Touring - Trek 520 vs. Bianchi Volpe???

Greetings all.....

I am looking to purchase a touring bike in the near future with aspirations to ride cross-country. In all likelihood, this will not happen for another several years. I would like to get a bike soon to become comfortable on it.

I have been eyeing both the 520 and the volpe. I really like the classic looks and time-tested design of the 520, but the volpe seems to be set up quite nicely. I have read other discussions about STI levers being not as reliable as bar-end shifters, but has anyone had any experiences of a failed STI lever in the past?

This bike will be multi-purpose as well - commuting, errand-running, joy rides, rides with my wife, etc. Basically anything to keep me on the bike.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Dan Kehlenbach

I don't know about how they do in terms of failing, but I know that my roomate has a Cannondale with STI, and there are some modifications / work-arounds he's going to have to do to get a decent sized bar-bag on there. Also, I have a Trek 520, and my only complaint about it as a touring bike has to do with the OEM rack. I don't know why they even bothered putting the piece of junk they 'give' you on there. It's completely useless, and all it did was waste my time because I had to pull it off to put a real rack on there. Other than that, I love my bike, and the bar-end shifters are fantastic.

I have only had two problems with STI over the years. On one or two occasions my fingers froze to much with cold temps and water and I could not use my fingers well enough to shift. My other problem is that after about 8 years of use the rear shifter sticks in cold weather. I do not concider either to be real concerns since they work great in all other aspects. Mine are the first model year with 105 and 8 speed so I'm sure that current models are better built, especially when lubed more than once every 5 years. I would not hesitate to buy a new bike with them.
scott

The 520 is the better tourer, the only advantage the Volpe has for the cross country trip is the lower gearing which is easily rectified.

Greetings all.....

I am looking to purchase a touring bike in the near future with aspirations to ride cross-country. In all likelihood, this will not happen for another several years. I would like to get a bike soon to become comfortable on it.

I have been eyeing both the 520 and the volpe. I really like the classic looks and time-tested design of the 520, but the volpe seems to be set up quite nicely. I have read other discussions about STI levers being not as reliable as bar-end shifters, but has anyone had any experiences of a failed STI lever in the past?

This bike will be multi-purpose as well - commuting, errand-running, joy rides, rides with my wife, etc. Basically anything to keep me on the bike.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Dan Kehlenbach

Hi- I would have to recommend the 520 wholeheartedly. I ride an '87 (last of the lugged Reynolds 531 frames) w/ downtube shifters. It's a reliable bike, & a general good ride. My wife has a Cannondale T800 w/STI, nothing but problems with that bike. I don't see the advantage of all that quick shifting capability for non-racers anyway. Actually, if you want to spend a little, Rivendell makes "old school" touring bikes that are more like Treks's golden age stuff.
Happy Riding....

I haven't ridden the volpe, but I have a '02 520 that I bought with same intentions as you. Light short communtes and moderate recreational weekend rides, touring hopefully. I got fenders, panniers, lights and generally treat it as a commuter. It's been great so far. It is geared pretty tall, I rarely use the third front ring (52) and I can keep up with traffic when I need to on the middle ring. I also got a longer stem and a second set of brake levers to get into a slightly more upright position, makes me more comfortable in traffic. The first 18 months with this 520 have been great and I highly recommend it. Made in America too. :)

I am planning on looking at both bikes you mentioned in my search. My goal is exercise, a future century and possible light touring. I am not interested at this moment in time in racing or in being a speed racer. My thought is that if I get a bike I can really ride a lot it will make the most difference in my health. Most road bikes that I look at do not have anyplace to carry anything at all. If you wanted to stop and pick up a few things at the store for example unless they are small and can fit in the seat bag you are out of luck. Riding with a backpack is an option but not a great one. I am also looking at the Trek 1000C/1200C/1800C, Giant OCR2/OCR Touring, Specialized Globe, Cannondales and a few others. I also have not totally discounted the hybirds either. I am not saying that a typical road bike does not have its place. All I am saying is that in order for me to afford to even buy into what has become an expensive hobby I need to get the most bang for the buck. Not just inexpensive but to be able to be an all around bike. The end result is that I will hopefully ride a lot more if my bike can do it all. I know it a compromise at best but it is an improvement over my current 47 pound 10-speed sort of mountain bike that I am trying to forget.