What is it about Bianchis?
 

Hey people. So after conducting research and test rides these past two months, I bought a Via Narone, my first road bike. I tested a Terry, a Cannondale, a Fuji Roubaix, an Orbea, and a Madone. Then, I saw that Bianchi (Yes, it's Celeste green) and my mouth started to water. I took it for a ride and felt like I'd merged back with the source. :D I am new to road bikes and was surprised at my strong reaction. I don't even have the knowledge and vocabulary to even properly articulate how I felt or why. So please, chime in. What is it about Bianchis that gets you?

absolutely nothing.

This posts completely fits the poster to the T.

I'm sure you're well aware how much that means to me, coming from you.

You are my personal hero botto

+1.

They're cool bikes, but I'm quite happy with cannondale.

+2

Taiwan made (what isn't?), yet they have supply line problems, poor inventory and lackluster customer service...

mine makes a ton of noise when the frame flexes. that gets me right in the craw. damn alum. :(

A year-and-a-half ago when I was shopping for my first "serious" road bike in over 25 years, I saw a colleague's Bianchi and decided right then that it was one of the most gorgeous bikes I'd ever seen. I still don't know which particular model it was, but there was something about the lines of the bike, and (more importantly) that unsullied expanse of Celeste green that just screamed "high performance". It looked so cool... I wanted one!

So I started doing some research, reading up all I could online, talking to bike dealers, chatting with fellow cyclists, reading reviews, taking bikes out on test rides...and eventually I realized that the best thing Bianchi has going for it these days is that they look cool. (Sometimes. I am now of the impression that any Bianchi that is not 100% Celeste is an ugly POS.) I wound up buying a Cannondale.

Ironically, eight months ago I ran into the colleague whose Bianchi had gotten me all worked up in the first place...and she had sold her Bianchi to buy the exact same model Cannondale I was riding!

The Bianchi Argentin won his world title on was nice. Bugno had one or two nice ones. All the latest ones are fugly though.

I wanted to at least ride one, but my LBS stated getting stock and service from them is tough. He is dropping Bianchi from his in-stock offerings and is selling them by special order only in 2008.

Having said that, they are frickin' beautiful bikes and I STILL wish they would have had my size so I could at least ridden one and decided for myself. I wanted that bike. . . bad!

Yo, I am a bit dissapointed in this thread. Usually bikefurums threads are much better spirited than this. I too don't ride bianchis. My bike is a Cannondale but that doesn't much matter. The fact is that riding a road bike is awesome. Everytime you get off of it, you will be hit with a huge sense of loss because you are no longer riding it. I imagine that you found a bike or bike shop that fits you. Congrats, welcome to the road. Hope to see ya out there.

I like mine just fine. I've spend more than the cost of the bike in upgrades though.

http://velospace.org/files/studio1.jpg

I love my Bianchi. (04 Virata, Triple)... Currently the best ride in my stable.

and continuing the trend of postings about Cannondale, I rode a CAAD9 and a Six13. In my opinion, they sucked my left butt-cheek. Sloppy. Stiff, sure, but sloppy. I did not like the way they handled, and the aluminum tubing, I think, is still soft. They were more expensive with lesser components, and the graphics/outlandish use of logo application is as cheap as Britney Spears.

But hey, to each their own.

I would not describe a CAAD9 as sloppy... that's the very opposite of what that frame is. It's one the best off the shelf crit bikes available. Your affinity for Bianchi doesn't mean you can make silly statements.

It's a matter of opinion, you can love what you want all you want.

Leave it alone.

Which is a selling point all by itself. :D

To me there is an alluring quality about a celeste Bianchi.

I can't stand celeste, but other than that, there's nothing inherently bad about them, I suppose. I've never owned or used one.

I likey my Bianchis. Celeste and traditional geometry of course.

Campione, steel
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/45/10...b8c10b82d4.jpg

Alloro, aluminum
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1252/...8aa0e491ac.jpg

Smooth as butta. Comfy. Loves to put on the long miles.

Then again, I've talking about a 24 year old steel Nuovo Alloro. It's Metallic black... beautiful, but I long for a celeste bike.

While I agree with the general sentiment of this post, I have to protest that nearly every time I get off my road bike it is with a profound sense of relief that my aching butt, calves, quads and shoulders have finished their 3- or 4-hour torture session and are now going to enjoy the rest of the day off, while I eat whatever I want and still weigh less than I did when I awoke that morning. :)

Matt

I used to find them beautiful, and I was almost fooled. I was 99% sure I was going to pull the trigger on a via narone, till I found out the crap was made in taiwan. They had me fooled with there RC sticker thinking it was made in Italy. Till this day I have no respect for them and I get a little bit of dirty joy everytime I beat someone on one of these fake bikes.

I've been shopping for a bike and a Bianchi caught my eye. I can't even put my finger on why, but it has a certain appeal. For the price, I would've been surprised if they weren't made in Taiwan.

Your bike is made in the USA, of course? ;)