Cyclocross - Bianchi Axis vs Trek-XO-1

I'm a amateur bike rider and I plan to do america's most beautiful bike ride in Lake Tahoe [century]. My friend asked me to do it with him. Ofcourse I said SURE! I've been looking at cyclocross bikes for the last month or so I want to compare a Bianchi Axis (http://cyclecityusa.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=1848) and Trek XO-1 (http://cyclecityusa.com/itemdetails.cfm?id=2043) and I need your opinion. . I am leaning towards the Bianchi Axis and the Trek. Which is better? I also plan to use this as commuter bike and as I stated I want to train for a century. Let me know your thoughts.

Please feel free to suggest any other bikes.

as a do it all bike a cross would make sense. the axis can take a rack with fenders so as a commuter it is fine (I own one). That said, if you are thinking centuries I wouldn't chose a CX bike. I have riden the axis 100 in a day and the al frame starts to show its colors around mile 60 ... but don't get me wrong it would be fine. I have also upgraded the brakes and crank from stock. For a road only brake I wouldn't chose a canti braking system.
good luck on the ride, Travis

I guess I should give my 2 cents on this one.

I have a 2005 Trek xo1 and a 2006 Axis. Did my first year of cross races on the trek did ok. I bougt it in my normal road bike size. Wished I would have went one size smaller. Now it is my do everything bike. Mounted with a full time rack it is my comuter, it is the bike that hauls the trailer to the store Pics of it are on my blog) It has been toured with I have done more centurys on it then I care to count. Its the bike that is used when the weather is nasty and there is snow and ice on the ground. For the long haul I find it allmost as comfortable as my 5200. They only thing I have changed besides the chain and brake pads was the outer chain ring I think there is a 50 on it now.

The Axis is a race bike, it's set up as a 1x9. I bought it a a frame and built it up the way I wanted it.
The axis has more agressive geometery, and you end up witha more mtb feel. I think the longest day I have spent on this bike was about 50 miles or so. So I cant give you how it feels to ride a century on. I do like the way the squared off top tube feels when the bike comes to your shoulder.

If youre not going to race it or evan if you are. I would go with the xo1 as an all purpous bike.

Thanks for posting, but my search is over. I can't even get the 08 TREK XO-1 at any bike shop now. oh well. off to find another bike... thanks for your help guys.

have you checked out redline?

I'm curious what makes the Bianchi Axis a $1,200 bike? I like the set up and gearing for the Axis more than most other cx bikes, but why doesn't it come with a higher level component group for that kind of money? Or am I off on my value assessment?

i am not quite sure what makes the bianchi worth 1200 either. i am really new to the organized bike world, and just learning the parts on a bike. i ended up with a trek xo-1. it just felt like a better bike.