Originally Posted by
jamesdak
9 Speed Bianchi, fairly recent, steel, but felt really sluggish to ride.
Same bike, one difference, can you see it? Now it's a rocket every bit as fast as my other fast rides.
To further hijack this and add an opposing view. All my C.F. road racers were sold and my Ti is listed too. I'm riding all steel and posting faster times this year at longer distances. The only time I miss the really light stuff is when climbing the mountains and even there with the 1400 gram wheels on the Giordana I really don't miss my "favorite climber" the Scott CR1 Pro.
So you're saying that the whole difference which both of us noticed was only the wheels? Looks to me like the tires in the 2 photos are the same. I've read endless threads on BF where the Knowledgeable Ones said that such noticeable wheel differences are all in our heads. I've ridden both Open Pros, Rolfs, and now my Kinlin rims on my carbon bike. I do notice that the Open Pros are a little slower, maybe 1/2 mph or less at ~18. OTOH, I've ridden with the group-of-the-bike-swap on my cheapo Nashbar alu frame bike (FRED) with bar-ends and Open Pros and been only very slightly slower than on the carbon bike with Rolfs.