Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Bianchi pista vs Killo TT

This is really what it has come down to for me. I know more about the pista and i like how it looks but other than that i dont really know the difference. I dont really care about bang-per-buck between these two... just bang. Honestly which can handle it all and move better.

Aren't Pistas known to have weak frames? Plus their unicrown forks are so ugly! :notamused:
I am in a similar predicament with you, but I am ordering a Mercier over Bianchi. It seems like Bianchi's bikes are getting worse every year. 2006 Pista looked awesome. :mad:

Honestly which can handle it all and move better. :roflmao:

I'd choose a Kilo over a Pista any damn day.

^^^Agreed.

Middle ground though: Raleigh Rush Hour, Jamis Beatnik, Gutterball (not middleground but a good frame), Fuji Classic Track, IRO MarkV or Angus, or as will make scrod happy a MADISON.

Why is the kilo TT better? Spacifically... What's better that the kilo TT (if anything). Obviously people mess around with their bikes and make em a lot better but which is th best starter (or in general)

Thank you CharneK. :D

I don't think its that the Kilo is "better" but that the Pista is not better per $$ extra. The Kilo is a surprisingly good frame for the money you spend on it. Its cult following is not for its looks but for its quality.

a pista's a great bike. i mean, it's not 'great' but it's fine for a beginner bike.

the kilo FRAMESET is definitely a cut above, but i'd rather have the pista complete if i was never going to change any parts.

i miss my kilo frameset so much. can't wait till it's back to me!

i'd rather have the pista complete if i was never going to change any parts.

Thats a good way to look at it.

I may be mistaken (due to lack of caring about Pistas) but don't the two completes come with practically the same components?

The Kilo has water bottle mounts and eyelets for racks & fenders. This alone means it can handle more.

very close, but i think the pista has better wheels and bars and seat. everything else is VERY similar.

Not "better" enough, IMO. **** a Pista.

true. but seriously, to get a bike with wheels worth keeping you have to spend 700.

How about a TT Pro vs Pista? Then Kilo wins fosssssssshizzle.

oh, easy. no contest.

but the tt pro isn't all that great. better than a pista is no huge credential, as mentioned.

Since we are comparing bikes now....
I want to see what Scrod has to say on this one.

Madison or Kilo TT.

He would probably say Madison...

obviously, i think his opinions on both are well documented. plus the reason he sold one for the other.

both the pista and the kilo tt are reynolds 520 frames. the kilo tt has the aero downtube (not sure if the pista does too). i read somewhere that the pista has more aggressive geometry (can anyone confirm?). the pista comes with better wheels stock.

kilo has a prettier fork

pista has had similarly lax geo since about 2008.

pista is 4130. i know there's no real tractable difference, but even if it's only a superficial distinction, i'm pretty sure they're not "both reynolds 520"

i meant to edit the above.
as of 2010, the geos are exactly the same for HT and DT angles, with varying reaches and wheelbases and such.

they're both similar.

Seeing as how neither has a "better" frame material I think it comes down to components and such. The Kilo has rack and fender mounts making it more "useful". The Bianchi has maybe a little bit better wheelset but not loads better. They have the same crankset but the bianchi comes with a 48 and the Kilo a 46. Everything else is pretty comparable. The kilo comes in many more colors though.

All things considered, for a beginner, the Pista is just not a justified purchase when the Kilo is available.

cc700: I feel honored to have made your sig!

I bought a Pista recently and was choosing between that and a Kilo TT. This was my "real" bike - the others were all junkers for college and when I was a little kid. When I was researching, the Kilo TT was a pretty good deal. But I didn't know that much about bikes yet and assembling them and fitting them etc. So I went to the LBS to get their expertise and get fitted there and bought the Pista there. It's a little more expensive but I'm glad I got some help at the LBS and got fitted properly. Having ridden it for a while now, I did change the handlebars for comfort, got the proper brake handle for the handle bar, and the stem for a better fit. Otherwise, I didn't see the need to change anything else. I'm just a beginner though and using this as a beater exercise bike so my standards are probably quite a bit lower than some of the folks on here. Either way I don't think you'll go wrong - if you have some experience with bikes already and don't mind buying online and assembling yourself, I would say save a few bucks and go for the Kilo TT.

true. but seriously, to get a bike with wheels worth keeping you have to spend 700.
I trued my stock kilo tt wheels and it hasn't been giving me a problem at all. But I also use my kilo like a beater so I'm not throwing too much money onto it. I'ld choose a kilo over a pista too.

How can you compare bikes if you haven't ridden both of them?

Lot's of people hate Bianchi Pista on here.. I have one and it's an awesome bike, honestly it's freaking great. You can find them fairly cheap as well, if you know where to look.

