I'm in the market for a new bike (that process could be its own thread...) and had a chance to test ride the Bianchi Impulso, Intenso, and Infinito CV endurance bikes. Here are some brief thoughts on the feel throughout the lineup.

Each bike was a 53cm 2016 model, which fit me very well. The builds were ultegra (Infinito CV), 105 (Intenso), and Impulso (Tiagra).

I first rode the Intenso (mid-range carbon 105 equipped) which felt reasonably comfortable and very sure footed. 105 shifting performed well as usual, but the OEM rim brakes were pretty lousy. I could also feel the seam in the front rim with the brake. My biggest complaint was frame flex when I really stomped on the pedals. The bike did not "get up and go."

Next was the Infinito CV. This was a dream to ride. The same stability and better comfort than the Intenso, but it took off like a rocket when I hit the pedals. Although the geometry is identical, I did notice that some of the tube shapes were significantly different. I'm sure there are differences in the materials and layup as well but those are a bit of a black box to me. Ultegra shifting is basically like 105. The ultegra brakes were MUCH better and felt like a good argument against discs. Hard to tell how much of the more comfortable ride was the frame itself or better wheels and tires (Rubino Pro).

The aluminum Impulso was surprisingly nice, especially compared to the Intenso. The frame was very stiff, with great power transfer and the same handling characteristics as the other models. The ride was noticeably less smooth than the Infinito, but I couldn't tell much difference from the Intenso. In fact I rose the Intenso again to be sure. Again, hard to tell how mush of this to attribute to wheels/tires. The Impulso was the heaviest of the 3 bikes (only the Infinito felt particularly light). The new Tiagra is pretty good and I like that it is still 10-speed, because I can still use my wheels.

The bikes were priced at MSRP - $4400 for the Infinito CV, $2200 for the Intenso, and $1250 for the Impulso ($1500 for 105).

I would strongly consider the Infinito if it were closer to $3K. The Impulso seems like a smart choice. It could be a good platform for upgrades, although I would probably continue to lust after the Infinito or any of the several other fun and tempting (expensive) bikes I've tried so far. $700 extra for the carbon Intenso seems hard to justify.

Have you ridden any of these bikes? What did you think?