The Bianchis that were having problems were maybe 3-5 years ago, and were made in Italy. Bianchi was flawless at the Bianchi shop I worked at, and all my Asian bikes are at LEAST as nice as the American/Euro bikes some of my friends ride. Saying a bike is "heavy and slow" doesn't mean much. I seem to pass plenty of people on my "heavy and slow" steel Paramount.