New Bottechia (USA) Sprint CF-78
10-31-09, 04:20 AM
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New Bottechia (USA) Sprint CF-78
Hello all,
I found the threads on the Bottechia group buy frame and others on here useful in making a purchase and thought I would write up my thoughts as well.
My biking background is using it as one of my major means of transport for the last 25-30 odd years. I have been commuting since 1994 and have had road and mountain bike for that purpose and also for other rides (occasional MTBing, Around the Bay in a Day etc) and have recently begun to enjoy group rides and also done a couple of fun triathlons where I have enjoyed the internal competitiveness.
I want to start riding regularly on morning rides with friends and groups and perhaps have a go at some crits a local club puts on.
Based upon that, I was looking for a new bike - and I am reasonably tight, wanting to ensure I get the best bang for my buck. With a budget of just over AU$2000 ($2k limit by the family CFO, but was able to stretch it a little!), I was looking at being able to affort an Al frame bike with carbon fork with 105 componentry (Ultegra on close out sales). Looking around, and with the strong Aussie dollar at the moment, I looked overseas and found the Bottechia USA bikes - settling on the old Team bike (DA7800).
Using a buying agent, brought it into the country, paid the taxes and the US$1495 bike was all up a touch over AU$2300 (a little under US$2100). This came with warranty insurance as well - if there was a problem with the bike the agent would absorb the cost of return shipping and getting it back.
So - placed the order on the 16th with the agent and the bike arrived in my hands yesterday (30th) - two weeks.
The box arrived in good order - although God knows what caused the big rent in the side!
Then proceeded to unpack with some help from the family:
Got it up onto the workstand to get it together and remove the wrapping:
Getting ready to get out on it for a ride - final touches!:
And finally out for a first ride!
First ride (23km last night down to St Kilda and back) was great - I haven't ridden for two months since a back injury from a disengaging cleat whilst climbing, but early on in the piece was able to head up a hill in the big gear at 33km/h, go down a slight incline at 50km/h and feel great at over 40 along the flat.
LOL - couldn't keep that up on the way back though!
Anyway, to put the bike together you need:
Overall the bike was easy to strip out of the carton and packing material and put together.
The following needed to be done:
Certainly not difficult for someone with minor mechanical capability - having the right tools though are a must!
First impressions of the bike were great - a real thrill to be on - I loved it. Coming from a 14 year old Al frame fitted with Shimmano 600 groupset, this frame and components felt fantastic (didn't need to adjust gears, worked out of the box, although it did have some trouble getting onto the small rear gear).
One problem however was the lack of enough high gears! Used to a 53/11 as the biggest gear and moving to a bike with 50/12 which felt much quicker lead to me searching for higher gears sometimes. I guess I just need to learn to spin faster!
The pedals that came with the bike were at least a brand I knew - Wellgo RC-713 pedals - "robust" is probably a euphamistic way to describe them; they are heavy and did not fall well to clip back in, leading me to falter if I needed to clip back in. They felt secure however and held my foot comfortably enough - looking forward to getting delivery of my Look pedals however.
Wheels seem reasonably good - 2kg wheels is a step up from what I've been riding anyway! More interested as a Clydesdale in strength over weight (I'm 112kg). Will see how they go over time. Getting up around the 70km/h area downhill (duh!) the aero blades made a bit of noise that I am unused to - is this normal?
The DA7800 kit worked great bar the issues getting into the small cog - happy with the older kit.
The cranks are fine - haven't broken them yet! (I have some small worry about the strenght of CF cranks as I go up hill stamping down in top gear...)
The biggest let down - even though reviewers had already said this about the Cane Creeks - is that the brake pads are worse than rubbish - they are dangerous. The only pads my LBS had were generic ones (clarks I think) and these were a HUGE improvement over the CC ones. I can't understand how they can ship with such awful pads! Oh well, easy fix!
Overall, I am very happy with the bike and looking forward to riding much more regularly. It's a pleasure to get out on and my friends are impressed with it (obviously my friends are not die hard competitive roadies with $12K bikes!)
Highly recommended if you are willing to deal with the few compromises - the biggest being that it is through mail order.
All the best.
I found the threads on the Bottechia group buy frame and others on here useful in making a purchase and thought I would write up my thoughts as well.
My biking background is using it as one of my major means of transport for the last 25-30 odd years. I have been commuting since 1994 and have had road and mountain bike for that purpose and also for other rides (occasional MTBing, Around the Bay in a Day etc) and have recently begun to enjoy group rides and also done a couple of fun triathlons where I have enjoyed the internal competitiveness.
I want to start riding regularly on morning rides with friends and groups and perhaps have a go at some crits a local club puts on.
Based upon that, I was looking for a new bike - and I am reasonably tight, wanting to ensure I get the best bang for my buck. With a budget of just over AU$2000 ($2k limit by the family CFO, but was able to stretch it a little!), I was looking at being able to affort an Al frame bike with carbon fork with 105 componentry (Ultegra on close out sales). Looking around, and with the strong Aussie dollar at the moment, I looked overseas and found the Bottechia USA bikes - settling on the old Team bike (DA7800).
Using a buying agent, brought it into the country, paid the taxes and the US$1495 bike was all up a touch over AU$2300 (a little under US$2100). This came with warranty insurance as well - if there was a problem with the bike the agent would absorb the cost of return shipping and getting it back.
