So, I am new here, and to road biking in general. I'm a huge car nut, rock climbing, and mountain biking lover, and LOVE road biking now. I'm only 24 years old, and am really active one could say.
Anyways, I have been using a regular pieced together steel framed bike for the past couple months, and have really gotten into road biking, and finally decided to get my own really nice bike about a month ago.
I did a lot of research as well as joining this great forum to ask questions, and swung over to Blue Bonnet Bicycles here in Lewisville, Texas. The owner there, Ben, and all of the staff has been really helpful, and before I knew it, I decided to by a 2008 fully exposed carbon Bianchi C2C bike equipped with a Campy Chorus group set, and Mavic Cosmic Carbone wheels for $3700. The look is AMAZING to say the least, and the fit of the bike and ride is equally awesome for me.
Anyways, I figured all would be good with just that, then out of the bule one of my buddies about a week ago said that since I have always helped him with his cars for free, he would give me his brand new still in the box Campagnolo Super Record Group set (minus brake calipers and cassette) for FREE! I couldn't believe it, but sure enough he did give it to me, and said he won it in a charity raffle a while back, and that he just wanted to do it as a way to show appreciation for me helping him with his car every time he needed work done to it.
Anyways, I just dropped the group set off at the bike shop along with some Gravitas Carbon brake calipers that I found online for only $400 (regular price $900) for Ben and the guys to all put together for me. Ben took $900 off the price of my bike, and in return he is replacing all of my Chorus stuff with the new Super Record stuff, and he is going to keep the Chorus stuff, and he is also buying and installing an 11 speed 11-25 cassette on my bike for me.
So with all said and done, I now have a full carbon Bianchi C2C bike with Mavic Carbone Wheels and a full Super Record 11-Speed Groupset with carbon Gravitas brake calipers for only $3200! I'd say that's not too bad for a first time purchase =)
Anyways, I pick up the bike next week, and I can't wait to get it out on the road! thanks for all of the good advice here thus far eveyone, and I'll post up pictures as soon as I have the bike in my hands. Sorry guys...I'm just so excited and had to post!
just to make this poct a little more exciting, here are some picture of the parts that Ben and the guys are putting on the bike for me.