Road Cycling - Is The Bianchi C2C Via Nirone Right For Me?

I know I’ve posting with a seemingly different questions about what to get for a while now.... still not ready to jump in yet.

So I’m forty two, I live in portland Oregon, I currently have an older mountain bike with road tires. I’m thinking about getting a road bike again after many years off. I’m thinking that I’ll be doing some one or two long rides maybe four or five days a week.

I’m starting to wonder about the comfort of a race bike. I realistically don’t see myself doing any races. But I do like to go fast, and I enjoy climbing up some of the local hills... I know a want a road bike of some kind.

Do you think something like the Coast To Coast line from Bianchi http://www.bianchiusa.com/08_c2c_nirone_ultegra.html makes sense for me? (I’m hoping/planning on a test ride soon) Seems like it would be more comfortable, but on the other hand, if this kind of bike is made for mostly centuries or touring, I don’t really see myself doing that kind of thing either....

Also, I’m 6.2 with 34.5 inseam, so I’ve been trying to track down a 60 to check out. Does that seem about right?

I know that I am 6'2 with a 32 inseem and I got fitted for a 58...

They're a little more heavy, I have a 59cm one, but it has a lot of parts that add weight that could be changed. I'm about 6' but my inseam is 34.5. I plan to race on it this summer, it does go fast very happily :).

I test rode the Bianchi C2C before ending up with my Look. The C2C gave the plushest ride of a number of bikes I tried, including 08 Trek madone, 07 Roubaix & Tarmac Experts, Felt Z25, Cervelo Soloist, and of course, Look 555.

One thing I didn't enjoy about the Bianchi was that it was almost too plush - very little road feel. Almost felt like a bike on shocks. If that's what you're looking for (say a Lincoln Town Car feel), then definitely a great bike. The bike actually looks great! However, coming from an aluminum bike (which felt quite harsh), I wanted something with more road feel.

I suggest trying out all the following:

Felt Z series carbon
Spec'd Roubaix
Madone Performance fit
Cervelo RS (expensive but very nice)
Look 585 Optimum - my personal dream bike, but around $2.7k for the frame & fork

Have fun!

i test rode that very bike right before i bought my frame. i really liked it a lot, but wanted to build my own. in retrospect, i should have just bought it and enjoyed it for the past 2 months. im going to break about even with my bike (within $100 or so). i test rode the one they had with the 105/ultegra combo, and coming from my 80's schwinn steel frame, it was good. hopefully my new bike feels good too. i don't think you can go wrong with it- and the color is great.

If you don't want a plush ride and need to feel the road, pump up the tires, I feel the road then, but not my old bike where you felt the road even after you were off it.

I've only heard good things about those Bianchis - my LBS is a major Bianchi dealer so there are lots of them around here.

But do they run in odd-numbered sizes? (some Bianchis do - viz. 55, 57, 59) If I had to guess, I'd imagine you to be a 58 (or 59?) though... But of course the only way to tell would be to ride one!

I had a Via Nirone and it was superbly comfortable for me over long distances. 106 miles in a day is my best and despite alot of fatigue, I found the bike to be very comfortable. It isint a racing oriented bike but its not sloppy or unresponsive either. I haven't ridden any other bikes from near that price point but my current bike, a Bianchi Axis isn't quite as responsive as the Nirone was.

Ask me any questions you like and I will do my best. If I can offer any one bit of advice though, replace/upgrade the stock Bianchi own brand brake calipers. I am certain some Shimano 105 or Campag equivilants atleast will work better.

Yup, odd number. The sizing is different too, a 59cm Bianchi would not be like a 59cm specialized. The one upgrade I'll recommend above all others on this bike is brake pads. The ones that it comes with are awful. Get some koolstops, and swap out the ones that come in the cartridge. I wouldn't even recommend riding with the stock pads.

Thanks for the info. I'm starting to look more at the 07'. I can get one for a little over $1400. Seems like a good price. http://www.bianchiusa.com/07_c2c_nirone_ult_tr.html