Originally Posted by
robbo400
Great area - if I remember correctly, you can start on the flats north of Padova and then go the other way from Pordenone to more challenging terrain.
You are so close to so many of the large Italian brands as well as some bespoke framebuilders that I am guessing there will be a lot of LBS and you're bound to find a good deal on a 2017 model that they want rid of. (I think you've already found this with the Synapse). In December my friend came with me to a LBS and ended up leaving with a 2016 Specialized Roubaix bike for about 40% of its original list price and that's in Switzerland where discounts are the cultural equivalent of tinned spaghetti in Italy.
Also I read a €1700 initial price request from an Italian shop (your earlier post) to be €1400 maximum in terms of what they'll accept. Maybe they are also playing hardball on price because you're a foreigner. Do you have any local friends who could come and help you haggle? I am from the UK but of Italian parents. Every time I go on holiday to Italy with English friends, prices drop the second I start speaking Italian. Hope this helps
I speak fluent Italian. Funny enough though, I went to the first shop with a local Italian that went to school with the owners. Taxes are so high here in Italy, they need every dollar they can get in retail sales. Because of that, I am very hesitant to bargain even a little. I ended up buying the used Cannondale and paid what they asked. When I went to actually pay, they dropped the price another hundred euro. They also gave me a fair deal on some goodies to go with it...I will be giving them my business from here on out...