BIKE response!
 

Hi guys!

I will buy my first racer in some weeks and I thought about this beauty, what do you think?

http://www.nishiki.se/hybridpro.html

The gears are 12-25 in the back and 52-39 in the front. I don`t know much about gears but I definetly want some higher than I have on my MTB right now, are these like regular gears or are they too low?

I can get it for about 840 usd. ( the prices are pretty high here in Sweden, I can`t get one for much less)

Is it a good newbie racer that one can upgrade when I feel it`s time?


be cool, alex

The gearing on that bike is pretty standard for a road bike. The ratios you have should give you all of the options you are going to need unless you live in really hilly area and are not a good climber then you may want to think about a triple. All in all you should be ok with the gearing.

ok, but Nishiki, is that a famous company? Anyone riding on one? I haven`t seen many riders on their bikes.

You get a lot of Nishikis here in Sweden. They mostly make hybrids, but have an OK frame with some fairly entry-level racing componentry.

It's an OK bike by all accounts and has the potential for upgrading. If one's ambition is to do some entry-level racing, perhaps Vättern-Runt if you're thinking distance, or perhaps some "motionslopp" then it will be fine.

I evaluated a Nishiki last year when I was buying my first road bike. In the end though I went with a 2nd-hand Batavus Pro that had a lighter frame, carbon forks and higher-level componentry. It was a bike that would cost 13.000 SEK new which I bought for 8.000 (it was only 6 months old). If you don't want to buy something that's already been ridden, then the Nishiki is probably one of the better value for money entry-level bikes out there.

hmm, I am also thinking of this Bianchi 9315, the cost almost the same. The thing is that the bianchi might be a little big, they only have it in 57, and I am 180 /5´11 tall, will the bike be too big for me? The nishiki is a 55, and should fit just fine.

Some people say that I should go for the bianchi because it is a well-known company, what do you think?

hmm, I am also thinking about this Bianchi 9315, they cost almost the same.

http://web.cykel-vallentuna.se/cykla...=387&Foretag=4

The thing is that the bianchi might be a little big, they only have it in 57, and I am 180 /5´11 tall, will the bike be too big for me? The nishiki is a 55, and should fit just fine.

Some people say that I should go for the bianchi because it is a well-known company, what do you think?

If they're measuring from the center of the bottom bracket to the center of the top tube where it meets the seat tube, 57mm would just fit you, but with little room to spare. If the measure is 57mm from the bottom bracket center to the top of either the top tube or seat tube, the fit would be better. I stand 5'10" and weigh 163lbs. One of my bikes is a 58mm from bottom bracket center to top of the top tube. It fits ok. I did install a shorter stem.

It's made from a set of 7000 series aluminum tubes. Just like almost every other aluminum frame out there. Welding it is not a very difficult manufacturing process.

As far as a first road racer, Im sure it would be fine.

bianchis run small. a size 59 only has a 57cm top tube. try riding the bike before buying.

Hey dude, also remember that the Bianchi comes with some good pedals (LOOK) like I was telling ya on MSN.

How old are you? If I remember correctly you are my age or a little younger, so will have a little bit more growing to go, therefore the 57cm would suit you better perhaps? Go to the shop(s), and get them to fit you on both bikes, and test ride both bikes. Then try and decide.

Regards,
Brendon

I am 5'11" and ride a 59cm Bianchi, i also ride a 61cm, its basically your inseam and standover on the bike, Both the 59 and 61 feel good for me
BTW Nishiki has been around for a while, I used to see a lot of Nishikis in the 80's

A team I raced for back in the 1980s was sponsored by Nishiki. They were great bikes. Nishiki was very common in the US back then. Much like Peugot, Univega, Fuji, Centurian (now Diamond Back) and a bunch of other quality bikes.

Truthfully, the lower cost Bianchis and the Nishiki are probably built in the same Tiawanese factory. This is not a bad thing.

I suggest making your decision based on which bike fits best.

Ok, now you're just making that up right? Is there possibly a race called the "motionslopp?" It'd better be a cross.

:D

-mark

If you get the cheapest Cannondale with a caad 5 frame it will be worth upgrading and racing

yeah, but the cheapest Cannondale is not so cheep, at least not in Sweden;)

The problem I think will be that I won`t be able to test ride the Nishiki, because the store orders it from another town. And I will probably only be able to test sit the bianchi, still alot of snow here:(

By the way, I am 17 , 180/5,11 66kg/145 lbs

not to mention you could put a golf ball-sized dent the cannondale's downtube or chainstays by looking at it funny...

Heh! Nope - motionslopp is Swedish for a non-competitive race. There's a lot of distance races here where there's no official winner and often no official time-taking. It's pretty good practise for getting used to riding in a bunch and being semi-competitive. They're quite often 70-100km+ road races, though the race I mentioned "Vättern-Runt" (Around Vättern - http://www.cyklavaettern.com/english/) is a 300km race around Sweden's 2nd largest lake. It has 17000 registered riders each year and I'm registered to ride it for my first time this year.