchi was the last name of LA's famous Hillside Slasher; why haven't they made a mountain bike called "The Hillside Slasher" yet?
Because it would be in Poor taste!

The one in my LBS has the eyelets. Perhaps it's an option when you order it?

I'm guessing it's a matter of manufacturing stock. The Volpe (same frame) has the eyelets and the San Jose at least officially does not; perhaps they've sometimes used Volpe forks when San Jose fork stock was low?

I'm guessing it's a matter of manufacturing stock. The Volpe (same frame) has the eyelets and the San Jose at least officially does not; perhaps they've sometimes used Volpe forks when San Jose fork stock was low?

The few San Joses that I've seen (including mine) have the eyelets. Mine was purchased back in January.

The Bianchi website actually specifies "rack mounts" in the fork description for the SJ.
The picture at the website doesn't show them though. Not even when embiggened.

The few San Joses that I've seen (including mine) have the eyelets. Mine was purchased back in January.

The Bianchi website actually specifies "rack mounts" in the fork description for the SJ.
The picture at the website doesn't show them though. Not even when embiggened.


Maybe the spec changed after the first run was made and the photos were taken? I've seen them both ways in person...

I recently picked up a San Jose. If you're interested in my general thoughts about the bike I wrote an article on my blog about it: http://dandalism.blogspot.com/2006/05/bianchi-san-jose-edited-may-22-2006.html

Mine has rack mounts on the fork. It's not the type of mount that goes straight through the fork; one can't for instance run a Tubus Duo ( http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tubus_racks.asp#Duo ) rack on the front... instead I've put a Jandd front rack ( http://www.jandd.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=FREXT ) on it.

I recently did a short camping tour with my SJ in northwest Wisconsin. If you're interested you can read about it here: http://dandalism.blogspot.com/2006/05/memorial-weekend-trip.html .... In general, this bike rocks... it's very versatile; I've ridden it several hundred miles since I purchased it a month ago.

-keith

I FINALLY got my San Jose today (I have been waiting since November, but my LBS (a small, one-man operation) couldn't get his hands on one), so I thought I'd give you another review. I decided to get a complete bike because I could replace both my broken fixed gear (conversion) frame and my cyclocross rig with a single bike for slightly more than the cost of a new singlespeed frame (I was thinking about an on-one or a surly)...anyway enough babbling, the review:

The Good:
+Frame feels solid as a rock. If they left room for fatter tires it could be ridden as a 29'er mountain bike. The paintjob looks "old school cool" it and fits me perfectly. i got a 55cm (I'm 5"10, 32" inseam) the flat spot on the top tube sits comfortably on my shoulder
+brakes: also solid as a rock. branded "cane creek" but the same design as tektro or nashbar cantis that I have seen/ used. however, the cane creeks come with kool stop cartridge pads, which are much nicer than the aforementioned cantis.
+brake levers are also cane creek. the balance between leverage and cable pull is perfect, and they have big, fat hoods, so they feel just like shimano brifters.
+The alex rims are doublewalled with eyelets, a machined sidewall and wear indicators. They hook up with the brake pads nicely

Neutral:
#The bars are a pretty standard ergo style, a little on the wide side with a shallow drop, would be nice if they were flared a bit like true cross bars. The lack of alignment and centering marks is a bit annoying
#Stem was way too high for me. I felt like I was on a comfort bike! Fortuately you can flip it over and it becomes perfectly flat...makes the bike look faster too, if you don't mind the upside down bianchi logo.
#The tires arent' knobby enough for 'cross and not smooth enough for the road. Perfect for crushed gravel or grass though. I traded the WTBs in for some michelin road tires, which I'll run on the road until 'cross season
Gearing: matches the tires, a good all 'rounder but not fast enough for the road and too high for sloppy CX courses
#Fake fur stipe on the saddle looks cool. The seat is well padded and comfy, the center is recessed and the shell has a center cutout, but a tad too "plush" for me. Plus, I can't imagine the furry saddle would hold up well to cross racing...ever see a plush toy that got left out in the rain?...eww.
#Seatpost is generic, but gets the job done
#The crankset is a sugino double, with a chainguard (definitely not a bash ring though) in the outsde position. it seems to be coated with black plastic rather than painted black, which could mean it has a more durable finish. Unfortuately its not nearly as stiff as a hollow shimano crank.

The Bad:
-The price went up :( I had to pay more ($620), because the LBS had to pay more, because the regional bianchi distributor raised the price because of the shortage of these bikes (damn that law of supply and demand)
-Bottom bracket is a touch too low for my liking (might be sketchy as a fixed gear), and it's an obsolete square taper design
-Plastic pedals are a joke...for the price they could at least give you some aluminum ones with clips
-Hubs: In addition to not being flip/flop, the rear hub isn't sealed with a rubber boot, so I'm guessing they'll need to be regreased frequently. The cones on mine were overtightened a bit, but they spun smoothly when I adjusted them properly.
-Weight: mine weighed in at 21 pounds...a bit porky for a singlespeed.

The bottom line:
A fun ride, despite some cheap components and the higher price. buy it for the frame and customize the rest to your liking!

call me a pervert but the san jose gives me a woody. :O that bike is sooooo drool worthy.

Just curious if anyone has seen an 07 yet in the Hunter Green color? Better yet, can someone post a photo if they have one. My lbs has ordered one for me to check out but that is still a week plus away. Thanks in advance.