So - placed the order on the 16th with the agent and the bike arrived in my hands yesterday (30th) - two weeks.
The box arrived in good order - although God knows what caused the big rent in the side!
Then proceeded to unpack with some help from the family:
Got it up onto the workstand to get it together and remove the wrapping:
Getting ready to get out on it for a ride - final touches!:
And finally out for a first ride!
First ride (23km last night down to St Kilda and back) was great - I haven't ridden for two months since a back injury from a disengaging cleat whilst climbing, but early on in the piece was able to head up a hill in the big gear at 33km/h, go down a slight incline at 50km/h and feel great at over 40 along the flat.
LOL - couldn't keep that up on the way back though!
Anyway, to put the bike together you need:
- Metrix Alan keys
- Snips (to remove cable ties etc)
- Phillips head screwdriver (unless you want to keep the dorky wheel reflectors on!)
- Pedal spanners
- (optional but highly recommended) a workstand
Overall the bike was easy to strip out of the carton and packing material and put together.
The following needed to be done:
- Remove packing material
- Put front wheel on
- Put front brake on
- Install handle bar onto stem
- Rotate stem to line up with forks and tighten
- Put on pedals
- Adjust brakes
- Put rear brake cable into mount
Certainly not difficult for someone with minor mechanical capability - having the right tools though are a must!
First impressions of the bike were great - a real thrill to be on - I loved it. Coming from a 14 year old Al frame fitted with Shimmano 600 groupset, this frame and components felt fantastic (didn't need to adjust gears, worked out of the box, although it did have some trouble getting onto the small rear gear).
One problem however was the lack of enough high gears! Used to a 53/11 as the biggest gear and moving to a bike with 50/12 which felt much quicker lead to me searching for higher gears sometimes. I guess I just need to learn to spin faster!
The pedals that came with the bike were at least a brand I knew - Wellgo RC-713 pedals - "robust" is probably a euphamistic way to describe them; they are heavy and did not fall well to clip back in, leading me to falter if I needed to clip back in. They felt secure however and held my foot comfortably enough - looking forward to getting delivery of my Look pedals however.
Wheels seem reasonably good - 2kg wheels is a step up from what I've been riding anyway! More interested as a Clydesdale in strength over weight (I'm 112kg). Will see how they go over time. Getting up around the 70km/h area downhill (duh!) the aero blades made a bit of noise that I am unused to - is this normal?
The DA7800 kit worked great bar the issues getting into the small cog - happy with the older kit.
The cranks are fine - haven't broken them yet! (I have some small worry about the strenght of CF cranks as I go up hill stamping down in top gear...)
The biggest let down - even though reviewers had already said this about the Cane Creeks - is that the brake pads are worse than rubbish - they are dangerous. The only pads my LBS had were generic ones (clarks I think) and these were a HUGE improvement over the CC ones. I can't understand how they can ship with such awful pads! Oh well, easy fix!
Overall, I am very happy with the bike and looking forward to riding much more regularly. It's a pleasure to get out on and my friends are impressed with it (obviously my friends are not die hard competitive roadies with $12K bikes!)
Highly recommended if you are willing to deal with the few compromises - the biggest being that it is through mail order.
All the best.
.
10-31-09, 02:54 PM
#5
Senior Member
Very nice ... I have the same Bottecchia frame with the new DA7900... 
https://shop.ebay.com/bottecchia-usa/...&_trksid=p4340
https://shop.ebay.com/bottecchia-usa/...&_trksid=p4340
10-31-09, 04:51 PM
#6
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Thanks guys
LOL - will work on the leg hair!
Considered the 7900 - would have added to resale value and cut down weight a little but I was already pushing my budget.
Forgot a couple of items I meant to mention on the bike:
* The saddle and seat pole are not very heavy but the seat is quite hard and uncomfortable - although I haven't ridden for two months (injured) so my butt may not be as used to it...
* The frame and carbon weave look very nice - beautiful finish. The let down is the quality of the decals - they look nice from far, but are far from nice! They don't have clear definition at the edges (a bit blury like they were done on an inkjet)
LOL - will work on the leg hair!
Considered the 7900 - would have added to resale value and cut down weight a little but I was already pushing my budget.
Forgot a couple of items I meant to mention on the bike:
* The saddle and seat pole are not very heavy but the seat is quite hard and uncomfortable - although I haven't ridden for two months (injured) so my butt may not be as used to it...
* The frame and carbon weave look very nice - beautiful finish. The let down is the quality of the decals - they look nice from far, but are far from nice! They don't have clear definition at the edges (a bit blury like they were done on an inkjet)
10-31-09, 05:28 PM
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10-31-09, 06:32 PM
#9
Senior Member
Thanks guys
Considered the 7900 - would have added to resale value and cut down weight a little but I was already pushing my budget.
Forgot a couple of items I meant to mention on the bike:
* The saddle and seat pole are not very heavy but the seat is quite hard and uncomfortable -
although I haven't ridden for two months (injured) so my butt may not be as used to it...
Considered the 7900 - would have added to resale value and cut down weight a little but I was already pushing my budget.
Forgot a couple of items I meant to mention on the bike:
* The saddle and seat pole are not very heavy but the seat is quite hard and uncomfortable -
although I haven't ridden for two months (injured) so my butt may not be as used to it...
Here is the link to my bike assembly photos ... https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/563933-new-bike-arrived-today-ready-maiden-voyage.html
10-31-09, 07:25 PM
#10
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