I think this thread should be locked ASAP, just a dumb argument.

You're right. I love Pistas now. Thanks for changing my mind!

if you can find an early 80's Pista, that trumps all.

Lot's of people hate Bianchi Pista = You can find them fairly cheap as well

Fixed

Enjoy

http://www.grimmemennesker.dk/data/media/2/LOL.jpg

Either way I don't think you'll go wrong - if you have some experience with bikes already and don't mind buying online and assembling yourself, I would say save a few bucks and go for the Kilo TT.


No LBSs have the kilo TT? Its only sold on bikesdirect? Cause i have very little experience when it comes to assembling a bike. I could probably figure it out but it would be a heck of a lot easier if i could get it assembled... Once i have it and i start replacing parts and stuff ill learn more about it but i want to start with the right thing.

You could always bring it to your LBS for assembly. They'll most likely charge you around 50 bucks. If they're cool and you ask them nicely, they may even let you build it yourself under their supervision (like my shop would).

it's ridiculously easy to assemble, provided you're semi-competent. there are plenty of youtube tutorials if you get stuck.

wait i just checked kilo TT price (never really looked at it before now) ... Is it actually that cheap? 359 bucks?? Why so cheap?

Because you're going to buy one that doesn't fit you.

Because you're going to buy one that doesn't fit you.

What does this mean? all sizes are the same price.

I know. I was kinda kidding...implying that when you buy one that's the wrong size, you can buy another one that fits because they're so inexpensive.

i have experience with both. i would say the only deal breaker between the two is wether you want to throw on a rear brake on it or not. pista won't do it. i ride a pista currently and have no problems with the frame. i know a lot of fellow riders with as many years experience(3) if not more, on their bianchi pista with absolutely no trouble. i agree about the fork being ugly, but its not really a deal breaker for me.

Okay one more question
Ive seed the shwinn madison come up a couple of times in my searches as an very good bike and i was wondering how it compares to the kilo TT.
Any difference in framesets? Heavier? Any other things that might make it a superior bike?

P.S. Thanks for all the help and input everyone.

nvm forget about that last post i figured it out for myself (big step for me :thumb:) haha

the kilo's cheap because they don't need to pay a shop to distribute it or techs to assemble it or sell it to people or store it until it sells.

they ship it direct from their warehouse after the bike comes in on a ship, via truck, from taiwan.

and it sells because even though you don't have a stupid, underpaid, unsatisfied kid to look askance at you as you timidly teeter around the store trying to get used to a fixed gear and say "yeah, that one should fit you, how does the seat feel? too high?" you're still willing to read a bunch of stupid opinions about "yeah if you are this tall, you should get a frame that measures this many centimeters" and you don't assume you'll be spending literally hundreds of dollars on small parts to make it fit, ride, and last to your liking.

the madison is a good bike but to me, the frame is no better than a kilo. Scrod will inevitably disagree.

I can feel scrod's blood pressure rising from vermont when someone mentions buying a pista lol. I think in some areas they are overly prevalent and that would annoy me too. Only seen one in Burlington..

I was read to buy a Kilo but a 2008 Pista with essentially no time on it popped up for $350. I bought it because it was essentially the same cost, (debatably) a nicer stock setup, and it was sitting right in front of me.

it seems like the answer is : it doesn't really matter

YOU TELL EM CC700... honestly, well said and thanks 4 the help every1... so long thread :thumb:

it seems like the answer is : It doesn't really matter qft

Get a kilo tt... pistas are indeed known for weak frames, more specifically the welding of their seatpost stays. I've seen many pistas on CL with seatpost stay work done. In addition from personal experience, my friend's pista's left seat stay gave way when he simply went off the sidewalk curb during a ride together; plus his light for his stature [luckily for him he bought from his new from a dealer and bianchi more than gladly covered him]. In addition as said earlier the pista's fork is just hideous....

What does this mean? all sizes are the same price.
Bianchi Pista comes in better sizes. And the seat is more comfortable.
So buy a Pista!

Bianchi Pista comes in better sizes. And the seat is more comfortable.
So buy a Pista!

Because Kilo's seat is totally the deal-breaker for everyone.

it sells because even though you don't have a stupid, underpaid, unsatisfied kid to look askance at you as you timidly teeter around the store trying to get used to a fixed gear and say "yeah, that one should fit you, how does the seat feel? too high?" you're still willing to read a bunch of stupid opinions about "yeah if you are this tall, you should get a frame that measures this many centimeters" and you don't assume you'll be spending literally hundreds of dollars on small parts to make it fit, ride, and last to your liking.

predictions of the end of the LBS?

This thread is kaput. Closing before we hit page 3.