Bianchi is notorious for changing specs. It even says in their catalogs that they 'reserve the right' to change specs without notice. This usually entails either switching bosses/braze-ons. For instance, my Volpe only has 2 bottle mounts, but it is spec'd out on the website and catalog for 3 (as most touring bikes today are). This also has happened with the Pista. For some reason, some of them come with a front brake while others dont'. They're just weird like that. No rhyme or reason other thatn the bottom line I guess. I still think they're the best bikes out there though.

I recently bought a San Jose after looking at different bikes online, lurking on this site, and going to a few shops. I wanted to get a Kona Jake because it was the least expensive cyclocross bike I came across, but no one around had them smaller than 55cm and I didn't want to order one without riding it first. I saw a few cannondales and treks but they were out of my price range. They looked nice though. I saw the San Jose at my LBS and after a week I tried it out. I love the ride and it wasn't very expensive. I'm used to Single speed as I usually ride BMX. I posted a message yesterday about my concerns about the standover height, but aside from my neurosis about the standover, the ride was what sold me on the bike and its what keeps me riding it every opportunity I can. I took it on some light trails (with some loose gravel and mud) and it performed well. I don't know much about the gearing, but I felt it to be about right, unless your going up a major hill.

Jase

I did my first cross race on my 06 San Jose today (actually a weekly training ride put on by a local shop) the bike was super smooth in some rough stuff, including a "singetrack" section. The brakes were great but the stock gearing was a bit tall for my liking....not too bad for cruising through tall, soft grass, but it didn't accelerate out of corners/after dismounts too well and I had to dismount some stuff that I could have ridden in a lower gear. I'll probably keep the 17t cog for flat, dry courses and run a 20t cog for mud/snow/hilly courses.

I just picked up a San Jose today, as an alternative to a pista as a daily commuter. I'm enjoying the bike so far but can't really do a full write up until I ride it a bit more...The tires will need to go for street only application, and the gears run out way to early on the flats, which is no good here in honolulu. Ill post some pics and a write up in a couple days :D

-Jake

The 07 version has a flip flop hub. My girlfriend is going to get one (in the 44) it's the only single speed that I can find that's got a great price and actually fits her. All the others stop at 50 or 48cm. Actually thinking of getting one myself and putting on a better set of wheels (plus chucking that saddle) and racing single speed cross on it. So outta shape right now no sense embarrassing myself on my real cross rig. Plus I'll have two sets of wheels for her, one slicks and one cross instead of the crappy compromise tires on it. My knees are rough from my skate board days and my fixie can do a number on them as well, so a freewheel sounds like a good idea all over again.

I'm bringing this dead thread back to life to sing the praises of my 06 San Jose. I did my first race on it today and finished second in the B category. In the last three seasons on geared bikes my best finish was 9th! I ran it geared 42x20, which was perfect a course full of wet soggy grass and muddy ruts. Only complaint I had was at the finish I sprinted so hard for the line that I managed to pull the rear wheel forward in the track ends, but (thankfully) the chain didn't derail until after I had crossed the finish line.

Here's mine, in commuting trim:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4047/3372/1600/WEB0001.jpg

My 2006 didn't have a flip-flop hub, either (in case somebody is keeping score), but it does have rack mounts on the fork, and 3 bottle cage mounts.

Here is my Bianchi San Jose after 5 hours of work (build wheel, new fork, mount brakes, new cable) and way too much time spent thinking about this bike whilst in medical school lectures:

http://static.flickr.com/96/281320805_e90a118620_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/83/281320807_578d5989fb_o.jpg

When the bike was stock, I had a few complaints but loved the bike overall:
1) Stock brakes are weak, and since I wanted to go fixed in the city/winter, I knew that I would either have to upgrade the canti's or think of something else.
2) Brake chatter with the steel fork was annoying and constant down the hills of Pittsburgh.
3) No flip/flop hub, but I built a new wheel to correct for that (not pictured).

Overall, the bike was good, and now I think that it is great.

JAH

Just thought I would chime in...
I bought this bike when I got to school in August, I love it and I have been riding it nearly everywhere. Right now it is inactive as it is being converted to a fixed gear, but it really is an amazing bike. Just for facts I got it for $550.
-Geoffrey

Grant Peterson, of Rivendell, obviously likes the bikes made and sold by HIS company. But, the most recent issue of his "Rivendell Reader" had a rave review of the San Jose. He has "rules" for what makes a bike a USEFUL bike, including the ability to use fat tires, use fenders and racks, simplicity, reliability, and good fit. He thinks that at the $600 price point, the San Jose is a "best buy".

His one quibble was that it is difficult to get the bars as high as the saddle, his preferred postion. He had a photo of a San Jose that had been "Rivendelled". It had a higher stem, a brooks saddle, fenders...it even looked like a Rivendell.

It has a threadless Aheadset stem which means raising the bars that high is impossible with the stock stem. No way to pull it up higher. Fortunately, placing a Delta Stem Riser between the headset and the Bianchi stem will raise it to saddle height. That makes the bike ride more comfortably.

I love my San Jose but I'm having a hard time keeping up with my fixed gear friends. I'm pedaling twice as much. I need to ride faster and smoother, any suggestions?

Do you have slicks on there? If you are still using the tires that came with the bike, then changing those to road tires will drastically increase your speed. Thinner, smoother tires at a higher pressure will have less rolling resistance.