Bianchi Torino or?
 

I recently was looking for a hybrid and came across a Bianchi Torino in my local bike shop. I took it for a spin and really liked it. When I showed interest in the Bianchi the bike shop guy pretty much told me to not buy it. He said how I could get much more for my money and I was paying for a name etc. and then he pushed me towards another brand that wasn't familiar to me. I rode it and didn't like the feel as much as the Bianchi. He just seemed really bent on selling me the other brand (I don't even remember what it was). I honestly think they had leftover stock of this other company or had some sort of deal with them. It wasn't a familiar brand and they had a ton of them in every bike type in the store and very few other brands.

With all that said, what other bikes should I be considering where I can get "more for my money" as the bike shop guy said?

I think the Bianchi Torino is priced appropriately. The website lists an MSRP of $570, which is in the same ballpark as its competition. Trek's FX 2 has virtually the same construction and components ($545), as does the Giant Escape 2 ($505), and Cannondale Quick 7 ($525). I'm curious to know what other brand he was trying to push, but all that really matters to you is the bike fits and you like it. Even if the other bike is a "better value", it's a poor buy if you don't like it as much as the Bianchi (and it sounds like you don't).

Thanks for listing out similar bikes. This helps!

I went back to their website and they were pushing a brand called Haro .

Hi check bianchi website my bike shop sold me the bianchi lucca for sale price. I love it! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b69932e572.jpg

I'm guessing they were trying to sell you a Haro Sport Hybrid. It looks like the Aeras ($520) and the Rivon ($630) are pretty similar. The Aeras has a 3x7 drivetrain (though it does at least have a cassette and not a freewheel) and mechanical disc brakes, while the Rivon has a 3x8 drivetrain and nicer Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. They seem like good bikes for the price, but not mind-blowing good, and it really shouldn't matter anyway, as you liked how the Bianchi felt more than the Haro.

Probably higher margins on the Haro. Haro was once a top brand.

A good local bike shop is interested in you buying the bike you like the most and won’t push you to another bike. I’d shop elsewhere.

Thanks to you both. I have another local bike shop that sells Bianchi. I plan to check them out this week and see if I get a better vibe from them. I'll report back.

Totally agree, the price of Torino is adequate.

My first good bike was Bianchi. I had lived in a town where the shop had Bianchi years before I got that bike. When I decided to get a good bike it had to be Bianchi that I dreamed of years before. I bought C-Sport-1 in 2015 and registered at bikeforums (as can be seen from my name here :innocent:).

Some Bianchi bikes are indeed a bit overpriced. I paid $600 for C-Sport in 2015, it had rim brakes and 7 speed (cassette). This year C-Sport SE with similar specs is $550 -- and $550 in today's prices is about $450 in 2015's prices. Also, this year Strada is $830 (compare to Jamis Coda).

If you go to another Bianchi shop, you can try some C-Sports. They are also hybrids, but more performance oriented. You may or may not like them.

Nice bike