alexdrozd

I was able to test ride a Bacchetta Giro 26 high racer and it felt very good. Because I have no other dealers close by that carry the other brands, I was wondering if I am missing out by not test riding others. I had two in mind. The Volae Expedition and the Rans Force 5 Enduro. I do not want the Actionbent models.

The Giro 26 is about $300 less than either of the above. Will I be happy with the Bacchetta? Or would I notice a big difference in either of the two above? Enough of a difference to warrant $300? It seems like quite a bit difference. Are the components inferior?

Thanks.

vik 

I posted a long winded answer on BROL, but just to answer this specific question - the handmade in the USA Waterford steel frame is worth $300 extra on its own. I do believe there are spec differences in the Volae's favour [wheels, brakes, etc..], but you'd have to look carefully at both bikes to get a proper comparison.

Dogbait

I am also trying to decide between the Giro 26 and the F5. From my research, the component difference seems to be that the brakes on the F5 are better, Avid BB-7 vs BB-5, about a $60.00 difference on the retail price of the parts; a SRAM 970 cassette on the F-5 and a 950 on the Giro; Shimano Deore hubs on the F5 and Formula on the Giro.

I like the looks of the truss reinforced frame on the F5. I believe it will be stronger than the single tube used on the Giro but, not being an engineer, I could be wrong about that. The F5 will take tires up to 2.3". The Giro does not say what the max tire size is but it comes with 1.25 hp tires. I will be using fenders so that may tip the scales in favor of the F5.

Fortunately for me, there is a dealer nearby who sells both so I may be able to test ride them before I buy. I probably will not make a decision until then.

vik 

The trussing on the F5 is probably a good thing if you are heavy, but if you are not it may give a harsh ride. Vertical compliance is a good thing [within reason] as it absorbs bumps and road buzz.

Definitely a road test of both bikes would be ideal.

alexdrozd

Dogbait,
Let me know what you find out.

hawkijohn

I too am new to bents, I've had my Giro 20 only since this past Thanksgiving but I can say I heartily recommend the Giro, whether the 26 or 20. Being new, I just felt so much more comfortable and confident on the 20. Who knows, if I rode the 26 now, I might opt for it or maybe not. I am totally in love with the 20 at this point. It's also a very readily upgradable bike. I opted for the 06 model which had slightly better componants and I liked the blue. Since then I've upgraded to a Velocity wheelset, Euromesh seat, and Schwalbe Marathon Racer tires. With the addition of the "All in one" bag, I've got a bike that works great for me. (hey, I hit 47.5 mph the other day on a nice downhill run) I guess my point is, don't discount the Giro 20 as a great bike too.

ldesfor1@ithaca

i own a 2007 Giro 26 and have been very pleased with it. I use it only for rides over 30 miles, specifically randonneuring and touring (havent toured on it yet) and find that it is extremely comfortable over long rides. I have the recurve seat which is claimed to be a better long distance seat than the hardshells, but i have no means for comparison, this may be of little or no importance to you. I got this over the Volae because i could ride it first and have a local bike shop for service and it is cheaper. The brakes work great and the wheels have been beautiful so far, but they are lesser than the Volae's on paper.
I belive it would fit 1.5" tires with fenders and maybe a bit wider, but after that, i believe the tires will begin rubbing the chain when it's in the biggest cog. The stem setup is also quite simple to adjust, whereas the Volae requires different stems.
I'd get the volae if i had the cash and the customer support, but i didnt and am very happy with the Bachetta.
Hard to go wrong here...

chtorr

I'm pretty sure you'll be happy with the Giro, though I don't know how it compares to the other bikes you mentioned. But I can't imagine you not loving it. I've had mine of almost a year now and it is still just as fun, fast, and comfortable as ever. Mine is the Giro 20, I'd imagine the 26 version may be slightly faster, but believe me the Giro 20 is no slouch. I also have the Rans Formula 26 and the Giro 20 keeps up with on it on speed. They both weigh about the same (Giro may be just a hair lighter even though it's chromoly and the Formula is aluminum) and the bottom brackets are roughly the same height. The Giro handles better though. I can't see craving that much more speed, but that's just me. Compared to my hybrid and mountain bike the Giro 20 is faster by quite a bit and WAY more comfortable.

I also suspect that the steel frame of the Giro helps give it a comfortable ride. It is clearly more comfortable on bumpy roads than my Rans Formula with its aluminum frame.

The other bikes may be as good or better than the Giro, but I can say with absolute confidence that you won't be disappointed if you do opt for the Giro.