Bianchi Infinito CV debut....
06-20-20, 04:07 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Gatorland and BlueRidge heaven
Posts: 774
Bikes: 2021 Trek Domane SLR 7, 2012 Giant Defy 0, 2012 Trek Domane 6.2 P1, Bianchi Infinito CV disc Di2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 212 Post(s)
Liked 1,000 Times
in
250 Posts
Bianchi Infinito CV debut....
Finally took delivery of my long awaited Bianchi, and this morning the weather cooperated to allow for a decent run. I ordered it with Ultegra Di2,disc brakes, 28mm tires and ENVE45 carbon wheels.
What better place to test it out than the rugged hills and mountains of VA? The roads are chipped asphalt, lots of blind spots, potholes, etc. And there are insane ascents, wicked descents, open roads, everything! I’ve not ridden it a ton yet, but enough to get a good feel for the bike, and a taste of what it will be like going forward.
The Bike:
I ride a Domane and a Giant Defy, both have Di2 and excellent in their own right. The Bianchi features Countervale technology in this frame which does an incredible job of absorbing road buzz. Flexes in all the right places, but plenty stiff. I found the Fizik Alicante R5 seat surprisingly comfy. I special ordered a custom stem and handlebar, which needs a bit of tweaking, as does the seat height.
The Groupset
Cannot go wrong with Di2. This bike has 11 speed rear, one more than what I have on the other two. Shifting is smooth and confident. I doubt I’ll own anything not Di2. One minor complaint is the shifters. Shimano has flattened the outer surface of the up and down paddle. It is more difficult for the finger to ‘feel’ the transition from up to down. Ride an old one, then this one and you will see.
Wheelset and Tires
Figured I would splurge on an ENVE45 wheelset and Vittoris Corsa G2.0 28mm tubeless tires. All I can say is......wow.
Weaknesses?
A great climber. I’m 200 lbs, and the grades here approach 20% in spots. Vertically compliant and confident. I didn’t feel it was wanting compared to the stuff Giant Defy 0 at all.
Descending is another story. The bike is a tad twitchy under more aggressive descending, but I’m comparing it to the huge wheelbase of the Domane. Chalk this up to geometry. I think as I get more accustomed to its handling characteristics and I ride within my limits, it’ll be just fine.
So far at least, I’m not blown away by the hydraulic disc brakes. I know they need to be ‘bedded’, and maybe that’ll make a difference, but I thought I’d really feel a big improvement. Never had any problems with the Shimano rim brakes. Dunno, maybe I’m expecting too much, and the feel will grow on me.
And of course, the price.....This bike, with wheels, etc, is north of $7k. A lot of bike, and all the bells and whistl
es yes, but at a not so modest price.
Verdict: road buzz killer, eats up hills and the open road, model-like looks, a winner, hands down.
What better place to test it out than the rugged hills and mountains of VA? The roads are chipped asphalt, lots of blind spots, potholes, etc. And there are insane ascents, wicked descents, open roads, everything! I’ve not ridden it a ton yet, but enough to get a good feel for the bike, and a taste of what it will be like going forward.
The Bike:
I ride a Domane and a Giant Defy, both have Di2 and excellent in their own right. The Bianchi features Countervale technology in this frame which does an incredible job of absorbing road buzz. Flexes in all the right places, but plenty stiff. I found the Fizik Alicante R5 seat surprisingly comfy. I special ordered a custom stem and handlebar, which needs a bit of tweaking, as does the seat height.
The Groupset
Cannot go wrong with Di2. This bike has 11 speed rear, one more than what I have on the other two. Shifting is smooth and confident. I doubt I’ll own anything not Di2. One minor complaint is the shifters. Shimano has flattened the outer surface of the up and down paddle. It is more difficult for the finger to ‘feel’ the transition from up to down. Ride an old one, then this one and you will see.
Wheelset and Tires
Figured I would splurge on an ENVE45 wheelset and Vittoris Corsa G2.0 28mm tubeless tires. All I can say is......wow.
Weaknesses?
A great climber. I’m 200 lbs, and the grades here approach 20% in spots. Vertically compliant and confident. I didn’t feel it was wanting compared to the stuff Giant Defy 0 at all.
Descending is another story. The bike is a tad twitchy under more aggressive descending, but I’m comparing it to the huge wheelbase of the Domane. Chalk this up to geometry. I think as I get more accustomed to its handling characteristics and I ride within my limits, it’ll be just fine.
So far at least, I’m not blown away by the hydraulic disc brakes. I know they need to be ‘bedded’, and maybe that’ll make a difference, but I thought I’d really feel a big improvement. Never had any problems with the Shimano rim brakes. Dunno, maybe I’m expecting too much, and the feel will grow on me.
And of course, the price.....This bike, with wheels, etc, is north of $7k. A lot of bike, and all the bells and whistl
es yes, but at a not so modest price.
Verdict: road buzz killer, eats up hills and the open road, model-like looks, a winner, hands down.
06-21-20, 07:59 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Southern California
Posts: 595
Bikes: Bianchi Oltre XR4 Celeste, De Rosa SK Pininfarina, Giant TCR SL, Giant Revolt Advanced Revolt 0 Gravel Bike, Trek Madone SLR, Cervelo R5 Disk
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 376 Post(s)
Liked 124 Times
in
65 Posts
Stunning bike. My first choice if I was looking to buy an endurance bike.
